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Finally. There it is. Pure enough that no gratitude can disguise it.

Christopher looks towards Bill with his eyebrows raised, in shock himself, but Bill doesn’t retract his words.

William Parker, lord of all, actually believes he owns me.

So did I. For fucking years.

“No,” I say. “What you did was make sure I never believed I was good enough to exist without you. Your loyal little puppy dog on a leash. And I’m done with it.”

Bill steps back from the desk.

“I see what’s going on here. You’re throwing away your career for that idiot Reid. You didn’t cut him off, did you? He’s warping your mind.”

“This isn’t about Jack. I haven’t spoken a word to him since the auction, actually. This is about what happened in that room,” I continue. “You invited a decent man here and lied while he believed you were offering him a partnership.”

“That’s business, nothing more.”

“Yes.” The answer becomes clear as I say it. “And so was I. Business. Nothing more.”

I write the date at the top of the page.

My resignation is two sentences long.

I resign from my position with immediate effect. Any remaining communication can go through my solicitor.

I sign my name.

The final line of ink looks clean.

Certain.

I slide the note towards Bill, but he doesn’t touch it.

“You’ll regret this,” he says.

“Maybe, but I’ll take my chances.”

“Say this has nothing to do with Reid all you want, but you’re fooling yourself and you’ll regret turning me away for the sake of a playboy idiot. Reid will grow bored of you. Men like him always get bored of everyone. You’re just a pawn in his stupid game, Bryce, nothing more.”

“Same goes in this room, Bill. Goodbye.”

I get up from my desk, grab my coat from the door. No laptop. No files. No notes. Nothing. Just my phone.

“Wait, Bryce,” Christopher says. “What does this mean for Alice?”

I turn towards him.

“What about her?”

“You’re abandoning her. She’ll be devasted to find out you’ve stormed out of our family.”

I can’t help but sneer. “No. You’re marrying her. I was never a part of the Parker family, and certainly never part of yours.”

“That’s not how she sees it.”

I get a pang at the leverage he’s trying to use. The fucking audacity.

There must be nothing but flames in my eyes as I stare him out.