Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 78

Hazel stood at the door of Marcus's office, taking a deep breath before knocking twice.

"Come in," his deep voice called out, utterly devoid of warmth.

Hazel pushed the door open. Marcus was seated behind his desk, reviewing a document, not even bothering to look up.

Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting his silhouette over the desk.

Hazel walked over and stood before him. She pursed her lips, bracing herself before she finally spoke.

"Mr. Thornton, I'd like to resign."

Marcus flipped a page, his voice completely indifferent, his eyes still glued to the paper. "Reason?"

"I'm not a good fit for this place," Hazel replied, using the most generic excuse available.

Marcus let out a low chuckle and finally looked up. His striking eyes held a hint of amusement. "I never thought I'd see the day you threw in the towel. Are you really that easy to break, Hazel?"

Hazel's fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt. "It's not that..."

She opened her mouth, but the words lodged in her throat. She couldn't tell him she was being extorted. She couldn't say that Julian was using Queenie to force her out.

She was used to burying her vulnerabilities where no one could find them. The excuse rolled around on her tongue before she swallowed it down completely.

Marcus studied her for a few seconds before looking back down at his file. "Think it over. A formal resignation requires a one-month notice period anyway. You have plenty of time to reconsider."

His tone carried a knowing certainty, as if he was entirely convinced she wouldn't actually leave. After bouncing between so many places, she surely knew Apex was the pinnacle of the industry. Even if the research division wasn't the absolute best in the country, it was still a powerhouse everyone was dying to get into.

Hazel stood there, staring at his profile as he continued reading. She didn't press the issue, turning around and quietly shutting the door behind her.

Once out in the corridor, she let out a long breath and stared blankly at the ceiling.

The sunlight reflecting through the glass made her eyes burn.

Hazel blinked back the stinging sensation. Why couldn't just one thing go smoothly for her? Why did the whole world seem to be fighting against her?

Dragging her exhausted body, she returned to the lab. Audrey and her lackey were nowhere to be found, their desks entirely abandoned.

Hazel sat down, turned on her computer, and picked up right where she left off with the data analysis.

Only by completely drowning herself in her work could she secure a brief escape from all the miserable people dragging her down. Nothing mattered more than her career right now.

By noon, the cafeteria had started filling up.

Hazel grabbed a tray and found a quiet corner. Just as she picked up her fork, she saw two people walk through the entrance.

Julian wore his sharp dark gray suit, his gold-rimmed glasses gleaming under the lights. Evelyn walked closely beside him, now dressed in a light blue sundress, her long hair flowing freely and a sweet smile on her face. They looked like a picture-perfect couple.

As they walked past her table, Julian's gaze swept over and lingered on her, his steps faltering slightly.

In the car, Evelyn sat in the passenger seat, feeling slightly anxious. Julian started the engine and shot her a glance.

"What's wrong?"

"Hazel still refuses to forgive me," Evelyn said, her voice muffled and laced with grievance.

Julian scoffed, his tone icy. "You don't need her forgiveness. She's the one who needs yours. Let her suffer a bit. She's had things way too easy."

The corners of Evelyn's mouth tipped upward. This was exactly what she wanted to hear. "Okay. As long as you care about me, Julian, I don't care about anything else."

Julian smiled and reached over to ruffle her hair. "If only Hazel were as understanding as you."

The car pulled out of the parking lot. Evelyn leaned back against her seat, staring out the window as her victorious smile grew even wider.

The afternoon wasn't particularly busy.

Hazel finished sorting the remaining data, double-checked everything, and archived the files. When it was time to clock out, she packed her things and walked out of the Apex building, just as her phone began to ring.

"Hazel!" Nellie's excited shriek blasted through the speaker.

"Let's go out, babe! Ever since you started working, you've barely spent any time with me!"

Hazel stood by the curb, feeling a heavy weight pressing down on her chest. So much had happened today, and she genuinely needed a release. If she kept bottling up these emotions, she was going to explode.