If he was surprised he didn’t show it. He just kept me pinned under that icy stare. How can a person be that imposing while wearing a terry cloth robe? “I’ve been doing some freelance jobs for the past couple of years, and it’s taken off. I’ve saved up a few months of salary and enough to lease a workspace for a year.”

He nodded, with an odd expression. Was he happy I was quitting?

I stopped talking and waited for his response and after a moment he stood.

“Congratulations, Alba. I wish you the best.” He rose from the chair after that and without a backward glance he walked away. This was our usual routine, after the morning check-in, he’d go to shower and dress while I went down to the office to get my day started. But I just sat there stunned. Was he really not even going to say he was sorry to see me go? My stomach got that icy feeling again as I watched him stride to the elevator door, but this time it was all humiliation.

“And two weeks is fine, we can find someone by then,” he said right as the doors closed while I sat there with my head swimming.

The phone buzzing in my pocket snapped me out my trance.

Julia: So?

I breathed through the constriction in my throat and tapped a message.

Alba: It’s done. Get your guest room ready.

An explosion of emojis appeared on the screen and though I smiled I could feel the strain of it, like the stress on my face was going to make something snap. For the rest of the day, I didn’t let myself think about why the idea of leaving a job I hated and no longer working for a man I couldn’t stand made me want to cry.

Chapter Three

Alba

One week later

“Oh my God, Alba Serena, just do it already!” my best friend and biggest instigator said over my shoulder for the tenth time in the last thirty minutes.

“Dame un momento, Julia!” I cried back with my eyes frozen on my laptop. I scanned the words again, the succinct explanation, the dates, the note letting my boss know that I was not coming back to fulfill my last two weeks like I’d promised. “I don’t want to burn bridges,” I whispered feebly, as I stared at the words again.

I regret to inform you that I will not be able to return for my final two weeks. But as you said when I gave my notice, you should not have much trouble replacing me. I’ve been presented with an opportunity out of state that I can’t pass up.