After completing the resignation paperwork, I left the law firm.
I didn’t want to see Nate. I didn’t want to say goodbye. So I sent the divorce papers by courier. Once he saw them and signed his name, it would all be over.
‘Goodbye, Nate. I wish you a lifetime of happiness with the one you love.‘
I was preparing to take Alyssa abroad. Still, I was afraid she might resent me for the decision, so I asked her gently, “Sweetheart, Mommy and Daddy are separating. I’ll be taking you to live overseas. Will you be upset?”
She shook her head and kissed my cheek with quiet understanding.
“Mommy, as long as I have you, I’m fine. I want to be with you forever. I just want you to be happy.”
That undid me.
I broke down crying, but in that moment, every ounce of pain disappeared.
With my daughter, it felt like I had the whole world.
Men? They’re like passing clouds–let them drift away.
Everything from the past–I let it go.
We settled on a small farm abroad and began a new life together. The days were peaceful. Easy.
Back at the firm, I used to be close with a colleague. We’d meet for lunch every day, sharing meals and gossip like clockwork. Even after I left, she kept sending me voice messages and videos with all the latest updates.
One day, she sent me a clip about Selena.
The moment I opened it, Nate’s cold, drawn face filled the screen. He looked dazed, distracted—like something was gnawing at him.
In his hand was a resignation letter. Just as he was about to turn to the second page, Selena walked up behind him and snatched it away, tossing it aside.
“Nate, here’s the proposal you wanted.” She handed him a document, leaning in close. Her cheek brushed his, and she grabbed his hand.
He quietly pulled his hand back without a word.
I could tell he was irritated. His gaze avoided hers.
He took the document and began to read. A few pages in, his brow furrowed deeply.
“There’s nothing compelling here,” he said. “It doesn’t explain what our lawyers are expected to do once they transition to corporate counsel roles. And there’s no clause about liability protection.”
He straightened in his chair, his voice firmer now. “You even got the law firm’s name wrong. That’s basic. Details like this reflect a lawyer’s rigor–how could you make such an elementary mistake?”
The more he read, the darker his expression grew. At last, he slammed the document onto the desk.
“Who put this together? It’s total garbage.”
Selena’s face paled instantly. She lowered her head and murmured, “I… I did.”
Nate froze. The fury on the tip of his tongue got stuck in his throat. He swallowed it down, visibly forcing himself to stay calm.
Looking at Selena–on the verge of tears he seemed overwhelmed by a kind of deep, weary frustration.
Selena,” he said, voice steady but heavy, “you graduated from a top school. You should be more than capable of drafting a solid proposal. But this? It’s really not presentable.”
There was something deliberate in the way he spoke, something careful. He brought me up, almost without thinking.
“Look at Christine. She doesn’t even have a degree, but she taught herself the law. Her proposals are always structured, focused, and clear. You could learn from her work ethic. I’ve trusted you with major projects for years. But you haven’t improved. You still need
