Chapter 6 - The Embarrassing Exit
I stood up from my desk and walked slowly to the floor-to-ceiling window.
I looked down at the corporate courtyard three stories below.
Two burly security guards in dark suits were flanking my father.
They were marching him firmly toward the front gates.
My father was flailing his arms wildly in the air.
He looked exactly like a giant toddler throwing a spectacular temper tantrum.
He pointed up at the glass building, shouting words I couldn't hear through the thick soundproof glass.
Several tech executives holding coffees stopped on the sidewalk to stare at him.
He was wearing his usual golf attire, trying to look like he belonged in a country club.
Instead, he looked entirely unhinged.
I watched as one of the guards finally pushed him past the property line.
The guard pointed sternly down the street.
My father kicked a nearby trash can in frustration.
Then, he finally turned and stormed away.
I let out a long, slow breath.
A heavy weight lifted off my shoulders that I didn't even know I was carrying.
The umbilical cord of guilt and manipulation was finally severed forever.
I walked back to my desk and sat down in my ergonomic chair.
I opened the AI framework project Mr. Sterling had assigned to me.
For the next four hours, I completely lost myself in the code.
I didn't think about weddings, tuition, or fake family loyalty.
I was doing exactly what I loved, getting paid handsomely to do it.
Around three o'clock, my phone lit up with a notification from Facebook.
I usually kept my social media apps muted, but this one caught my eye.
Cousin Greg had tagged me in a post.
I clicked on the notification and the app opened.
It wasn't a post from Greg.
It was a long, unhinged rant posted by Olivia.
May you like
Greg had simply tagged me in the comments so I would see it.
The post was a thousand words of pure, unfiltered victimhood.
