AMOR FATI (Love of fate)

Chapter 6 Surprises

I was tasked with overseeing the automation project, ensuring its completion within an intense 10-day deadline. With no room for error, I had to dive in immediately, working day and night. After completing the project, I had another five days to rigorously test the system and fix any bugs before finally leaving the company for good. My departure was planned, but I had one last hurdle to cross. A new employee was supposed to start today, although I hadn't been given any details about who it would be. It felt strange to be left in the dark about it, but I didn't have the energy to care. I had too much on my plate.

Besides, I was still reeling from everything that had happened after the incident with Chris. I swore to myself that I would never cross paths with him again after that disastrous encounter. It felt like my life had spiraled into a nightmare since then. It wasn't just the professional embarrassment; it was the way people had started talking behind my back. I couldn't escape the rumors, no matter where I went. I'd hear whispers in the break room, in the hallways, or even see the side-eye glances at meetings.

It was the ugliest kind of gossip-the kind that strikes deep, that wounds in ways you don't see coming. There were those who said I was trying to get into the CEO's pants, that I acted like I owned the company. Others claimed I took his parents for granted, like I was trying to worm my way into their lives for some advantage. The worst of them all was the one that broke me-people actually saying they wished the CEO would marry Madam June, as if I was standing in the way of something that was never mine to begin with.

I can't even explain how much of it hurt. Some of the things they said... they shook me to my core. It wasn't just office politics. It felt personal, like they wanted to break me down bit by bit. And maybe they did. I found myself drowning, not just in my workload, but in the noise, the endless swirl of lies and speculation that surrounded me. I started questioning my every move, wondering if maybe I had done something wrong-if maybe, without realizing it, I had become the person they said I was.

It got so bad that one night I found myself at a bar, downing drink after drink, hoping to numb the pain, to quiet the voices in my head that echoed with the hurtful things I'd heard. I was spiraling, and it all nearly came to a tragic end when I almost got into an accident that night. If it weren't for Lisa, I don't know where I'd be now. She was the one who stayed by my side, the one who pulled me back from the brink.

Lisa had always been a steady presence, but after everything started unravelling, she became more than that-my rock, my protector. She'd either stay at my house, making sure I didn't do something stupid, or I'd stay at hers, finding some small peace in the chaos. She saw the broken parts of me, the pieces I tried so hard to keep hidden from everyone else. She knew the truth, and she never judged me for it. Without her, I don't know how I would've made it through these last few months.

And now, here I am. Just a few more days, and I'll be done with this place for good. A new person will be stepping into my role, and I'll be gone, leaving behind the rumors, the betrayal, and, hopefully, the pain. But deep down, I know I'll carry it with me for a while longer.

At least I won't have to see Chris again. That much, I'm sure of.

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It's been a week since the incident with Anna, and it still lingers in my mind. I replay that moment over and over again, wondering what exactly went wrong. Why did I overreact like that? It's almost as if something snapped inside me, something I can't fully understand. She didn't deserve any of it, and yet, I questioned her choices in her personal life, crossing boundaries that shouldn't have been crossed. Why did I even feel the need to pry? It was none of my business.