After the Heartbreak

Chapter 11: Moving Forward

Two years later, I quit the job.

Not because of Gino—although, if I’m being honest, seeing him had stirred up old feelings I thought I had buried. No, I left because, despite the good company and decent pay, the work itself wasn’t fulfilling.

I remember sitting at my desk on my last day, staring at the computer screen and feeling... nothing. The job, the routine, the long hours of talking to clients over the phone—it just wasn’t for me. The work felt monotonous, the days blending into one another with little to no sense of satisfaction.

Mark had sensed something was off the week before.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he had asked, leaning against my desk during one of our breaks. “You’ve seemed a little out of it lately.”

I had sighed, running a hand through my hair. “Yeah... I guess I’m just not happy here.”

“You’re thinking about leaving, aren’t you?” Mark had said, his tone understanding.

I had nodded, feeling a little guilty. “Yeah. I mean, I love working with you guys, but... I don’t know, Mark. It’s not enough.”

He had smiled then, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Hey, I get it. You’ve got to do what’s best for you.”

And so, I did.

The day I handed in my resignation, I felt a mixture of relief and fear. I didn’t have another job lined up, but I knew I couldn’t stay. I needed to find something that gave me a sense of purpose—something that made me feel like I was actually living, not just going through the motions.

Later that evening, I sat on my bed, scrolling through my phone, when something caught my eye.

It was a notification. Gino had finally read the messages I had sent years ago—the ones I had written after our last date, the ones that had gone unanswered.

But instead of responding, he had left them on ‘seen.’

I stared at the screen for a long time, the silence between us louder than any words could have been.

I guess that was my answer.