I Quit My Job Twenty-One Times And He Packed Her Shirt Chapter 05

I Quit My Job Twenty-One Times And He Packed Her Shirt Chapter 05

I hung up and stared blankly out the airport lounge window. I had sat in terminals countless times before, but this was the very first time I was traveling for myself.

My phone buzzed relentlessly against my palm, but I paid it no attention. I powered it off and boarded the

plane.

Ten hours later, my flight touched down in Chicago. The unfamiliar cityscape and bracing cold weather

offered me a profound sense of peace.

Once I checked into the hotel my company provided, I finally took my time turning my phone back on.

Over a hundred missed calls flashed on the screen. Aside from three from Chloe, every single one was from

Julian.

My messages were flooded, a solid [99+] hanging under his pinned name. I didn’t rush to open them.

Instead, I ordered dinner, took a long shower, and caught up on my work emails before finally clicking into

his chat room.

[How could you accept a relocation without even talking to me first?]

[Where the hell are you?]

[Can you talk to your manager and get transferred back?]

[Rachel, you’re being incredibly reckless. Do you have any idea how much this decision disrupts my plans?]

I could practically see Julian pacing furiously on the other side of the screen.

He only cared about his disrupted plans. He had no idea how many of my own plans he’d already destroyed.

For four years, I had followed him around blindly, giving up opportunities he never even noticed. Now that my

career was finally gaining traction, he had the nerve to cross–examine me.

[Julian, let’s be honest–who is the selfish one here?] I typed out.

[For years, you took assignment after assignment without a word of warning.]

[The first time, you knew perfectly well I was up for a major promotion, yet you took a pointless transfer just

to go goof off in another state for four months.]

[Because of you, I missed out on everything. I’m not missing my chance this time.]

Julian replied immediately, a defensive wall of text. [That first time was a mistake, I know, but after that…]. I

cut him off.

[You ‘consulted‘ me, sure, but was it ever a real conversation?]

[You used your career and your future to guilt me, forcing me to give in every

time.]

[You deliberately brought Chloe along knowing she had feelings for you, manipulating my anxiety until I felt

forced to quit my job just to keep an eye on you.]

[I’m done, Julian.]

I was completely spent. Done with the endless flights, done with the toxic jealousy, and done with handing in

resignation letters. I had no forgiveness left to give.

[Where are you?] His text came back, his tone demanding.

I looked out the window at the vibrant city lights of downtown Chicago, the bustling streets alive with energy.

A small smile touched my lips, but I left his question unanswered.

[You don’t need to know.] I sent, before blocking his calls. No matter how many times he tried to reach out

after that, I completely tuned him out.

I spent the evening eating takeout and catching up on a trashy reality show, completely free from the ghosts

of Julian and Chloe. My mind felt lighter than it had in years.

After finishing dinner, I answered a few urgent work emails and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The next morning, his messages continued to pile up. I simply unpinned his chat and muted his notifications.

The primary client handling my onboarding here was a charming, blonde–haired man with piercing blue eyes.

Whenever he spoke, his smooth, deep voice made it remarkably easy to lose track of time.

He tapped my desk lightly. “Ms. Johnson,” he said, a warm smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

I nodded calmly, keeping my voice professional. “Please, continue.”

By the time we wrapped up the meeting, it was already one in the afternoon. The local food here leaned a bit

too sweet for my taste, making me lose my appetite after a few bites. I headed back to my office to rest on a

half–empty stomach.

My manager called me a few minutes later, her voice tight with irritation.

“Rachel, you need to deal with your ex. He’s acting like a complete lunatic, camping out in the lobby and refusing to leave.”

“He’s harassing everyone who walks by, demanding to know where you went. It’s totally disrupting the office.”