My Boyfriend’s “Just a Friend” Became the Reason I Walked Away Chapter 02

My Boyfriend’s “Just a Friend” Became the Reason I Walked Away Chapter 02

The screen lit up with three work messages from Ethan.

[The Sterling Properties team is coming tomorrow.]

[Set up the conference room.]

[Don’t make any mistakes.]

All three messages were curt orders, and each one tightened the pressure in my chest.

I still remembered when Ethan and I had first started dating in college.

To help me finish my final design project, he had stayed awake for three nights in a row building the architectural model with me. He had even given up the best display space in the department’s exhibition hall for me.

“Claire’s work deserves to be seen by everyone.”

Back then, he had eyes only for me.

I couldn’t remember when that had changed. At some point, his affection had been replaced by impatient commands. He couldn’t even be bothered to ask whether I had made it home safely.

I pressed a hand to my aching chest and closed the chat.

A message from Vanessa immediately appeared.

[Claire, Ethan didn’t leave until he dropped me off last night.]

[Don’t worry about him!]

My stomach twisted. My fingers went cold, and a dull ache spread through my chest.

Mia happened to pass the reception desk. When she saw how pale I looked, she quickly handed me a cup of warm water.

“Claire, are you okay? You look awful.”

I managed a strained smile.

“I’m fine. I probably just didn’t sleep well last night.”

The cup was warm against my skin, but my hands stayed cold.

After taking a few minutes to steady myself, I walked into a quiet corner of the stairwell and called my father.

He answered almost immediately.

“Dad.”

“Looks like I’m finally coming home to mooch off you after all.”

His delighted voice came through the phone, full of relief.

“My girl, you should’ve come home years ago!”

“Sterling Properties has plenty of major projects waiting for you, yet you chose to work at that tiny firm. What could you possibly learn there?”

“We’ve kept the principal architect position open for you this entire time.”

After ending the call, I returned to my desk, opened the drawer, and pulled out a blank sheet of paper.

Then I began writing my resignation letter.

I wondered how Ethan would react when he saw it. Would he dismiss it as another attempt to cause drama?

While I was lost in thought, his call came through.

I hesitated before answering.

“Claire Sterling, what was that about last night?”

The impatience in his voice was unmistakable.

“Vanessa said you left by yourself. Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

“You had her worried sick all night.”

The tip of my pen dug into the paper, leaving a deep mark across the page.

I paused.

“She was worried about me?”

“Yes,” Ethan replied, his voice growing colder. “Vanessa felt terrible because she was afraid something might happen to you on the way home.”

“Can you stop acting out over every little thing?”

“You should spend more time focusing on your job.”

After venting at me, he hung up without waiting for a response.

I kept the phone pressed to my ear long after the call had ended.

For the past five years, I had stayed up late doing the preliminary research for every proposal he submitted.

Whenever the firm had a difficult client, I was the one who swallowed my pride, smoothed things over, and kept the relationship from falling apart.

Even Sterling Properties, the major client Ethan took the most pride in securing, had agreed to work with his firm only because I had secretly begged my father to give him a chance.

Yet in Ethan’s eyes, I was nothing more than a receptionist who threw tantrums and never took her job seriously.

I tore up the sheet of paper my pen had damaged and pulled out a fresh one.

This time, I didn’t hesitate.

In neat, careful handwriting, I finished my resignation letter.