Resigning From the Billionaire

I had been Adrian Vance’s executive assistant for three years when he got engaged. His fiancée made him fire all his female staff who worked in close proximity to him. I was on that list. As compensation, Adrian offered to set me up with his older brother. "He’s richer than me, better at everything that matters, and he just has one kid," Adrian told me. "If you don't mind a ready-made family, want me to set it up?" I didn't mind. Because I was the one who gave birth to that kid. 01 Julian Sterling and I had a past. It was a secret. Adrian had no idea. If he did, he wouldn’t be so clueless as to treat me like his personal errand girl. I was twenty-two when I was with Julian. Fresh out of college, green, and clumsy. I met him at one of Sterling Group's port facilities. I thought he was just another struggling job seeker like me, fresh out of a failed interview. He looked a mess that day. Suit rumpled, face smudged with dust. He was sitting on a curb, eating a cheap takeout box. A thick stack of documents was sitting next to him. He looked completely down on his luck. I had just been rejected for a position and was running on pure emotional impulse. I had bought two massive, double-meat pork belly bowls from a food truck, and I handed him one. "Here, eat this," I said. "Yours looks too pathetic. It won't fill you up." His box was mostly just rice and withered greens. I sat down five feet away from him, feeling sorry for myself. I was busy fantasizing about how miserable my life would be if I didn't find a job soon. Would I end up sitting on a curb, getting fed by strangers? I was so lost in my pity party that I missed Julian’s expression. It went from bewildered to incredulous, and finally, to genuinely amused. Over that lunch, we briefly talked about our "struggles." We exchanged names. It was the beginning of a massive mistake. I had assumed his background was as ordinary as mine. And Julian was perfectly happy to play the role of an ordinary guy. I started running into him everywhere after that. Every time, it felt like a coincidence. Even when he asked me out, I thought it was fate. Until the cliché, melodramatic plot twist happened. I was at a high-end luxury mall, picking out a corporate gift for a major client on behalf of my boss. I saw Julian. He was dropping thousands without blinking. Hands casually in his pockets. Shoulders leaning back with lazy arrogance. Tapping his foot. He looked impatient, but he was still forcing himself to play along, offering opinions to the girl next to him. When she finally picked a style she liked, he gave a relieved wave to the clerk to put it on his tab. Only the night before, he had been wrapped around me in my tiny rented apartment, asking me to give him a head rub. Listening to me complain about Adrian’s demands and work stress. I thought about it for a long time. I weighed my options: continue the charade of our relationship, or demand a massive payoff to disappear. I didn't choose either. I chose the stupidest option. I confronted him, and I didn't ask for a dime. He wasn't surprised. He admitted who he was, cleanly and efficiently. Then he opened his mouth and said he wanted to take me home to meet his family. To his estate. That place was worth more than I could earn in fifty lifetimes. I saw tons of files in his study. As it turned out, he took his role as the Sterling heir very seriously. That day we met at the port, he wasn't looking for a job. He was inspecting a Sterling key project that was having major issues. In the blistering summer heat, he had gone to the site with a team of engineers, blueprints in hand. He was there to personally diagnose the problem. Change plans, coordinate resources. A recording secretary had written that thick stack of "documents"—meeting minutes. Nobody expected the CEO to actually show up on the dusty ground. So, nobody had arranged a fancy lunch for him. When lunchtime hit, he just grabbed the minutes, sat on the curb, and reviewed them while eating a generic lunchbox, waiting for a final report from a subordinate. And that’s when I ran into him. I could have kicked myself for being so blind. How did I not notice the price tag on his watch, or how perfectly tailored his suit was? He asked me if we absolutely had to break up. He said loving someone was all the same; the most important things were shared interests and assets. I was twenty-four, far too young. Young enough to believe that love couldn't tolerate a grain of sand, let alone a lie that big. "It’s not the same," I told him. "We are not the same." I didn't cry, and I didn't make a grand exit. I got in a cab and left, feeling as numb as someone who had just been laid off. But life never goes as planned. Only a month later, I realized just how important money was. A month later, my period didn't show up. I was pregnant. And my company was doing a massive round of layoffs, targeting pregnant women specifically. The boss made it clear: Pay them the severance and get them out. Let those pregnant women go home and tend to their babies. If this kept up, he wouldn't be hiring women anymore. Before my belly started to show, I immediately pledged my undying loyalty to the company. I promised I wouldn't let my "health issues" affect the project. Then, I requested three days off for the procedure. The boss was satisfied and held me up as a model employee. Looking in the mirror, I felt like a corporate slave, not a human being. My colleagues whispered behind my back, and I had no defense. I scheduled the abortion and went to the hospital. But I was stopped in the parking lot by Julian’s security team. Julian was out of the country. He took a private jet back that night, landing in six hours. He told me to keep the baby. The terms he offered were generous. I agreed. To prevent developing a maternal bond, I never looked at the baby girl once after she was born. Julian took her away and named her Cora. Cora, the maiden. A precious pearl. I figured Julian must love her. Which meant I didn't need to worry about her. I left Seattle and moved south to Atlanta. 02 Turns out, I couldn't escape the Sterling family. Julian’s younger brother, Adrian, was running the southern branch of the company. I was mass-applying for jobs. I didn't even realize I had applied to be Adrian Sterling's assistant. The interview process was suspiciously smooth. Before I knew it, I was Adrian Vance’s executive assistant. I was responsible for scheduling and day-to-day logistics. Occasionally getting him coffee. When the chief of staff was away, I would handle heavy-hitter clients. For the most part, I didn't have to travel with him. Overall, the work was administrative but not too grueling. The pay was excellent. Combined with the money Julian had given me, I had already bought a nice condo. With this job, I could have had a stable, peaceful life. But that was shattered by Adrian’s fiancée. "Elena? Elena?" Adrian tapped his desk. "Surely it doesn't take this long to think about it. Why the hesitation? You don't like the sound of him?" He was smiling, but there was a hint of irritation in his voice. I finished organizing his schedule and pushed the planner toward him. "From eleven to eleven-thirty, you have a briefing. At noon, you have lunch with Junior Li. His family just had some good news, so I’ve prepared a gift for you to take. From two to four PM,靳Mr. Jin wants to golf, but Mr. Kent wants to go riding at the same time. Schedules conflict; you need to decide which to cancel. At five, a client tour of the R&D center, then signing the contract, followed by dinner at the Estate. The menu is set—Cantonese style. It is currently ten-forty-three. Junior Li mentioned several VPs want to brief you early, so you can talk to them now." I paused for a few seconds, then spoke again. "As for the blind date with your brother, I’m going to have to pass." Adrian leaned back in his executive chair. He tapped his foot, spinning the chair slightly. He stared at me for a long moment, looking thoughtful. "Hmm." He had a half-smile on his face. "Elena, are you hiding something from me?" I said, "I know your brother." To say we "dated" felt too heavy. No family or friends knew; it didn't feel like a real relationship. "Oh, you know him?" He nodded. His foot suddenly stopped tapping. He studied my expression, took a breath, and spoke with certainty. "No way. No way. You were with my brother, weren't you?" Even though I was used to the casual contempt of the upper class. Hearing him use the phrase "were with" still stung. I managed to say, "Yes." He immediately jumped up, smiling as he ushered me over to the sofa. He was suddenly all attention, even pouring me a cup of tea. "Come on, you have to know who gave birth to his daughter, right?" "None of us brothers could ever get it out of him." "He hates kids, so he must have really loved that woman to keep the baby." "Since you guys were together, spill. Who was the one he spoiled the most?" Who was it? Was it that girl he was willing to take shopping? Or maybe, that was just another woman in his life. I tightened my lips. "I don't know who he liked the most, but it wasn't me." Adrian let out a laugh. "A lot of resentment there, huh? My brother shouldn't be stingy, though." "Maybe he is stingy with some people. When I was with him, I lived in a crappy rented apartment." Adrian’s expression froze for a few seconds. His jaw literally dropped in disbelief. "You lived where?" He repeated. "You lived in a crappy rented apartment? He let you live in a place like that?" I gave a silent, bitter smile. "Not really. I rented it myself. He didn't live with me." "Holy shit. He wouldn't even cover your rent? That’s low." Adrian smoothed his jacket, got up, and started pacing. He kept glancing at me. "I wouldn't have pegged you for the romantic type, Elena... with your looks, asking for a condo wouldn't have been too much. Why didn't you think to take him for all he was worth?" He was appraising me, calculating my value. If this had been the old me, I would have cursed him out. I adjusted my expression, lowering my posture. "I was young and naive." I cracked a weak joke. "Considering that, maybe increase my severance package a bit?" There was a knock on the door. An employee poked their head in. "Mr. Sterling, the meeting is starting." Adrian nodded, adjusting his collar. I stepped forward quickly to hold the door for him. He grabbed his folder, ignoring me as he walked past. "You're not being fired. Go back to work." 03 Too bad. I was hoping to cash out and leave. Now I’d have to resign. Adrian’s fiancée was quite famous around the office lately. Word was she was the granddaughter of a very prominent DC politician, and her parents were loaded, too. She had a serious pedigree, and a serious temper to match. After the engagement, she demanded Adrian fire all his close female staffers. Adrian had two chief secretaries. One male, one female—his right-hand people. The female chief was highly capable, so Adrian protected her job. But someone like me, the base-level executive assistant, wasn't so lucky. Even if I wasn't fired, staying wouldn't be pretty. Who knew when the wife would start suspecting me. I went back to my office. I ran into colleagues from other departments coming to the assistant's pool for stamps. When they saw me return, they all shot me sympathetic looks. "Elena, when are you leaving? Let’s get dinner before you go." I pulled out my chair and slumped over my desk. "Earliest next month. The HR process takes time." "HR process? For a firing, you don't need to wait, do you?" "I’m resigning," I said. "Mr. Sterling doesn't plan on firing me. Does anyone have a resignation letter template I can borrow?" Thank you for the opportunity to grow with the company... Due to personal reasons... I have decided to resign. I clicked 'send' on the resignation email. I pushed back from my keyboard and exhaled deeply. Then I remembered Adrian’s offhand comment. He must have really loved that woman to keep the baby. I didn't know what Julian’s feelings for me actually were. Back when I worked in DC. I lived in a standard entry-level apartment complex for young professionals. It was crowded, a real mix of people. I experienced my first stalker there. And then, my first attempted break-in. I was a light sleeper that night. My phone buzzing woke me up. The peephole camera app was alerting me. Someone was loitering outside my door. The man in the video was masked, wearing a hat and gloves. I couldn't see his face, and his bulky work clothes hid his build. He was professional and efficient at picking locks. Every now and then, he’d glance back and murmur something to an accomplice behind him. I froze in the living room for a few seconds, then instinctively ran to the kitchen for a knife. I hid back in my bedroom, staring at the camera feed, trembling as I finally called 911. Then I called Julian. His voice was raspy, heavy with sleep. "What is it?" I said, "Someone is picking my lock." There was a dead silence on the other end for one second. Then I heard the rustle of him sitting up and grabbing clothes. He sounded completely awake now. He asked me, "How many are outside? Are they armed?" "I only saw two... I didn't see any knives. I don't know if they have anything on them." His voice calmed down. "Don't cry. Get in your room and lock the door." The camera feed suddenly went black. The front door clicked open. Footsteps entered the living room, getting closer. The thief started pushing against the bedroom door. I gripped the knife, wondering if I should rush out and attack first. The adrenaline made it hard to stand. I was gripping the handle so hard my hand felt numb, like I wouldn't be able to swing it. Suddenly, things got chaotic outside the door. A few muffled thuds. Cursing mixed with screams of pain. The sound of shattering glass, things hitting the floor. Crashes. "Julian?" "It’s me," he said, his voice muffled and slightly winded. "Don't come out yet. It’ll just be a minute." I was wiping sweat off my face. My legs gave out, and I slumped onto the edge of the bed. Until there was a knock on the door. I dragged the heavy furniture I used to block the door away. The living room was a wreck. The thieves were barely alive on the floor. Someone was dragging one of them by the ankle, like a dead animal, out of the apartment. Julian wiped blood off his knuckles and pulled me close. His overcoat was freezing, but a warm scent of rich tobacco radiated from his skin, warmed by his body. He held me very tightly. He looked down and kissed the top of my head. The men with Julian coughed politely. "Mr. Sterling... what do we do with them?" "Check if they have priors. Send them away for a long time." Julian was running his hand over the back of my head, his voice calm. Buried in his shoulder, I murmured. "Are they your friends? It’s so late... I should treat them to dinner sometime." "It’s fine," he said. "Go rest. I’m staying with you tonight." The police arrived. Julian lit a cigarette, ushering me back to the bedroom. The low murmur of conversation didn't last long. He climbed into bed, pulling me securely into his arms from behind. I was still shaking. "Don't be afraid," he said. "It won't happen again." I turned around, kissing him frantically. Julian froze for a moment. He was usually very direct in bed. I was used to him unbuckling his belt, pressing the back of my neck, and getting straight to it. That night, he was surprisingly gentle. He just caught my hands and wrapped them around his neck. He rolled on top of me, kissing me back. The late autumn wind was howling outside. His body was burning hot. When he cupped my face with his palms, I truly felt loved. But past events are like sugarcane pulp that’s been chewed too many times. Back at the Sterling estate, talking about "interests," I realized I couldn't delude myself with that tiny bit of sweetness anymore. He loved me the way one loves a pretty pet. He might not be paying attention to it, but he wouldn't let anyone else touch it. That was all. Work was done. It was Friday. My resignation email had been sent. Earliest I’d get a reply would be Monday. I packed up my desk, slowly erasing my presence. I didn't expect it. Julian called me on Sunday night. He must have just gotten off a plane; the background noise was a bit loud. "Elena, what’s the 'personal reasons' you cited in your resignation?" "Mr. Sterling, I’m twenty-nine. It’s time I started a family." He was silent for a few seconds. "You’re not quitting just because you’re afraid I’ll set you up with my brother, are you? Don't overthink it." "No," I said. "I found a good match on a dating app. I was planning to quit around this time anyway." "What’s his background?" "Ordinary. Professor at a local college." "I see. Fine. Work hard for the next thirty days. I’ll give you a bonus as a wedding gift." "Thank you, Mr. Sterling." "One more thing." He said. "Pick out some gifts that a little girl would like. Next Friday, you're coming with me to DC." A little girl. I was stunned for a moment. "...Yes, Mr. Sterling."

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