Chapter 6:The Breaking point

Finally it was the day Anna had spent weeks preparing for to present her idea in front of there big investor.

The tension in the conference room was palpable, a thick cloud of discomfort settling over the team. Anna's hands were clammy as she clicked through the slides for the presentation, her eyes darting nervously over the room. She had worked tirelessly for this moment—the crucial meeting with a potential investor that could secure the company's future. But everything that could go wrong was going wrong.

She had made a mistake, a simple one that no one else seemed to notice at first. A slide was out of place. Her words didn't match up. She stammered as she tried to recover, her mind racing to fix the mess she had made. But then, just as she thought she might salvage the meeting, she saw it—the look on Alex's face. It was the same cold, calculating look he always gave when he was disappointed. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the investor, who seemed less and less interested by the second.

The investor finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "I'm afraid this just isn't the right fit for us. We've decided to pull back our offer."

Anna's heart sank. The weight of his words hit her like a ton of bricks, the room suddenly spinning. She couldn't process it at first. The deal was lost. They were going to lose the investment that could have kept the company afloat. The company was already struggling, and this was the final blow.

The room felt colder, and Alex's gaze shifted from the investor to Anna. His expression was unreadable, but Anna knew what he was thinking. He was angry—no, furious. He didn't need to say a word. His cold stare said it all.

The investor stood, shaking hands with Alex, a polite but distant exchange before he walked out of the room. Anna stood there, frozen. The air was thick with silence. She could feel Alex's gaze burning into her, the weight of his disappointment making her knees weak.

"Anna, my office. Now," Alex's voice was clipped, and Anna felt her stomach churn as she followed him out of the conference room.

When they reached his office, he didn't wait for her to sit. He stood at his desk, staring at her with a hard, emotionless gaze. "Do you realize what you've just done?" His voice was low but dangerous. "You've just cost us the most important investor we've had in years."

"I… I didn't mean—" Anna started, but Alex cut her off.

"You didn't mean to? You think that matters now?" He took a deep breath, his jaw tightening. "I don't have time for mistakes like this, Anna. You've let this company down, and more importantly, you've let me down."

Anna's heart raced as his words hit her, each one landing like a slap to her face. The reality of the situation was finally sinking in. She had lost them the investor. She had failed. And now, Alex was going to make sure she knew just how much she had messed up.

"I'm sorry, Alex," she whispered, barely able to keep her voice steady. "I'll fix it. I swear, I'll fix it."

But Alex was already shaking his head. "No, Anna. It's too late. You're fired. You're done here."

The words hit her like a physical blow, knocking the wind out of her. Fired? She couldn't breathe, couldn't think. She had worked so hard. She had sacrificed so much for this company, for him. And now, it meant nothing.

She stood there, her hands shaking as she tried to process what he had just said. "You can't… you can't be serious. I've been here for years. You can't just—"

"I'm serious. You've had chances, Anna. But you've failed. And I don't have time to waste on someone who can't keep up." His tone was final, unyielding. "Now pack your things and leave. I'm done."

Anna blinked, her vision blurring as tears welled up in her eyes. She felt the weight of the world crashing down on her, the crushing realization that everything she had worked for had just slipped through her fingers. Without another word, she turned and left the office, her heart heavy with the weight of her failure.

She walked to her desk, her hands numb as she began to pack her things. Her head was spinning, her thoughts incoherent. What had just happened? How had everything fallen apart so quickly?

She shoved the last of her things into her bag, the reality of her situation still too much to grasp. With shaky hands, she grabbed her coat and left the office, the world outside a blur of motion as she tried to make sense of what had just occurred.

But there was no time for clarity. She had to get away. She couldn't go home and face it. Not yet. Not when everything felt so raw.

She dialed Suzy's number, her hands trembling as she pressed the phone to her ear.

"Anna? What's wrong?" Suzy's voice came through, concerned but warm.

"I messed up," Anna's voice cracked as she spoke. "I lost the deal. I've been fired, Suzy. I don't know what to do anymore."

Suzy didn't hesitate. "Come to me. Now. I'll be waiting."

Anna didn't think twice. She didn't want to be alone with her thoughts. She needed a distraction. So she went straight to Suzy's apartment, barely remembering how she got there. When she walked through the door, Suzy was already there, sitting with a bottle of wine.

Without a word, Anna collapsed onto the couch, her face buried in her hands as the tears began to flow freely. Suzy didn't ask questions. She just handed Anna a glass of wine and sat beside her.

"Tell me everything," Suzy said softly.

Anna took the glass, gulping it down in one go. The alcohol burned as it slid down her throat, but it felt like a welcome relief. She didn't have to think. She didn't have to feel. For a moment, the pain was dulled.

"I lost the deal, Suzy," Anna said, her words slurring slightly as she spoke. "I messed up so badly. And now Alex fired me. He said I wasn't good enough. That I wasn't worth his time. I don't even know how I got here. I don't know what to do anymore."

Suzy didn't say anything at first. She just sat quietly, letting Anna drink. She knew her friend needed this—needed to vent, needed to feel like she wasn't alone in her misery.

After a long silence, Anna finally spoke again, her voice growing more heated. "I hate him, Suzy. I hate him for making me feel like I wasn't enough. Like I was just a failure. I gave everything for this job, and for what? To be tossed aside like I was nothing?"

Suzy gently rubbed Anna's back. "You are not nothing, Anna. He's wrong. Don't let him make you feel like you're worthless."

Anna took another sip of wine, the warmth spreading through her chest as she leaned back against the couch. "I don't know if I can ever forgive him for this. For making me feel so small."

"Maybe you don't have to forgive him," Suzy said softly. "But you do have to let it go. Don't let him control your worth."

Anna closed her eyes, letting the words sink in. But even as she tried to let go, a single question lingered in her mind. "Will he regret firing me?" she whispered. "Will he ever realize what he lost?"

Suzy didn't answer. She didn't have to. Anna already knew the answer.

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