Page 6 of Ansel

She nodded and then browsed the menu.

Am I doing the right thing by letting her go?Yes, yes.

Even if I could andwouldcontrol my attraction to her, Neha telling people that she was doing half my job was not acceptable.

I pushed the thoughts aside as the waiter took our orders. I went for the steak, and Neha chose the fish. She didn’t eat beef—not just because she was Hindu, she’d once told me, but because she had never grown up eating it. And now, she just couldn’t.

Since we were going back to work after lunch, we didn’t order wine. I got a tonic water with bitters while Neha said she was fine with water.

“Are you excited about finishing your MBA?” I asked, trying to fill the space with small talk. She was never reticent like this, and it was uncomfortable as hell that I had to initiate all the conversations.

She blinked, as if she hadn’t expected the question. “Yes.”

“Classes going well? Capstone project?”

“They’re going well. We just finished a strategy case on private equity buyouts. It was interesting to look at deals from a different perspective.”

I nodded, genuinely interested. “Are you thinking of shifting to PE, then?”

She hesitated. “I haven’t decided yet.”

Her tone was careful, which bothered me. Neha was usually animated when we talked about her classes, but today, she was holding back.

I studied her. Did she sense something? No, she couldn’t. I hadn’t given anything away.

When our food arrived, it was a relief because it gave me something to do. I was nervous and felt guilty about what I was going to do to her next week. Neha had always been good to me, but now, when I was climbing the ladder, I was kicking her off of it.

But this will be good for her, too. She’ll get a job better suited for her with that new MBA of hers. She could be more than an assistant…just somewhere that wasn’t Sterling.

When Vanessa casually suggested this morning that Neha might work for someone else in the company, I’d acted outwardly indifferent—but inwardly, the thought of Neha doing for someone else what she did for me, especially where I’d have to see it, was unbearable. No, that wouldn’t do at all.

As we ate, the conversation picked up, but she wasn’t the usually cheerful Neha. It nagged at me, even as I tried to convince myself that everyone was allowed to have a bad day and maybe that was it. I didn’t need to make a Federal case out of it.

We were finishing our coffee after I paid the bill, when Neha reached into her bag and pulled out an envelope.

She set it in front of me. “I wanted to give this to you in person.”

I frowned as I pulled the letter out. The second I saw the wordsRe: Resignation Notice, my stomach dropped.

“What is this?” I asked, even though it was obvious whatthiswas.

“My resignation,” she replied unhelpfully.

A rush of thoughts hit me all at once—confusion, disbelief, andguilt.

I looked at her. “You’re quitting?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Do you have another offer?” I demanded, even though I knew this was the best way. She’d leave, and I wouldn’t have to fire her, wouldn’t have to feel shamefaced about doing it, wouldn’t have to doit, which I had to admit was a massive relief.

“No, I don’t.” She gave me a small, tired smile. “I overheard you and Vanessa this morning.”

The blood drained from my face. “What did you?—”

“It’s fine,” she cut in smoothly, but her words were brittle with none of the warmth I was used to with her. “I just wanted you to know that I never told anyone I was the reason you got promoted or that I did your job for you or any of that. I would never do that.”

Remorse twisted in my gut. “I?—”

---