I'm proud of you. Really? Really? It takes guts to walk away from something that's not working, even when everyone expects you to stay. I learned that from you.
I never quit anything. No, but you keep fighting for what matters. The shop, Sophie, us. You don't waste time on things that don't bring value. I want to do that.
I want to figure out what actually matters and invest in that. Ethan smiled, feeling something warm spread through his chest. So, what happens now? Now I have 6 months to find my replacement and figure out what comes next. The board wasn't thrilled, but they accepted it.
And Ethan. Yeah. Okay. Can I come see you? I need to be around someone who won't tell me I'm making a mistake.
Shop's open until 6:00. Come by whenever. She showed up 45 minutes later, still in her business suit, looking simultaneously terrified and liberated. Marcus took one look at her expression and excused himself to grab coffee, leaving them alone in the office. I really did it, Vivien said, sinking into the desk chair.
I quit being CEO of a multi-billion dollar company. You're transitioning out responsibly over 6 months. That's different than quitting. Semantics. She spun the chair slightly.
My mother is going to kill me. Your mother lives in France and hasn't called you in 3 months. She's going to call now. Trust me. Ethan leaned against the desk.
Do you regret it? No. Maybe. I don't know. Ask me in 6 months.
She looked up at him. Is it crazy that I'm more excited than scared? No, I think that means you made the right decision. What if I can't find a replacement? What if the company falls apart?
Then it falls apart. But that's not your responsibility anymore. You're allowed to let go. She stood and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. How are you so calm about this?
Because I've had practice failing. You're just getting started. She laughed into his shirt. That's not comforting. It's honest.