Hopefully, Damon would understand the delay in getting this merger lined up for another chance. My last conversation with my dad hadn’t been the right time to push the issue. I wasn’t trying to waste time — I really thought Dad would be into the idea! Or the board would, given the chance.

I tried to type an email update:

Hi, Damon! Too cheery.

Dear Damon. Way too intimate.

Damon— Abrupt! Cold!

I decided I should just call him and hope for the best.

The phone was trilling in my ear when Todd knocked on my office door. I slammed it down into the base so hard that it bounced back. 

“What?” I hissed, untangling the cord and trying to corral the handset into place.

At Todd’s confused look, I drained the tension in my shoulders and tried a gentler, “Hi, sorry, what brings you by?”

He brightened at my improved attitude. “I’ve come to collect you for the tech training.”

“Oh, with the new system? I’ve already had it.”

“No, you haven’t.” He laughed and strutted up to my desk.

“I have,” I said more firmly, crossing my arms.

He raised his chin. “When?”

Another timeline. With my photographic memory and the experience of using the new system for roughly three years, I could probably give the damn presentation. 

“I have a life outside this office, you know,” I replied.

Squinting and smirking, he tilted his head. “Do you?”

I did… didn’t I?

In high school and college I’d worked here when I could, but I’d still managed to have a social life. Late night talks, shopping, movie dates...an ocean of memories, and for some reason, the strongest were of Damon smiling.

Well, he probably wouldn’t be smiling once he heard about my failure to launch the merger project. I dreaded our phone call worse than tech training.

“Fine.” I pushed back from my desk. “I’ll prove it to you.”

“Prove what?” Todd asked, following me to the trainer setup.

“That I don’t need any more training!”

In the conference room where the training was being held, Dad, a group of assorted coworkers, and the tech trainer watched as I found a computer with the program booted up.

Todd pulled out my chair. “Here you go, Alina. We also have a bunch of treats.”

“I’m not hungry.” I was just reaching back for the chair when Todd used it to shovel me towards the table.

“There you go!” By his encouraging tone, I could tell he thought he was doing a good thing. But it was horribly patronizing.

“Have some candy, Alina,” Dad urged, taking a fistful before wagging the bowl at me.

“Dad, you shouldn’t be eating sweets! Didn’t you say you’ve been tired lately?”

“My little sweet pea is worried about me.” He clutched the bowl close, the crowd of people smiling or wincing, some turning to each other to hide laughter or roll their eyes.

Oh no.

I could see myself from their perspectives: sweet little Alina Martin, needy nepotism baby.

How could I convince them to see past my last name to my ability to lead?

I stood abruptly and grabbed the projector remote. “Let’s get on with this training, shall we? Sign in with your company credentials and click on the fourth item down, Internal Inquiries.”

The trainer gawked at me. “Have you been playing with the software already?”

“Something like that.” I smiled and clicked to the next slide without looking at it, knowing what it said. “This is where you can apply for jobs, switch shifts, and even submit proposals so they don’t languish at the bottom of an unread pile, like my own hopes and dreams.”

Dad coughed discreetly. “Alina, you should let the trainer—”

“Do their job?” I nodded. “I agree. As I told Todd, who should not be sneaking you more candy right now”—I pointed sternly enough that they both froze—“I’m fluent in this technology. But he didn’t believe me, because he’d already made up his mind that he knew better than me. Despite business school, master classes, and a lifetime of experience—”

“You’re not the only one with those things,” Paula interrupted.

I sighed. I could have lived a hundred lifetimes with this company and still not been able to change anything. “No, but you don’t trust me. I’ve always been happy to help everybody. I can do more, if you let me. ”

My coworkers looked at each other. Todd stuffed his hands in his pockets, studying me as he leaned against the cabinet.

I took in all their pensive faces, possibly for the last time. “It feels like nothing I suggest or take on will be taken seriously. I think… I think it’s time to leave.”

Maybe if I left, things would change, albeit without me. I put the projector remote on the stand and headed back to my office with my head held high.

“Alina,” was all my father said as I passed, as if I was a moody teen instead of a fully grown woman clearing out her desk in search of better opportunities.

One day, maybe, I’d be back… ready to lead this company to greatness again.

Todd came by as I was packing. “Hey, so I get you feel underapprecia— Wait, are you actually quitting?”

“Yes.” I shouldered my bag and made for the door.

He tried to make himself bigger to block the door. “You can’t leave!”

“Yes, I can.” I pushed hard enough to slip by him.

“Is this about WorldCon? I know you wanted to lead, but you’re totally overreacting.” He trotted after me, trying to pull my stuff out of my bag. “Wait, are you taking your notes? We can work this out! Alina, come back!”

So, Todd wasn’t so different this time around. Same brush-offs, same reasoning, same lack of sympathy.

I snatched my bag away from him and put my hand up to keep him out of the elevator. “Goodbye, Todd. Take care of my dad, okay? Take care of the company. Don’t sell it off just because it’s easy. Please.”

The metal doors shut on his stunned, pale face and the all-consuming worries I carried for the company. It wasn’t mine to save—not right now.

I had to build my own legacy.

Outside, everything seemed brighter. Better. And I certainly wasn’t going to risk my newfound freedom driving down the freeway after my last life-changing incident. Instead, I marched my way over to the Gibbons Group.

The secretary braced herself against the desk as I sailed past her to the clear doors of Damon’s private office.

He looked up with a mix of apprehension and anticipation. “Alina? I wasn’t expecting you.”

“I know.” I leaned on his desk with my palms spread on either side of his gilded nameplate and gave him a wicked grin. “I’ve got a proposal for you.”