Page 1
Story: Eight Years, No Us
“Thank you for all the help you’ve given me over the years, Nolan. I’ll never forget it.”
I gave them my letter of resignation.
My boss, Nolan Simon, received it, looked down, and then looked up at me in shock. “You’re leaving?”
I nodded, and my face was serene. “I’m quitting my job as a legal assistant. I don’t want to do that anymore. Also, my baby’s father is in another country, and I’m going to find him.”
Nolan was quiet for a moment, then he said, “I thought your baby’s father was dead…”
He caught himself right away, and an uneasy laugh came out. “Sorry, that was a mistake.”
Then his face relaxed, and a look of reluctance came over it. “That’s too bad. You’re so good at what you do. Why not stay?” I shook my head and smiled a little.
The truth was that my baby’s father might as well be dead. And even though I was good at what I did, I was still simply an assistant. After a few more polite conversations, he consented to the resignation, and I started giving my work to my coworkers. I saw Albert with Tania, his boyhood sweetheart, in the break room. They were talking quietly, like if they were close. This law firm was started by Albert. He was in charge of me. He was also the father of my daughter.
I started working for the company eight years ago, right after I graduated from school, and became his assistant. We drank too much at a corporate party and ended up spending the night together. I got pregnant.
That made him marry me, but it was a secret.
He never liked me. He didn’t like our daughter either because of that. He told her she couldn’t call him “Dad.”
Tania, on the other hand, has always been one of a kind. They were childhood pals who were quite close.
They were so close that they looked like they were stuck together. Her hand was wrapped around his arm, and her body was pressing against his.
He smiled softly as he glanced down at her. From where I was, it appeared like he was going to kiss her on the forehead. They were so brazen and free, doing this in the office as if no one else was there.
I couldn’t stop myself. I went over. I softly said his name. “Albert…”
He looked up, his eyes chilly and full of questions. “Do you need something, Ivan?”
His tone was stiff and aloof, as if he wanted me to remember that I was only his assistant.
I pushed my feelings down and bowed my head a little. “No, sir. I was just getting some water. I saw you and thought I’d say hi.”
He answered quickly, but then he seemed to recollect something. He looked serious.
“Okay. Give Tania the financial law case you’ve been working on.”
I stopped moving. I couldn’t stop my tone from slipping. “But I’m almost done. We’re going to sign the paper soon.”
He frowned. He obviously didn’t like that. “Give it to her,” I responded. “Why are you talking back?”
Then he got up and left without letting me say anything.
“I’ll take care of it. Thank you for all your hard work, Ivan.” Tania smiled at me and followed him closely.
I grinned with no warmth.
What a nice little scenario.
Once the contract was signed, that case would pay a lot of money in commissions. When Albert gave it to Tania, he also gave her the bonus.
How many times had this happened?
I had lost track.
He didn’t care how hard I worked or what I did. He would gladly take the credit away from me and give it to someone else just to get Tania to smile.
Sad.
That night, my daughter held on to me and asked, “Mommy… will Daddy come to the sports day tomorrow? And my birthday?”
I didn’t know what to say.
I called Albert. I even sent him a text.
He didn’t answer.
But I spotted him sitting next to Tania at the movies on her social media.
There were a lot of hearts and kind things said in the comments.
[You two look great together! ]
You two should be married this year! ]
I pushed the bitterness down and waited for him to respond. He didn’t come home all night, though. Not a single word came from him.
I drank too much by myself. I still believed this lie, even though I knew his heart was never with me or the child.
How dumb.
Why hold on if there’s no love?
I’m letting you go, Albert.
The next day, I went to my daughter’s sports day by myself.
She started to cry when she couldn’t find her father in the crowd. She wailed softly and wouldn’t stop.
Albert had never been there for her milestones or any other parent-child event since the day she was born.
Even though I stayed with her during the tournament and she got first place, it didn’t make her happy.
A child who doesn’t have a father feels that they don’t have a father’s affection.
“Mommy, does Daddy not like me?” and “Mommy, will Daddy come home tonight for my birthday?” she continued asking me on the way home.
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t want her to get her hopes up and then be let down again, so I kept messaging Albert. I sent him messages over and over. Finally, he said, “I’ll come to the birthday.”
I was really happy when I saw that.
I smiled at my daughter. “Yes, Daddy is coming.”
She screamed with joy, jumped up and down, and was almost shaking with excitement.
I took a gentle breath.
This would be the first time Albert had consented to celebrate our daughter’s birthday as a father since we got married.
I gave them my letter of resignation.
My boss, Nolan Simon, received it, looked down, and then looked up at me in shock. “You’re leaving?”
I nodded, and my face was serene. “I’m quitting my job as a legal assistant. I don’t want to do that anymore. Also, my baby’s father is in another country, and I’m going to find him.”
Nolan was quiet for a moment, then he said, “I thought your baby’s father was dead…”
He caught himself right away, and an uneasy laugh came out. “Sorry, that was a mistake.”
Then his face relaxed, and a look of reluctance came over it. “That’s too bad. You’re so good at what you do. Why not stay?” I shook my head and smiled a little.
The truth was that my baby’s father might as well be dead. And even though I was good at what I did, I was still simply an assistant. After a few more polite conversations, he consented to the resignation, and I started giving my work to my coworkers. I saw Albert with Tania, his boyhood sweetheart, in the break room. They were talking quietly, like if they were close. This law firm was started by Albert. He was in charge of me. He was also the father of my daughter.
I started working for the company eight years ago, right after I graduated from school, and became his assistant. We drank too much at a corporate party and ended up spending the night together. I got pregnant.
That made him marry me, but it was a secret.
He never liked me. He didn’t like our daughter either because of that. He told her she couldn’t call him “Dad.”
Tania, on the other hand, has always been one of a kind. They were childhood pals who were quite close.
They were so close that they looked like they were stuck together. Her hand was wrapped around his arm, and her body was pressing against his.
He smiled softly as he glanced down at her. From where I was, it appeared like he was going to kiss her on the forehead. They were so brazen and free, doing this in the office as if no one else was there.
I couldn’t stop myself. I went over. I softly said his name. “Albert…”
He looked up, his eyes chilly and full of questions. “Do you need something, Ivan?”
His tone was stiff and aloof, as if he wanted me to remember that I was only his assistant.
I pushed my feelings down and bowed my head a little. “No, sir. I was just getting some water. I saw you and thought I’d say hi.”
He answered quickly, but then he seemed to recollect something. He looked serious.
“Okay. Give Tania the financial law case you’ve been working on.”
I stopped moving. I couldn’t stop my tone from slipping. “But I’m almost done. We’re going to sign the paper soon.”
He frowned. He obviously didn’t like that. “Give it to her,” I responded. “Why are you talking back?”
Then he got up and left without letting me say anything.
“I’ll take care of it. Thank you for all your hard work, Ivan.” Tania smiled at me and followed him closely.
I grinned with no warmth.
What a nice little scenario.
Once the contract was signed, that case would pay a lot of money in commissions. When Albert gave it to Tania, he also gave her the bonus.
How many times had this happened?
I had lost track.
He didn’t care how hard I worked or what I did. He would gladly take the credit away from me and give it to someone else just to get Tania to smile.
Sad.
That night, my daughter held on to me and asked, “Mommy… will Daddy come to the sports day tomorrow? And my birthday?”
I didn’t know what to say.
I called Albert. I even sent him a text.
He didn’t answer.
But I spotted him sitting next to Tania at the movies on her social media.
There were a lot of hearts and kind things said in the comments.
[You two look great together! ]
You two should be married this year! ]
I pushed the bitterness down and waited for him to respond. He didn’t come home all night, though. Not a single word came from him.
I drank too much by myself. I still believed this lie, even though I knew his heart was never with me or the child.
How dumb.
Why hold on if there’s no love?
I’m letting you go, Albert.
The next day, I went to my daughter’s sports day by myself.
She started to cry when she couldn’t find her father in the crowd. She wailed softly and wouldn’t stop.
Albert had never been there for her milestones or any other parent-child event since the day she was born.
Even though I stayed with her during the tournament and she got first place, it didn’t make her happy.
A child who doesn’t have a father feels that they don’t have a father’s affection.
“Mommy, does Daddy not like me?” and “Mommy, will Daddy come home tonight for my birthday?” she continued asking me on the way home.
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t want her to get her hopes up and then be let down again, so I kept messaging Albert. I sent him messages over and over. Finally, he said, “I’ll come to the birthday.”
I was really happy when I saw that.
I smiled at my daughter. “Yes, Daddy is coming.”
She screamed with joy, jumped up and down, and was almost shaking with excitement.
I took a gentle breath.
This would be the first time Albert had consented to celebrate our daughter’s birthday as a father since we got married.