When the Heart Knows

CHAPTER 3

Emilia Gomez stormed out of Wright Telecoms, the sleek automatic doors sliding shut behind her with a sharp hiss. The frosty December air stung her cheeks, but it couldn’t douse the fire blazing inside her. Her heels clicked against the pavement, each step sharp and purposeful as she strode toward her car, anger coursing through her veins.

She flung her writing pad onto the passenger seat, slammed the car door shut, and gripped the steering wheel with both hands, her breath fogging the chilled air. Her pulse pounded in her ears, the memory of her confrontation with Anderson Wright playing on repeat in her mind.

"Arrogant bastard," she muttered under her breath, her voice shaking with residual fury.

She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she struggled to calm herself. Her resolve had been steady going into Wright Telecoms but dealing with Anderson in person had been an entirely different beast.

"You knew what you were walking into," she murmured, resting her head against the steering wheel. "You knew he’d be impossible."

But knowing something and experiencing it firsthand were worlds apart. She’d accepted the position despite the warnings, convinced she could navigate the notoriously demanding Anderson Wright. She was confident in her skills and determined to prove her worth, no matter the challenge.

And yet, he’d pushed her too far.

Her phone buzzed in her bag, breaking the tense silence. With a groan, Emilia reached for it, her hand fumbling before she pulled it out. Julian’s name lit up the screen.

Julian. Her boyfriend. Her anchor. The one person who had stood by her through everything. She hesitated before answering.

"Hey," she said, her voice strained but steady.

"Hey, babe," Julian replied, his familiar warmth cutting through her frustration. "How’s work?"

A bitter laugh escaped her. "Oh, just peachy."

Julian’s tone shifted. "Emilia, what happened?"

She hesitated, debating how much to share. Finally, the words spilled out. "It’s Andy. He’s every bit as bad as people said—maybe worse."

Julian sighed on the other end. "What did he do?"

"He—" Emilia’s voice broke slightly as the memory of their argument flared. "It doesn’t matter what he did. I quit."

A long silence stretched between them before Julian spoke, his voice cautious. "You quit? Just like that?"

"Yes, Julian," she snapped, her frustration spilling over. "I wasn’t going to stand there and let him talk to me like I’m nothing. I don’t care how much money he has or what kind of power he wields. I’m not putting up with it."

"Em..." Julian’s tone softened, but his words still carried weight. "I get it. I really do. But you’ve been at this job for barely three weeks. You knew it was going to be tough."

"Tough?" Emilia’s voice sharpened. "This isn’t about tough, Julian. It’s about respect—or his complete lack of it. I’ve bent over backward to avoid giving him a reason to treat me like this, and he still finds ways to cut me down."

Julian sighed again, and the sound grated against Emilia’s already frayed nerves. "I’m not saying he’s right, Emi. I’m just saying... maybe there was another way to handle it."

"Another way?" Emilia shot back, her voice rising. "You think I should’ve smiled and nodded while he tore me down? No. I won’t do it. Not for him, not for anyone."

"I’m not saying that," Julian said quickly. "I just think maybe you could’ve—"

"Could’ve what, Julian?" she snapped. "Endured it? Played the good little employee for a paycheck?"

The silence on the line felt heavier than before. When Julian finally spoke, his voice was cooler. "You’re upset. I get it. But don’t take it out on me."

Emilia closed her eyes, the weight of her anger and guilt settling over her. "I didn’t mean to snap," she admitted after a beat. "I’m just... I don’t know what I’m going to do now."

"Take some time to think," Julian said, his tone measured. "Call me when you’re ready to talk."

The line went dead, leaving Emilia staring at her phone in frustration.

She tossed it onto the passenger seat, her mind racing. She didn’t need Julian’s practicality right now—she needed to figure out her next step.

Emilia started the car and began driving aimlessly through the city streets. The usual hum of traffic faded into the background as her thoughts consumed her. What would she do now? She’d walked away from a high-profile position without a backup plan.

Eventually, she pulled into the parking lot of her favorite coffee shop, a cozy little spot tucked away from the city’s chaos. She ordered a latte and found a quiet corner, her thoughts still churning.

As she sipped her drink, her phone buzzed again. She glanced at it, expecting Julian.

Anderson Wright.

Her breath hitched as her eyes locked on the name glowing on the screen. For a moment, she stared at it, her mind racing. Why was he calling her? What could he possibly want?

Her first instinct was to let it go to voicemail. But as the phone buzzed insistently, curiosity gnawed at her. She pictured his cold, unreadable expression during their clash, his dismissive tone still ringing in her ears.

The phone stopped, leaving only the quiet hum of the coffee shop.

Then, a voicemail alert appeared.

Heart pounding, Emilia hesitated before pressing the delete button.

Whatever he had to say, she wasn’t interested.

She meant it when she said he should go to hell.

Anderson Wright didn’t seem like someone who would call to apologize, so whatever that call was, it was going to be more subjugation, insult and oppression, and she sure wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.

She stared at the phone, her jaw tightening. What if he was actually going to come to his senses? What if he could finally see that she was trying to help the company avert issues due to some other person's incompetence? Her mind raced with possibilities, each more infuriating than the last.

But one thing was certain: she wasn’t going to let him dictate the terms.

Not this time.

Not ever.