LEFT ME, TOOK HER

CHAPTER 3: ONE MINUTE ONLY, I HAVE WORK

CHAPTER 3: ONE MINUTE ONLY, I HAVE WORK.

No checking his i********: story. No checking if he saw my story. For two months after he left me, I woke up at 3 AM to check if Jayden viewed my status. That night, I slept till my alarm rang.

My alarm at 6:00 AM: "BOARDROOM. 9 AM. OWN IT."

Before, my alarm was "Jayden's lunch - cafeteria 12:30." Now it was boardroom.

Tuesday. Manhattan. 42nd floor office. Glass building that reflects the sky. Cold October wind. People rushing with Starbucks cups, suits, heels clicking on marble floor.

I wore my black blazer. White shirt inside. No gold coat. Gold coat was still inside a box under my bed where Vicky left it after borrowing it for her rooftop party and returning it smelling like someone else's perfume.

I got to the office at 8:12 AM. Early. Security at lobby, Mr. Thomas, knows me now.

Mr. Thomas: "Ms. Amaya, early again. That gentleman from yesterday is not here yet."

The gentleman. Jayden. Rich suit, but tired. No luxury glow.

Yesterday, this was the ending of Chapter 2. You remember:

_building for me. Rich suit, but tired. No luxury glow._

_Jayden: Amaya, please. One minute._

_Me: Jayden, one minute only. I have work._

_Jayden: Vicky told me you left me for Aaron. I believed her. I was stupid. I left you who loved me, and took her who loves my money. Forgive me._

_Me: Jayden, you didn't leave me because Vicky lied. You left me because you believed a lie without asking me. That means you never trusted me. So don't ask for forgiveness. Ask yourself if you trusted me at all._

_I left him there. I entered building. Aaron was watching from upstairs window. He didn't come down. He just nodded at me, like "You did well."_

That was yesterday. Monday. 8:54 AM.

Now it's Tuesday. And he came back.

Tolu from HR — no, now her name is Taylor from HR — pulled me into the pantry.

Taylor: "Amaya, did you hear what happened yesterday after you went into the boardroom?"

Me: "What?"

Taylor: "Vicky and Jayden had a huge fight in the underground parking garage. Everyone heard. Vicky used the company corporate card to buy a $900 designer bag and a $600 wig for her birthday. Finance flagged it. Aaron called her into his office. She yelled 'Jayden will pay for it, he's my boyfriend, it's his company money anyway.' Aaron said 'It's MY company, not Jayden's.' She got terminated. Yesterday. Same day you gave Jayden one minute."

Vicky who loves his money finally met money that doesn't love her.

9:00 AM boardroom. All directors. Aaron, our Senior Director, stood up.

Aaron: "Two quick announcements. First, Vicky is no longer with us as of yesterday. Misuse of corporate card. Terminated. Second..."

He looked at me. Same nod from the upstairs window yesterday.

Aaron: " Amaya's Q3 numbers are the best in this floor. Client retention 98%. So the board approved — effective today, Amaya is Associate Lead. Own office on 42nd floor. Own team."

Everyone clapped. My client from yesterday, the Verizon team, said "You deserve it."

I stood up.

"Two months ago, I used to set an alarm to bring lunch for someone in the cafeteria. Today I set an alarm for boardrooms. Thank you for waiting for me in boardrooms."

10:30 AM, I moved to my new glass office. Nameplate: AMAYA - ASSOCIATE LEAD. From my window, I could see the lobby entrance downstairs. Where Jayden begged for one minute yesterday.

Mr. Thomas called my extension: "Ms. Amaya, the gentleman is back downstairs. Rich suit."

I looked down. Same navy suit. $1200 suit, but tired face. No luxury glow. Holding a small paper bag — my gold coat.

I went down. Taylor followed me, just standing near, no drama.

Jayden: "Amaya, one minute only, I know you have work."

Me: "One minute. Start."

He held out the bag: "Vicky returned it. She dropped it at my apartment this morning. Said she doesn't need me. I dry-cleaned it. I want you to have it."

Me: "I don't wear gold coat anymore. I wear my own confidence."

Jayden: "He was tearing up. Rich man crying in a Manhattan lobby is not luxury. It's just a man crying.

Jayden: "Can we start again? As friends?"

I checked my watch.

Me: "One minute is up, Jayden. I have work. Give that gold coat to someone who needs it. And friendship needs trust. You left me because you believed a lie without asking me. So don't ask for forgiveness. Ask yourself if you trusted me at all."

I turned. I entered the building. I didn't look back. Before, I always looked back.

That night, I opened my diary in my small studio apartment — my own apartment, not the big one I shared with Jayden.

Phone buzzed. Jayden: "I'm moving to London for my masters tomorrow."

I didn't reply. I put phone on silent.

Next week, I saw Vicky at a mall in SoHo. She was working at a wig kiosk. No designer bag. Simple hair. She saw me in my black blazer entering my office building. She looked away.

And me? I entered my building. Own office. Own boardroom. Own confidence.