After Jay left, Esme felt an unsettling void settle in the air around her. She stared at the closed door, the echo of his departure ringing in her ears.
For a moment, she couldn't find the words to articulate the turmoil within her. The truth loomed large: she had always intended to leave this place. How had she allowed herself to get trapped in this web of obligation and expectation? The weight of the agreement felt like an iron shackle around her heart, constraining her spirit.
She leaned against the cool wall, closing her eyes to block out the surroundings. The Aron Group—what a farce it had become.
What did it mean to her? What had once sparked her ambition now felt more like a burden than a privilege.
