She got off the cab and stared at the tall building of Carter Organization.
Her resignation letter sat inside a big brown envelope in her hand.
For the first time, she was dressed in a green cagoule and jeans trousers.
Anyone who saw her dressed like that would immediately know why she came.
She headed inside, greeting the colleagues she passed.
Everyone knew resignation letters were to be submitted directly to the Regional Manager.
Her heart pounded in her chest.
She was about to face the one person who was her weakest point on earth.
FRED THOMPSON.
She took the elevator.
By the time she reached his office, her heart was already in her mouth.
She knocked.
"Come in," he said, arranging files on his desk.
She stepped in, gathered all the courage she had, and placed the envelope on the table.
Fred looked up, shocked to see her.
The first thing he noticed was her outfit.
"You are not dressed for work. Why?"
She gently pushed the resignation letter closer.
"Good morning, Mr. Thompson. I came to drop my resignation letter."
He grimaced.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
She moved toward the door.
"If you leave," he said sharply, "Gabriella will take your place and you will never get it back."
"It was never my place to begin with."
His voice hardened. "If you leave like this, our relationship is over."
She stopped, shocked, and turned back to him.
"So it has come to the point where you threaten me with ending a relationship because of work? Besides, we were never even in a relationship. We were in a dictatorship."
"I know you'll come running back," he said coldly. "But it might be too late."
"Alright then," she replied. "Let's see about that."
She left.
She left him.
Fred smiled to himself.
He believed he had Martha wrapped around his fingers.
He believed she couldn't love anyone else.
He was the first man she had given her body.
He was the first man she had ever loved.
He believed he owned Martha Smith.
***
Martha walked out with heavy feet.
Colleagues who saw her wearing jeans asked what was wrong, but all she said was, "Ask Fred Thompson."
She was done.
She gave the building of Carter Organization one last look.
Yes, she had been diligent there, but working there never felt like fulfilling her purpose... and that was what mattered most to her.
Fulfilling purpose.
She told the cab man to stop at Christ Divine Church.
She walked into the church.
She always went there when her heart was too heavy and she needed someone to talk to.
She sat on a pew and stared at the altar.
"Father Lord, please give me the strength to fulfill purpose. Give me a strength bigger than my emotions."
While praying, she noticed someone lying at the altar.
She didn't want to intrude, but she suddenly heard his voice.
"Lord, please save my patient. Save Charles Emblem. He has given his life to you, please help him."
The voice was familiar.
Too familiar.
She watched quietly.
His phone rang.
She saw him pick it up and immediately recognized the hairy hand.
Raymond Whitmore.
"Charles Emblem is dead? Alright then."
He ended the call and sighed sadly.
"You have a reason for everything, Lord. Thank you, Jesus."
He stood up...and froze when he saw her.
"Martha…"
"I didn't mean to intrude, I..."
"Martha Smith, you don't have to apologize."
She nodded, trying to slow her heartbeat.
He held her hand, and her heart raced even faster.
"Are you okay, Martha?"
Tears filled her eyes as she stared into his.
"Who are you?"
"Why is there tears in your eyes?"
She stepped back, afraid he might hear her heartbeat.
"Are you alright, Martha?"
She turned and hurried out of the church.
Her pace was faster than his.
But before she reached the gate, his car zoomed past her.
She sighed in relief.
He was gone.
She could breathe properly again.
She walked along the pedestrian bridge.
The weight of her decision finally hit her.
She had left Carter Organization.
She checked her phone.
No call from Fred.
What was he thinking right now?
Was he too angry to call?
She had saved twenty million over the years, plus her parents' savings.
Instead of buying a car like she planned, she would now rent a place and start exploring her recipes.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Holy Spirit, please help me. Right now I feel so alone."
She heard footsteps behind her and turned.
It was Raymond Whitmore.
She looked around.
His car was nowhere near.
"How long have you been stalking me?"
"Why are you not at work?" he asked.
She sighed. "I resigned."
He searched her eyes.
"Are you okay? Are you really okay?"
"Can I be vulnerable with you?"
"I'd appreciate that."
"I left work to start my own business. It's what I've always wanted. I got encouragement from the Holy Spirit and from my neighbor, but…"
"What do you love to do?"
"Cook."
He gasped.
"Are you neighbors with Vanessa Whitmore?"
She gasped too.
"How did you know that?"
"She tells me about you. She's my mom."
Martha froze.
How had she never noticed?
They were Whitmores.
"Your parents were the best people I ever met," she said with tears in her eyes.
"Let's do this together, Martha. Can I help you achieve your dreams?"
"How are you going to do that?"
"We'll pray," he said. "And then we'll begin."
He stretched out his hand.
She took it.
Her fast-beating heart became calm.
She felt real peace…
just by holding the hand of Raymond Whitmore.
***
Fred Thompson sipped his favourite drink on his cold verandah.
His thoughts kept returning to Martha Smith.
He checked his phone again and again.
She still hadn't called.
Two days had passed.
His phone rang.
He grabbed it quickly, expecting her...
but it was Jordan Benson.
"You just removed Gabriella and announced her back anyhow you like?"
"Is she complaining?" Fred sipped more wine.
"You know she'll never complain. You're the only one she has a soft spot for."
"This is an unprofessional conversation, and I'm not interested."
"Why did your girlfriend leave us? What did you do to her?"
"Whatever is between me and Martha has nothing to do with Carter Organization."
"My father wants her back. Do everything you can to bring her back."
Jordan hung up.
Fred wanted to see her.
Two full days without seeing her face.
But he told himself he would wait for her to call.
He would pretend he didn't miss her, so she wouldn't use his feelings against him.
He rolled his eyes and took another sip.
"Let's see who has a harder heart between me and you, Martha Smith."
***
"First of all, we are going to build awareness around the world," Raymond said during their first date... a coffee date at MAC DON.
"How do we intend to do that?"
"There's an upcoming competition for French chefs only. They're offering to sponsor you with a large restaurant and one hundred million as startup funds."
"Who will be coming?"
"No popular person."
"My parents specialized in every country's cuisine, especially French. I still have their recipe books."
"See this as an opportunity to be happy doing what you love."
Tears filled her eyes.
"That has been my dream. To cook and show the world. I want to die doing what I love."
"You will live doing what you love," he told her gently.
Her heart beat fast when their eyes met.