Chapter 7 - THE FORM I NEVER SIGNED
The document was dated two weeks before the train incident.
It was titled:
VOLUNTARY TRANSFER REQUEST — SLOAN MERCER.
My full name appeared at the top.
The proposed location was Boston.
The effective date was three weeks after my wedding.
And at the bottom was an electronic acknowledgment.
Not my signature.
A typed approval.
S. MERCER — CONFIRMED.
I stared at the page.
“I never approved this.”
Evelyn nodded.
“We're aware that's your position.”
Donovan leaned forward.
“It was a preliminary staffing plan.”
I turned toward him.
“Then why does it say voluntary?”
He didn't answer.
“Why does it say confirmed?”
“Sloan—”
“Why does it say I agreed?”
He looked away.
The compliance team explained that the acknowledgment had been entered through an administrative workflow.
It had not come from my personal account.
Further investigation would be required to determine who submitted it.
I felt strangely calm.
Because suddenly the train made sense.
Donovan had been practicing.
Giving away my seat.
Giving away my work.
Giving away my career.
All while expecting me to smile because I was his fiancée.
After the meeting, Evelyn asked me to stay.
She looked exhausted.
“Sloan, I owe you an apology.”
“For what?”
“For not recognizing how much of your work was being attributed to Donovan.”
I shook my head.
“You didn't know.”
“I should have asked more questions.”
She paused.
“The Boston client has requested you specifically for the next presentation.”
I stared.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“What about Donovan?”
“He's been removed from the project pending the investigation.”
I looked down.
Evelyn continued.
“You built the strategy. The client knows that.”
For the first time in days, I felt something other than grief.
Relief.
May you like
Not because Donovan was in trouble.
Because my work still belonged to me.
