Emily Meyers stormed into Campbell's office, her temper barely contained. Her usually composed demeanor had been replaced with a volatile mixture of frustration and exhaustion, thanks to Luke Edmunds' relentless antics. She slammed the door behind her, startling her oblivious boss.
"Campbell, we need to talk," she said sharply, planting her hands on his desk.
Campbell didn't even look up from his laptop. "What now, Emily?"
"It's Luke," she began, her voice rising. "He's turned the office into a daycare. There's pudding on the desks, pacifiers flying through the air, and someone shoved a juice box into the copy machine!"
Campbell glanced at her briefly before going back to his laptop. "That sounds... fun."
"Fun?" she repeated, incredulous. "This is a hedge fund, not a preschool! How is anyone supposed to take us seriously?"
Campbell sighed dramatically, finally looking up at her. "Emily, you're always so uptight. Maybe you should try joining in instead of complaining all the time."
Her jaw dropped. "Joining in? You want me to... what? Throw pacifiers and eat pudding like an overgrown toddler?"
He shrugged. "Couldn't hurt."
She stared at him, her hands trembling with rage. "You know what, Campbell? I'm done."
"Done with what?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This!" she shouted, gesturing wildly. "This ridiculous office, this job, this entire farce of a workplace. I quit!"
Campbell leaned back in his chair, unimpressed. "Don't be dramatic, Emily."
"I'm not being dramatic," she snapped. "I'm being fed up. With you, with Luke, with everything. You can all keep your childish games—I'm out."
Before he could respond, she leaned in closer and added, "And fuck you, Campbell."
Then she turned on her heel and stormed out of his office, slamming the door behind her.
As she made her way through the office, she spotted Luke lounging near the breakroom, still wearing his bib and holding a sippy cup. He looked up as she approached, a mischievous grin spreading across his face.
"Emily, where are you going? Nap time isn't for another hour."
She didn't respond. Instead, she stopped in front of him, raised her middle finger high, and held it there for a moment.
Luke's grin widened. "Aww, I'll miss you too."
Without a word, she marched out of the office, leaving behind a trail of stunned silence and suppressed laughter.
By the time she reached her apartment, the adrenaline from her dramatic exit had worn off, replaced by a gnawing sense of disbelief. Had she really just quit her job? What was she supposed to do now?
She dropped her bag on the floor and collapsed onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. Her phone buzzed on the coffee table, interrupting her spiral of self-pity.
She picked it up and saw her mom's name on the screen. Groaning, she answered. "Hi, Mom."
"Emily!" her mother's cheerful voice rang out. "I just wanted to remind you about the engagement party tonight."
Emily froze. "The what?"
"The engagement party," her mom repeated, as if it were obvious. "For you and Luke. It's at 7:00. Don't be late!"
Emily blinked, her brain struggling to process the words. "Mom, why are we having an engagement party?"
"Because you're engaged, sweetie," her mom said, her tone light and slightly patronizing. "Your father and I thought it would be nice to celebrate."
"Celebrate what?" Emily snapped, her voice rising. "The fact that my so-called fiancé is the most insufferable human being on the planet?"
"Emily, that's no way to talk about your future husband," her mom scolded. "You're just stressed. Take a nap and freshen up before the party."
"I don't need a nap!" Emily shouted. "I need to understand why everyone in my life has lost their minds!"
"Emily," her mom said firmly, "you're coming to this party. End of discussion."
The line went dead, leaving Emily staring at her phone in disbelief.
She tossed her phone onto the couch and stormed into her bedroom. Slamming the door shut, she threw herself onto the bed, grabbed a pillow, and screamed into it as loud as she could.
"This cannot be my life!" she yelled into the fabric. "Why him? Why now? Why me?"
She flopped onto her back, staring at the ceiling. The thought of spending an entire evening pretending to celebrate her engagement to Luke Edmunds made her physically ill. But what choice did she have? Her family wouldn't let her back out now, not without turning the whole thing into an even bigger disaster.
She groaned, covering her face with her hands. "This is a nightmare."
Her phone buzzed again, but she didn't bother checking it. She already knew who it was. Luke, no doubt, with some smug comment or another ridiculous Instagram story.
The feud wasn't over—not by a long shot. But as Emily lay there, plotting her next move, she vowed that Luke—and her meddling family—would regret underestimating her.
Because if they thought this was the end, they were sorely mistaken.