Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon

Effie had spelled things out as clearly as she could, but to Marian, it was still all a muddled mess.

Marian looked at Effie, exasperated. "You're so strange. If you want something, just say so. If you don't, just say you don't. Is that so hard?"

Effie replied simply, "I don't."

Marian's brows knit in frustration. "Why do you always have to be so contrary? Can't you just act normal for once?"

Effie's voice was calm but firm. “I think you're the one being unreasonable. If you keep talking to me like this and refuse to treat me with respect, I have no problem firing you."

Marian froze, her eyes filling with tears. "All this, just over something so trivial?”

Effie's tone sharpened. "Do you really think it's that simple? Just a tiny thing?"

She paused, then continued, "Last time, when that client came in and explained her requests, do you remember what you said?"

Marian's expression faltered. A flicker of recollection crossed her face.

"I don't think I did anything wrong," she said defensively. "The client didn't know the first thing about design. She came in with all those bizarre requests that made no sense aesthetically. Then, after we revised the project once, she still kept nitpicking. I was just trying to communicate professionally, from my perspective. What's so wrong with that?"

to ask questions. That's your job-to answer them patiently. But you lost your temper and argued with her. If I hadn't stepped in, smoothed things over, and offered a discount, she

wanted to get into this,

like I didn't apologize to her in the end. She still picked my design, didn't she? So

don't see what you

did I do wrong?" Marian

Don't bother

shrugged. "A surprise day off? Works for me. But it's paid,

shook their head in disbelief. Was

she have anything else

after, and the day after that. In fact, take

entirely. "Wow, that's generous. All those vacation days—I

fingers to her forehead, suddenly suspecting that Irving Butler had kept Marian around just to make her life

you're fired," Effie said

Her gaze turned cold and

you want me, fine-give me severance. The full

said