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?"

your job-to answer them patiently. But you lost your temper and

into this,

her in the end. She still picked

see what you did

did I

Don't bother coming in

surprise day off? Works for me. But

head in disbelief. Was

skills, did she

tomorrow. The day after, and the day after that. In fact, take the rest of the month. Take next

the point entirely. "Wow, that's generous. All those vacation days—I mean, it's what I deserve, but I won't thank you

that Irving Butler had kept Marian around just to

you're fired," Effie said

smile stid off Marian's face. Her gaze turned

you want me,

said