The account was lost. That afternoon, her boss called her into the office and explained that the company could not risk another disruption. Noemi left with a severance envelope and an awkward handshake, struggling to believe that six weeks of work, and years of building her reputation, had unravelled in a matter of minutes. Mark apologised later, blamed stress, and promised he would change. She had heard it all before.
This time, Noemi finally saw the pattern clearly. She ended the relationship, though the breakup was loud and cruel, with neighbours hearing the shouting through the walls. When Mark slammed the door behind him for the last time, her apartment felt larger than ever and painfully empty. She stared at her dwindling savings, then booked a cheap coastal cottage. She needed distance, fresh air, and a few days of quiet.