"Director, please accept my resignation letter. I am resigning from my position; thank you for looking after me over the last few years."
The meticulously dressed female in her formal attire spoke softly, in stark contrast to her cold demeanour.
"Rosie, do you really want to resign right now? This is the most important time for you to get promoted. Why don't you wait for a few more years before deciding to quit?"
The middle-aged man across from the female frowned and suggested with a disapproving look, unwilling to let go of such a high-quality employee.
Rosalee knew what her boss was thinking, but she did not care. "I am sorry, director. I have no other choice; my mother has recently been diagnosed with cancer, and I want to be with her during these difficult times. I hope you can understand."
It was a big fat lie, of course.
Her mother was still alive and as healthy as an ox. She was not even guilty that she was faking her mother's illness.
As soon as the director heard her explanation, he regretted it. Not for his employee's mother, but rather for himself.
He wanted to rely on his most hard-working employee to get a promotion this year, but it seems that luck was not on his side this time.
He sighed helplessly, knitted his brows, and accepted the resignation letter with a dejected expression.
"Thank you, director." Rosalee's lips curved upwards, and she smiled sincerely. Her boss was still not heartless enough to tie her down for his own benefit.
Finally! She could relax and enjoy her long-awaited dream of retirement!
In a good mood, she walked to her office desk and packed her miscellaneous belongings into a small cardboard box.
It was not long before she cleared the table and left the company where she had been working for 10 years, assisted by her colleagues who were grudgingly helping her with a dejected expression on their faces.
Since Rosalee started working in the company, many of her colleagues had come to rely heavily on her wide range of knowledge and guidance, especially for solving difficult projects and providing valuable tips when they were stuck. Now, the thought of having to face these challenges without her support felt overwhelming and disheartening.
Some team members openly expressed their feelings of disappointment, while others exchanged quiet looks, already dreading how they'd handle the tough projects without their support goddess.
"I was praying you wouldn't leave, Rosie. Why do you have to resign at this time? Ahhh!"
"Rosie, don't forget to contact us when you are free."
"Agh, who's going to explain those intangible reports now? Our boss is going to chew us out once he starts listening to our reports."
"Hahaha, we'll be fine! Probably?"
"Rosie, I am going to miss you so much! Wahhh!"
Rosalee laughed cheerfully, in stark contrast to her colleagues who were mourning her departure.
Her expression was relaxed and happy as she invited them to dinner at her new house. It was given considering how long she had worked with them.
With sorrowful farewells from her colleagues, she boarded the taxi and left the scene.
On her way home, she stopped at a supermarket and purchased a variety of items that could be used to prepare a dinner party for her colleagues and friends.
The taxi took 30 minutes to reach a high-end community with villas and apartments. It was clear that those who could afford to live here did not lack financial resources. Rosalee asked the driver to stop in front of a small villa and got out after paying the fare.
"Miss Rose, you are back." The security guard at the gate entrance greeted her with a big smile and a salute.
When he noticed that she was carrying several grocery bags and cardboard boxes, he quickly moved forward to assist her. Rosalee did not force herself to carry the things since someone was willing to carry them for her.
She leisurely strolled into her new home, the guard following slowly behind her with his hands full.
The small villa was surrounded by a large garden, which was currently barren of weeds and thin shrubs. It appeared uninhabitable and ugly at first glance. However, Rosalee did not dislike it. She intended to decorate the land with flowers and ponds, making it the most beautiful property in this upscale neighbourhood.
In the future, she plans to hire workers to plant a fruit orchard and build a small pond behind the villa. Her heart was racing with excitement and contentment as she imagined the beautiful days ahead.
She asked the guard to hire some workers to pull the weeds in the garden tomorrow before sending him away with a small gift in exchange for his assistance.
The guard was flattered by her gesture and promised to find a few trustworthy workers to assist her. Rosalee used the ingredients she bought at the supermarket to prepare a sumptuous dinner, while her guests began to arrive as dinnertime approached.
"Rosie! Ahhh! I missed you!" Rosalee was greeted by a cute, bubbly woman who hugged her tightly, her face filled with joy.
Rosalee chuckled and patted her on the back. "I missed you too, Leah." Leah giggled and pouted in front of her, behaving childishly.
"Wow! I smell something delicious!" She immediately pushed her best friend away and dashed to the dining room, ignoring how unladylike she appeared.
Rosalee ignored her friend who had pushed her away for food and warmly welcomed those who were arriving. Her colleagues who came brought house-warming gifts and sweets, which made her even happier and more satisfied.
In the dining room, several people were sitting together and conversing while eating.
"Rosie, your cooking is as delicious as always!" Leah gave a thumbs up, her head buried in her bowl without embarrassment. Others agreed by laughing and voicing words of affirmation. "The man who marries our Rosie has to be the luckiest man in the world." The woman next to Leah sighed and commented as she drank her soup.
The men seated around the table exchanged glances and wry smiles. Which of them had Rosalee not rejected? She never gave any opportunity to pursue her, no matter their sincerity.
Rosalee inadvertently noticed their sad expression and chuckled softly. Before, she was preoccupied with making money for an early retirement and had no interest in dating. Now that she had achieved her goal, she did not mind having a few pretty boys to serve her. The house-warming dinner and casual talk lasted until 11 p.m., when the guests began to leave in groups.
"Rosie, can I stay with you here? Just for tonight, pleaseeee? Wah! I don't want to leave you." Leah hugged her best friend tightly and spoke drunkenly, her vision blurring and thoughts swirling.
She hadn't meant to get quite so drunk, but the food and wine were so delicious that she couldn't hold back!
"Lele, let's not disturb Rosalee. She needs rest too," Leah's boyfriend sighed helplessly from behind, grabbing her arm to steer his swaying girlfriend toward him.
"But—but I just wanna say bye…!" Leah's voice slurred as she stumbled straight into his chest.
Her boyfriend eyed her wobbling posture and asked patiently, "Yeah? And what're you gonna say? 'Bye-bye' with your face pressed against her like a lost puppy?"
He tugged her arm lightly again. "We're going home. Now."
Leah whined but didn't resist much anymore—gravity + booze equalled zero coordination for arguing.
Rosalee watched the couple walk away, a warm smile on her lips—but a faint longing for such playful chaos flickered in her eyes.
---
Lying on the comfy bed after a steamy bath, Rosalee couldn't sleep—her eyes fixed on the blank white ceiling. Her heart still buzzed with restless excitement, her mind already racing toward retirement plans.
Unable to sleep, Rosalee decided to make a plan for tomorrow. She slipped out of bed and padded to her study across from the bedroom.
At her desk, she quietly jotted a list: the things she needed to buy, the expenses she would incur, and the workers' salaries she would have to pay. She started to get more and more excited as she wrote down every detail.
As the clock neared 2:30 a.m., Rosalee had unknowingly dozed off at the desk.
Her white waist-length hair cascaded softly down her back, a few strands splayed across the desk like spilled melted white chocolate.
Her white brows and lashes gave her the look of a fallen angel. With skin so fair, she seemed surreal, ready to vanish any second.
And she did—vanishing in an instant.