Bear Market

The heat rose off the asphalt in shimmering waves as I stood in the parking lot, rubbing my sweaty palm against my dress. I'd left my blazer in the car—what was the point of pretending comfort anymore? A cap shielded my eyes from the merciless Texas sun, but nothing could block out what waited inside.

The office was already in full meltdown mode. We'd known the bear market was coming, but watching it actually arrive was like watching a slow-motion car crash. Marcus, our CEO, was in full bulldozing mode, his face flushed as he paced the conference room with aggressive energy. "We pivot now, or we die," he shouted, slamming his hand on the table. I'd seen this before—men like Marcus loved a crisis because it let them perform heroism.

What they didn't know: I'd spent the morning with a headhunter. The job offer sat in my inbox, a golden ticket out of this madness.

Sarah from design caught my eye across the room, her expression unreadable. We'd ended things three months ago, after a year of sneaking around in cheap motels and office stairwells. She wanted more; I wasn't ready to give it. Now she sat with her hand on her pregnant colleague's shoulder, performing solidarity while I planned my escape.

The irony burned: I'd built this department from nothing. Now I'd dismantle it from the inside, taking the buyout package and leaving them to their pivots and paradigm shifts.

Marcus's baseball-cap-wearing son burst in, looking miserable. "Dad, Mom says your card declined at the grocery store." The room went silent. Something in Marcus's face crumbled. For a moment, the bull was just a father behind on child support.

I met Sarah's gaze. For the first time in months, something passed between us that wasn't bitterness or regret. She understood what I was about to do. Maybe she always had.

"I need some air," I said, and walked out without looking back. Outside, I pulled off my cap and let the sun hit my face. Tomorrow I'd sign the papers, clean out my desk, and disappear into a future that was finally, terrifyingly mine.