Tori was finishing up work in the office late at night, her eyes strained from staring at the computer screen for hours. She rubbed her temples, trying to fend off a headache.

The office was quiet, the only sounds were the hum of the air conditioner and the occasional clink of glass from the nearby party.

Her friend Becky, who was already a bit tipsy from a few glasses of champagne, approached her with a playful grin. “Tori, come on. You’ve worked enough lately; it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

“Just a little more, I need to finish one last letter,” Tori replied, her fingers still tapping away at the keyboard.

Becky, with a determined look, gently closed Tori’s laptop in front of her. “I don’t want to hear anything else. We’re going to celebrate!” She took Tori’s hand and pulled her towards the hall.

Tori knew there was no point in arguing with Becky. Her friend was relentless when she set her mind on something. Besides, in reality, she didn’t need to work so late.

She was just trying to hide in her work, avoiding something that had been troubling her lately. Becky, always observant, seemed to sense this. It was hard for her to see Tori so upset.

Becky led Tori to the hall where a small office party was already in full swing. The atmosphere was lively, with colleagues chatting and laughing.

Glasses of champagne and wine stood around, accompanied by trays of snacks.

Bright balloons decorated the space, and a large banner read, “Congratulations on your promotion, Tori!”

“And here is the guest of honor! Let’s have a round of applause for our new regional manager, Tori!” Becky announced loudly, drawing everyone’s attention.

People in the hall smiled and clapped for Tori, raising their glasses in her honor. Tori forced a smile and waved slightly, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the attention. Becky handed Tori a glass of champagne.

“No, Becky, I won’t…” Tori started to protest.

“It’s not up for discussion. Tonight, you’re relaxing and drinking. I can’t remember the last time I saw you happy and not buried in work!” Becky insisted, pushing the glass towards Tori.

“Maybe that’s why I’m the regional manager and you’re an office administrator,” Tori replied ironically, trying to lighten the mood.

“A happy office administrator, an important distinction,” Becky retorted with a grin.

Despite the banter, Tori felt a pang of sadness. Her words had come out harsher than she intended. Their boss, Sam, approached Tori with a warm smile.

“Tori, finally, you’re here. I want to personally congratulate you; you deserve this promotion!” Sam said, holding out his hand for a shake.

“Thank you, Sam,” Tori responded awkwardly, avoiding eye contact and looking down. Sam, too, seemed uncomfortable around her, like a nervous teenager.

There was a palpable tension between them, one that neither wanted to acknowledge.

She set down her champagne glass and headed to the restroom, needing a moment to herself. “I need to step out for a moment.”

“Okay. Did I say something wrong?” Becky asked, her brow furrowing with concern.

“No, no, everything’s fine. You’re absolutely right,” Tori reassured her, forcing another smile before turning away.

Tori went to the restroom with her phone in hand, her mind racing. Becky watched her leave, confused and worried about her friend’s unusual behavior.

Half an hour later, Tori still hadn’t returned to the party. Worried, Becky decided to check on her.

She walked down the quiet hallway to the restroom, the sounds of laughter and clinking glasses fading behind her. She found Tori inside, nervously talking on the phone.

“James, you can’t just leave… Please, I’m begging you, let’s talk. I’ll come home, and we’ll work things out… James? James!?” Tori’s voice cracked with desperation.

She lowered her phone, realizing the call had ended, and tears began streaming down her face.

Becky rushed over and enveloped Tori in a warm hug, gently stroking her head. “Tori, what’s going on? Talk to me.”

Tori clung to Becky, her body shaking with sobs. “I’m such a bad person, a terrible wife…”

“That’s not true,” Becky said firmly. “You’re wonderful, Tori. Tell me what happened.”

Taking a deep breath, Tori started to explain. “James, my husband… he’s been really sick for the past year.

The treatment costs so much, and he can’t work because of his illness. So, I threw myself into work to pay the bills.”

Becky listened intently, her heart aching for her friend. “You’re doing an amazing job, Tori. You’re strong, and you’ll get through this.”

Tori shook her head. “It’s not that simple. I started coming home late and barely talked to James. I was so focused on work that I neglected him.”

Becky nodded, understanding more. “I did notice you coming to work earlier and leaving later than everyone else. I didn’t realize it was because of this.”

Tori continued, her voice filled with guilt. “Our boss, Sam, saw how dedicated I was. He began spending more time with me, often staying late at the office.

He was always there to help me, which is probably why I got promoted so quickly. He personally asked the main office to notice my results and gave a recommendation.”

“We were so happy last night when he found out about my promotion, and…” Tori’s voice trailed off.

“And what, Tori? What happened?” Becky asked gently.

“We slept together…” Tori whispered, the shame evident in her voice.

“Oh no! What about James?” Becky exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock.

“I don’t know what came over me… It just happened. Sam was so kind and gentle.

With all the stress at work and tension at home, I was craving a sense of peace,” Tori admitted, tears streaming down her face.

“At least James doesn’t know…” Becky said, trying to find a silver lining.

“He does… I told him everything right away. He was very silent, and I begged him to forgive me,” Tori confessed, her voice trembling.

“Oh no… What are you going to do? And how will Lucy, your daughter, react?” Becky asked, her heart breaking for her friend.

“I called him today, and he said he wants to live apart. He took Lucy to my mom’s. Now I don’t know what to do,” Tori said, her despair deepening.

“Friend, we’ll figure something out. You’re not alone in this,” Becky reassured her, holding her tightly.

Tori didn’t bring Lucy back from her mom’s; she asked her mom to look after her for a few days.

Tori didn’t want her daughter to see her in such a broken and tearful state. She didn’t know what to say or how to explain what was happening between her and James.

She sat alone in the living room, the silence pressing down on her. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she felt utterly exhausted.

She stared blankly at the family photos on the wall, memories of happier times that now seemed so distant.

The ticking of the clock was the only sound in the room, each second amplifying her sense of despair.

Suddenly, Tori heard the sound of the door opening. She saw James at the doorway and immediately rushed into his arms. “You’re back! Please forgive me. I don’t know what came over me.”

James held up his hand to stop her. “Tori… Wait.”

Tori’s heart sank as she saw the pain in his eyes. “I just wanted to help you. Everything I did was for you!”

James was upset. He gently took Tori by the hands and pushed her away from him. “I can’t do this, Tori.”

“No, please don’t say that…” she pleaded, her voice breaking.

“I can’t just forget about this, about you and your boss,” James said, his voice filled with hurt.

“It won’t happen again!” Tori insisted desperately.

“Either me or your job…” James said, his expression hardening.

“What?” Tori asked, stunned by his ultimatum.

“Choose! Either me or him!” James demanded, his voice rising with frustration.

“But what will we do, James? Where will we get the money? You know we’re already in debt, and we’ll have to stop your treatment,” Tori said, her voice filled with panic.

“I don’t care! Do you expect me to sit here silently while you have fun with Sam!?” James shouted, his face red with anger.

“What are you talking about? It only happened once!” Tori cried, tears streaming down her face.

“How do I know that!? How can I trust you!?” James retorted, his voice shaking.

“Please…” Tori begged, reaching out to him.

James took his suitcase from the doorway and turned back to the door. “Either me or him. Quit, or you’ll never see me again…”

“James!” Tori screamed, her voice echoing through the empty house.

He silently left, slamming the door behind him, leaving Tori in tears by the door. She collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

The weight of her actions crashed down on her, and she felt a deep, aching emptiness.

She had no idea how to fix the mess she had made of her life, and the thought of losing James and Lucy forever was unbearable.

As the night wore on, Tori sat there, hugging her knees to her chest, trying to gather the strength to face the painful reality that awaited her.

She knew she had a difficult decision to make, one that would shape the future for her and her family.

The next day, Tori knocked on Sam’s office door, her heart pounding. Her voice was hoarse, her face red and tear-streaked, her eyes puffy and bruised from lack of sleep. She barely managed to keep herself composed.

Sam looked up from his desk and immediately stood up. “My God, Tori, what happened? You look terrible!”

“Sam, do you have a minute?” Tori asked, her voice shaking.

“Of course, sit down! What’s wrong? How can I help?” Sam gestured to the chair in front of his desk, his concern evident.

Tori sat down and placed a document on the table in front of Sam. Her hands were trembling. Sam picked up the document and began to read, his face turning pale with surprise.

“You’re resigning? What!? You just got promoted yesterday!” Sam exclaimed, looking back at Tori in disbelief.

“I don’t have a choice, Sam…” Tori replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No choice? What about your career? What will you do next?… And what about us?” Sam’s voice softened, trying to understand her decision.

Tori took a deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes again.

“It was a mistake, Sam. I have a husband, and he doesn’t want me to come here anymore.”

Sam leaned back in his chair, rubbing his forehead.

“Tori… But you’ve worked so hard. You know you have a great future here. Do you really want to throw it all away?”

Tori froze, unable to respond. Of course, she didn’t want to throw everything away. She loved her job, and she had worked so hard to get where she was.

But what choice did she have? James, the father of her daughter, would leave if she didn’t quit.

How could she explain this to her daughter? How would she live? But if she quit, both she and James would be without work. James would lose his treatment, which she also didn’t want.

The pressure James put on her was overwhelming, making her heart feel like it was being squeezed from stress, making it hard to even swallow.

Suddenly, Sam placed his hand on hers. She felt a moment of peace, a second of freedom from everything. She looked up and met Sam’s eyes.

“If this is really what you want, so be it. Let me at least write you a reference for your job search.” Sam spoke calmly, not pressuring her but simply wanting to help.

At that moment, Tori understood everything. She took the resignation letter from Sam’s hands and tore it up. “I don’t want to do this, Sam. I want to stay. Can I ask for just one thing?”

“Of course, anything!” Sam said, his expression softening with relief.

“I want the company to cover my husband’s medical bills on credit; I’ll pay them back later,” Tori requested, her voice steadying.

“Your husband? Okay, I’ll arrange for that to happen. I take it we’re just colleagues then?” Sam asked, trying to clarify the boundaries.

Tori stepped close to Sam and kissed him lightly on the lips. “This will be my farewell gift to James, and we are more than just colleagues.”

Sam looked at her, a mixture of surprise and understanding in his eyes. “If that’s what you want, Tori, we’ll make it work.”

Finally, Tori felt freed from the burden of guilt and pressure. She knew what she wanted and was tired of deceiving herself.

She left Sam’s office with a newfound sense of clarity and determination, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.