"Enough with the sucking up. Just get in," said Cecilia.

After a moment of hesitation, Blake got into the car. She spoke timidly and hesitantly, "M-Ms. Samford, may I ask why you'd like to meet with me?"

Cecilia said, "I've been busy with other things recently, so I let you work under Kevin. He didn't give you a hard time, did he?"

Blake answered, "It wasn't just difficult but downright exploitative. Ms. Samford, look at the dark circles under my eyes. They're the result of these past few days of burning the midnight oil."

Cecilia said, "It must've been tough. You should go back and rest. I'll assist you in getting a day off."

A shiver ran down Blake's spine as she looked at her smile. "It's okay, Ms. Samford. Something's come up at my home recently. So, I'll be resigning after finishing out this month."

Cecilia asked inquisitively, "What happened? If you've encountered any difficulties, do you need a hand?"

"It's okay, just a small matter. I can handle it myself." When Blake sa