Your career can wait.
Late in the afternoon my assistant Olivia Rhodes leaned into my office doorway with a concerned expression.
“Natalie, are you feeling alright today,” she asked gently. “You look exhausted.”
“Just family matters,” I replied.
By the time the workday ended I already had a plan. It was not particularly kind. But it was perfectly fair. If Calvin wanted to play a game where my opinion did not matter, then I would simply change the rules.
I knocked on the door of the executive office and stepped inside when Deborah Langley, our company’s chief executive officer, invited me to sit down.
“Deborah, I need to discuss something confidential,” I began.
I explained the entire situation from Calvin’s ultimatum to my idea for handling it.
Deborah listened silently for several minutes before raising an eyebrow. “You are asking for an unpaid leave of absence,” she said slowly. “Officially you remain an employee, but your husband believes you resigned.”
I nodded. “If he contacts the company or appears here, please tell him I quit my job.”
Deborah leaned back in her chair and laughed loudly.
“You are planning to teach him a lesson,” she said with amusement.
“I want him to experience what it feels like when someone makes life changing decisions on your behalf,” I replied.
“And what exactly will you do at home,” she asked.
I smiled calmly. “I will become the perfect daughter in law.”
Then I added quietly. “So perfect that they will eventually beg for relief.”
Deborah considered the idea for a moment before nodding.
“You have two months,” she said. “After that I expect you back because our biggest campaign cannot move forward without you.”
