“Yeah, Ethan, how can you be so calm at a time like this? Where’s your proposal? Did you make the slides? Open them — we’ll help you polish them.”
I leaned back in my chair slightly.
“Proposal? I don’t have one.”
Jason’s fake sympathy turned to theatrical shock.
“What? How is that possible? You didn’t prepare anything? Then tomorrow—”
Claire’s face changed instantly.
“Ethan! What are you talking about? No proposal? What have you been doing these last two days?”
“I told you to hurry and work on a new project! Were you just ignoring me?”
Her voice grew louder and louder, drawing curious glances from nearby colleagues.
I spun my chair lazily.
“And how exactly is it any of your business whether I have a proposal or not?”
Claire flushed with anger.
“How is it my business? Weren’t we supposed to get promoted and buy a house together? Did you forget everything we planned? If you walk into that review tomorrow with nothing, what are you going to do?”
“If you can’t get promoted, if your salary stays the same, are you just planning to live off me? Eat my food, spend my money, let me carry all the pressure alone?”
“Ethan, how can you be so selfish — not even thinking about our future?”