Chapter 4: The Cost of Loyalty

3.

"Natalie, you know how bad things are in the U.S. right now. Our company’s been downsizing every year for the past three years, especially middle management. The older you get, the higher your salary, and every round of layoffs terrifies me."

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Your job is stable, but even then, it’s only a few thousand a month. For this family, that’s barely a drop in the bucket."

He started pacing. "Mom and Dad’s health will only get worse. Ethan and Ava’s education isn’t getting any cheaper. If I don’t make a move now, what happens to us?"

"You say I’m selfish, that I only care about my own advancement. But isn’t my advancement for the family? Don’t I just want to give you, Ethan, and Ava a better life, and let our parents have a secure old age?"

He sounded so noble. So high-minded.

The truth? We’re not rich, but we’re comfortable. Our street is quiet, our old car still gets us where we need to go. The kids have what they need, and we’ve never missed a mortgage payment.

I’ve worked at the county office for more than ten years, moving up the ladder. My boss is about to retire early, and I’m his first choice to replace him—I’ve been prepping transfer documents for weeks.

Derek’s career only started to take off recently. Before that, I was the one paying off our mortgage and car loan. I don’t know why my five-figure salary suddenly became “just a few thousand” in his eyes.

Maybe it’s not as much as he makes in tech, but I’ve always carried my weight. Why is my work suddenly just a drop in the bucket?

But really, whether he wants to go abroad or get promoted—the real betrayal is that he never respected me enough to discuss it. Before dumping everything on me, he made the decision alone.

I asked, "Do your parents know you’re going overseas? And to a country at war?"