This decision is absolutely brutal.

[00:00:00]Last campus job fair before graduation.

[00:00:01]My roommate turned to me, "Toby, which companies are you applying to?" I opened my mouth, but before I could answer, snickering broke out nearby. "Toby's obviously going to Morton Group. How else is he going to keep clinging to Willow? He's been killing himself trying to be worthy of her. Those dark circles haven't faded in years. You got to hand it to Willow, though. Even training her future husband from childhood." Willow reacted like someone had stepped on her tail, punching the speaker hard in the arm. "Shut up. A housekeeper's son thinking he can marry into money. He should be grateful I'm giving him a job in the city at all. Family, body, style, name one thing he has on Clyde Sawyer."

[00:00:29]"Toby could stay up 24 hours a day and still never catch up to what my family's built over generations. Who in their right mind would want a husband that embarrassing?" Clyde had his arm around her waist. He ducked his head with a bashful smile. All these years, I'd studied until dawn every single night, fighting for first place, earning every scholarship I could, all so I could stand beside her without feeling like I didn't belong. But Willow had gone from staying up late with me out of concern to curling her lip in disgust and leaving to catch a movie with Clyde instead. I looked away and handed my resume to an out-of-state company. If I couldn't catch up, then maybe it was time to stop trying. After hitting a few companies I was interested in, I had one resume left. The same group from earlier spotted me and started laughing again.

[00:01:01]"Toby must be part bloodhound. Wherever Willow goes, he sniffs her out. Wait, didn't Willow already save him a spot at her family's company? Why is he still carrying a resume around? Don't tell me he's applying somewhere else. That company behind him isn't even based in the city." The smile froze on Willow's face. Her eyes locked onto my hand. She strode over, snatched the resume from me, and bit out each word. "What is this? You're going to them?" Her expression was so fierce that the recruiter behind me hurried out to explain. "No, no. This young man hadn't submitted it yet." The recruiter glanced at architecture major on my resume and looked a little awkward. "Sorry, we're hiring for brand PR. Your major doesn't quite match." The tension drained from Willow's eyes. She smirked. "See? What company these days doesn't care about image when they hire? Toby, they're just being polite. Brand PR means tall, good-looking, and smooth-talking. You can't even dress yourself. You spend every day in those work coveralls hunched over your blueprints, ink stains all over your clothes. Ugly and can't string two words together. You'd have to be out of your mind to hire you. Who do you think you are?" Clyde laughter erupted around us. I gripped the hem of my shirt, head dropping in humiliation.

[00:01:54]Dad died young. Mom raised me on a housekeeper's salary. I didn't have the luxury of wasting time or money. I had to work twice as hard just to give Mom a better life and to be a little less unworthy of Willow Morton. I knew she wasn't wrong. It still hurt. Willow's expression faltered for a moment. Oh, relax. You're just scared I'll go back on my word and not let you into Morton Group, right? Scared you won't get to keep following me around after graduation. I always keep my promises.

[00:02:13]You don't need to pull stunts like this to get my attention. Someone teased with a grin. Willow, you talk so much trash about Toby, but you really don't want him going to another company. Afraid he'll leave you. Willow exploded. She ripped the resume to shreds and hurled the pieces at them. Oh, screw off. His mom is our housekeeper. Back in the old days, Toby Fox would have been a houseborn servant in our family. I just worry he'll trip over his own feet and embarrass himself somewhere else. And then who looks bad? Me? Houseborn servant? Those words drove into my chest like needles. A fine, spreading ache bloomed behind them. I gathered what courage I had and spoke, barely above a whisper. It's fine. Actually, I Before I could finish, Clyde walked over. Willow, you were so angry you smashed your phone just now. Want me to get it fixed?

[00:02:48]Willow was still fuming. She didn't even look at the phone before hurling it into the trash can. If it's broken, it's garbage. It's not like it was worth anything. Why would I waste my time getting that fixed?