"You make thirty thousand a month now?" Lanie crowed across the table, fork paused like a microphone. "I make thirty thousand, net less stress," I said, smiling so flat it might as well have been a warning. "Net less stress?" Lanie laughed loud enough for the neighbors to hear. "What, did StreamWave finally start honoring engineers? You should be grateful." "My contract says I should work until I die for a title," I said. "But I'm not interested in dying on company time." Mrs. Chen dabbed her lips with a napkin. "Sienna, that's a good salary. Why would you throw it away?" "Because some prices are paid in more than money." I kept my voice casual. "I'm handing in my resignation tomorrow." Silence cut the clatter of chopsticks. Mr. Chen blinked fast, like a bad video buffer. Lanie's laugh stuck halfway to the next syllable and died. "You can't be serious," Lanie said. "Who quits that kind of money? Are you insane? Or secretly dating a rich guy and trying to flex?" "I'm not dating anyone rich," I said. "I'm quitting because I want my life back." "Your life back?" Lanie's voice narrowed. "You mean other people will carry your work and get promoted. You think you're above the ladder now?" "Not above." I folded my napkin once. "Besides, I've had a long look at what people climb the ladder for. I don't want to be part of that