Success, You Were Truly a Waste of My Time!

Success, You Were Truly a Waste of My Time!

It was Angelina’s last day of college, and graduation was the only thing people were talking about. Just three days had passed since her grandfather’s death, a tragic loss for her family—especially for her. But at this moment, all she could focus on was grabbing her diploma, smiling as she shook the Dean’s hand, and leaving. Though she had wanted to stay home, her parents had pushed her to go, believing it would help her move on. Perhaps this was their way of trying to ease her grief…

"Remember what we talked about, Angel? 'Play the game of life wisely. You always have a purpose, but you never know where it may take you.’"

Her grandfather’s words spiraled through her mind, and her eyes welled up within seconds. She had loved him dearly, and she wished she could tell him one last time. But now it was too late. Everything had fallen apart, and death had become her sworn enemy.

After graduation, her friends planned a weeklong trip to Mexico, hoping to celebrate their success. Angelina, however, bluntly declined their invitation. She searched for other ways to distract herself from her grief, though ironically, the trip itself could have provided that escape.

"No! There's no way I’m going anywhere. There has to be another way to move past this pain—something that won’t just fade away like a temporary fix," she thought. But no matter what she did, every thought led her back to her grandfather.

It didn’t take long for Angelina to land a job at her father’s company. Getting in was easy, given her family connection and her recent degree, but she was no less capable than anyone else. She knew what she wanted, and she was convinced this job would change her life. As she absentmindedly held her pencil between her lips, scrolling through comments from her interview, she imagined her new life. For the first time in a while, she started seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty.

Still, reminders of her loss lingered—especially during dinner. The empty chair at the table was a painful sight.

"Mom, can we just remove that chair from the table set? Maybe put it off to the side, near the couch?"

"Why, Angel? Is everything alright?"

"Yes! Everything is fine. Never mind... I don’t know what I was thinking," she muttered, brushing the thought away.

From that day forward, Angelina stopped attending family dinners, using work as an excuse. She also resented how her father took credit for getting her the job, even though she worked hard on her own. Yet despite her growing success, she felt like something was missing. Work became her only escape, and soon, she isolated herself completely.

One evening, her father knocked on her door.

"Angel! Honey, where were you? We all sat down for dinner. We called you so many times... Are you still working?"

"Yeah, Dad. I have a lot to do… do you mind closing the door on your way out? Thanks," she replied coldly.

Her father sighed. 

"Are you not going to sit with us anymore? Won’t you at least talk to your family?"

"Dad, I have too much work to do! You should understand my situation. I can’t waste time. I have a future to build, and no one is going to help me unless I work for it myself. Everyone looks out for themselves, so I’m just doing the same."

Her father was stunned by her words. Without another word, he did exactly what she asked—he left.

Later, her friend Sonia confronted her.

"Angelina, you’re getting lost in your work. You need to take a break."

"A break? For what?"

"I don’t know… maybe go for a walk, spend time with your family, talk to someone."

Sonia grabbed Angelina by the shoulders and shook her. "You’re becoming a workaholic! Get a hold of yourself!"

"Oh my gosh, stop it! What do you think you’re getting by telling me this?"

"What are you accomplishing by working yourself into the ground? A promotion? Validation? Is that all you care about now? This isn’t the Angelina I knew—you’ve changed."

"That’s too bad. If you want to be my friend, fine. But if you think talking to me is a waste of your time, then I’ll say the same to you."

"How can you be so cold? Don’t you care about anyone around you?"

"Look, I have one goal: work hard until I’m 50, then retire and finally have time for friends and family. If you don’t like my plan, that’s okay, but it’s my life."

"Angel! Who knows if you’ll even make it to 50? Who knows if your parents will still be here? Life is unpredictable! Why don’t you see the bigger picture?"

"No, you’re the one who doesn’t see it. I’m thinking about the future—you’re only thinking about right now. And after what happened with my grandfather, what’s the point of wasting time on things that don’t last?"

Sonia’s eyes widened in shock. "Do you even hear yourself?"

"I know exactly what I’m saying. If you think our priorities don’t match, then there’s the door." Angelina pointed to it without hesitation.

Tears welled up in Sonia’s eyes as she stepped away. She had never expected Angelina to push her away so easily.

"I’ll never forget this… Just wait. When something bad happens to you, don’t come crying back to me," Sonia said before leaving, slamming the door behind her.

As soon as she was alone, doubt crept into Angelina’s mind. Losing her friend and pushing away her family was the last thing she had ever wanted. But she convinced herself it was necessary.

"I don’t care. I need to work," she kept telling herself.

Months passed. Angelina kept climbing the corporate ladder, her wealth growing along with her ambition. But as her career flourished, so did her detachment from everything else. Her parents still tried to reach her and still encouraged her to balance success with character. But Angelina saw no meaning in it.

Then, one evening, everything changed.

She had just been promoted to the director of her company when she arrived home and saw her parents sitting at the dinner table, their backs turned to her. Their heads were lowered.

"Hey, I’m home," she called, placing her bag down.

Usually, there would be a reply in return. However, this time, there was no response.

She hesitated before walking toward them.

"Mom? Dad? Everything alr—"

Her words caught in her throat as her skin turned pale. Her parents sat lifeless, their faces drained of color. Her father’s hand clutched an empty pill bottle.

"No… No! This can’t be happening!"

Her eyes darted to the coffee table, where a handwritten note lay beside her mother. With trembling hands, she picked it up.

"Dear Angel,

We tried to help ourselves, but the pain never left. We called you. We tried to tell you. If only you had taken five minutes from your busy schedule, we might have found hope. But if you’re reading this, know that we still love you and are proud of you. Just don’t forget your real purpose in life. Money and success are never the answer…"

The letter fell from her hands as a choked sob escaped her lips. Her grandfather’s words echoed in her mind. Sonia’s warnings. Her own arrogance. It all came crashing down on her, all at once.

She collapsed onto the floor, wailing, as her neighbors called the police. When the officers arrived, she was accused of murder, but she didn’t resist.

Later, in her cell, she took out the pen she had left in her pocket and cried as she wrote down:

"She could have fought back, she could have cried. She did nothing but strive.

Life has lost its meaning, but this is the truth I find,

Oh, success… you were truly a waste of my time."