The email hit Andrew’s inbox at 9:03 AM, marked URGENT: “Effective immediately, GreenWave Investments will halt all ESG initiatives to refocus on core profitability.”

He stared at the words, numb. Just last week, he’d given a presentation on the firm’s commitment to sustainability, citing how their green portfolio had reduced carbon emissions by 20% while delivering steady returns. The applause had been polite, but now he realized it was hollow.

In the break room, the whispers were deafening. "It’s the market," someone said. "Investors want quick wins, not greenwashing."

But Andrew couldn’t let it go. He had joined GreenWave two years ago, driven by the promise of impact investing—real change paired with real returns. Now, it felt like he’d sold his soul to the highest bidder.

“Andrew, we need to talk,” his boss, Marcy, said, leaning against the doorway to his cubicle. Her smile was forced, her voice low. “You’re on the team restructuring our energy portfolio. Fossil fuels are back on the table.”

He swallowed hard. “What about our pledges? Our principles?”

Marcy’s eyes flickered, a mix of pity and exasperation. “Principles don’t pay dividends.” She walked away, leaving the words to echo in his mind.

That night, Andrew sat alone in his high-rise apartment, the city’s lights sprawling below like veins pulsing with life. His reflection in the glass looked unfamiliar—tailored suit, polished shoes, an expensive watch he used to love but now felt like a shackle.

He thought about the sea turtle he’d seen during his honeymoon in Bali, its shell scarred from fishing nets. He thought about his younger self, full of fire, believing he could change the world from the inside.

The next morning, Andrew drafted his resignation letter.

By noon, he was walking out of the building for the last time, his box of belongings feeling lighter than he expected. The sky was clear, the air crisp. For the first time in years, he felt free.

As he crossed the street, he glanced back at GreenWave’s glass façade. It glimmered in the sunlight, beautiful and unyielding, like the system it represented. He turned away and kept walking, unsure of where he was going, but determined to find a path that wouldn’t compromise who he was.