My boss ordered me to stay late every day to train my replacement. She’s making $85K. I make $55K — same role. When I asked why, HR said, “She negotiated better.” I smiled sweetly and said, “Happy to help!”

I spent the rest of the day walking her through every process, every system, every shortcut I’d built over the years. She was kind — even embarrassed — when she found out about the pay gap. She said, “You should be running this place, not me.” I laughed it off, but inside, I knew I was finished.

That evening, I stayed late, left my boss a clean summary of her progress, signed off every document, and cleared my desk. The next morning, he walked in and froze when he saw my resignation letter neatly placed on his desk, right beside my ID badge and a small note that said, “Thank you for the experience — it helped me see what I truly deserve.”

Now my old team keeps messaging me, saying the new hire is struggling and that leaving “without notice” was unprofessional. Part of me feels proud for standing up for myself — but part of me wonders if walking away so suddenly was too harsh. I’d really love some advice on how to let go of the guilt and move forward without second-guessing myself.