Chapter 1

On Halloween, I received an email announcing my promotion.

I thought my five years of hard work had finally paid off. At last, I was going to be sales director.

Thrilled, I packed up my things and carried them to the door of my private office.

But when I pushed it open, there was no leather chair waiting for me. Just a pile of stinking garbage.

Then my coworkers burst into laughter behind me.

“Claire, you actually believed it? God, you’re shameless!”

My boss chimed in. “It’s just a Halloween prank. Don’t tell me you can’t take a joke.”

I had become the laughingstock of the entire company.

But they had forgotten something. That afternoon, I was supposed to sign a billion-dollar contract that would keep this company alive.

Since my boss loved Halloween pranks so much, I decided to give him one he would never forget.

“What’s wrong, Claire? It’s just a Halloween prank. Can’t you take a joke?”

My boss, Richard Dawson, looked down at me, barely bothering to hide his satisfaction.

At his taunt, the entire office erupted in shrill laughter.

“Seriously, Claire. Did you really think you could become sales director?”

Lily, the receptionist, covered her mouth, shaking with laughter.

“You only have an associate degree. Did you really think you could turn yourself into some big shot?”

I didn’t lash out.

I simply crouched down, my whole body stiff.

One by one, I picked up the personal belongings I had packed into the big cardboard box with such excitement.

I felt like a clown being paraded through the streets.

With everyone pointing and laughing, I made my way back to my cramped old cubicle in the open office.

“She’s always bossing us around just because she’s the top salesperson. Look at her now. Right back where she belongs.”

My coworkers didn’t even try to lower their voices.

Richard followed me.

He tapped the bottom of his travel mug against my desk.

“Claire, don’t take it personally.”

“A little setback is good for young people. I’m just helping you learn to handle pressure.”

He spoke like some wise mentor offering valuable advice.

“You’ve been here five years. Even if you haven’t done anything extraordinary, you’ve certainly put in the hours.”

“But you don’t become a director just by working yourself to the bone.”

“You need to see the bigger picture. You need people skills. Understand?”

I stared at him coldly.

“Richard, last week you told me yourself that if I landed Mr. Hayes’s billion-dollar contract, the director position would be mine.”

Richard scoffed.

“That was a motivational tactic. You couldn’t even figure that out?”

“Besides, we could have landed that deal without you. Our company’s reputation speaks for itself.”

“Don’t think you’re so important.”

I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Five years of my life. Countless days and nights of hard work.

To him, it was all just a cheap joke he could grind beneath his heel.

Humiliation burned through me.

But I forced myself to swallow it.

Because that afternoon, I still had to sign the billion-dollar contract on the company’s behalf.

It would be the biggest achievement of my career.

I couldn’t blow everything up at a moment like this.

“You’re right, Richard.” I forced a smile that held no warmth.

He nodded in satisfaction.

“That’s more like it. A young woman like you shouldn’t spend all her time chasing power.”

He turned to the employees who were still watching.

“What are you all staring at? Don’t you have work to do?”

“It might be Halloween, but your performance reviews are no joke!”

Everyone scattered, though their eyes still held undisguised contempt.

Jason Miller leaned over from the next cubicle.

“Well, well. Our sales superstar is backing down already?”

Jason ranked at the bottom in sales, and I had often held him to strict standards.

Seeing me humiliated clearly made his whole year.

“I’ve always said women in sales are just cashing in on their looks.”

“You’re getting older, and you’re not much to look at anymore. How are you supposed to compete with younger girls?”

He picked his teeth as his sleazy gaze traveled over me.

“Why not find some nice, boring guy to marry? Stay home and raise his kids.”

I whipped my head around and fixed him with an icy stare.

“Jason, you haven’t made a single sale this month, and you still have time to worry about my love life?”

His expression froze. Then embarrassment turned to anger.

“What makes you think you’re so special?”

“You’re not even a supervisor. Who are you to tell me what to do?”

I couldn’t be bothered with him. I needed to check the final details of the contract again.

Whatever else happened, that contract was the result of my hard work. I wouldn’t let anything go wrong with it.

Just then, someone tapped my shoulder.

I turned around.