“Shit.” I glanced at my wristwatch and realized I was running late.

My breakfast date with Sienna had run longer than I’d expected, and now I was certain that the top-level management was going to think that I had quit on them. I hadn’t planned to come in Monday, giving myself extra time to process Friday’s disaster, but I had changed my mind at the last minute.

Running down the sidewalk, I brushed past people walking in the opposite direction and, splitting between the groups of men and women that wouldn’t get out of my way, I rushed to the office. I didn’t stop to take a breath until I reached my building.

I stood outside the front entrance for a long second to catch my breath. Running my hand over my hair, I caught myself in the window’s reflection and moved closer. My hair wasn’t as unruly as I imagined it was, and I was thankful for that. But my gray blazer could use some straightening out.

Smoothing out the wrinkles, I liked the look I had chosen for today. It was the look that said I was worth the six-figure salary I would have been making if I hadn’t been passed up for the promotion. Suddenly, my mind cleared—pushing out the deep feelings of spite—when my eyes landed on the pearl necklace I was still wearing.

Fingering each bead, my heart fluttered with thoughts of Nolan.

I couldn’t believe Sienna hadn’t asked about it. It wasn’t something I normally chose to wear. Especially to work. But she was too into her phone during breakfast to notice, completely phubbing me, and I still didn’t like how it seemed as if she was keeping secrets with me.

But this—my eyes were glued to the white pearls—I should have given back to Nolan last night. It had slipped my mind with everything else that had happened; and though he insisted I keep the gown, it didn’t feel right to keep the necklace.

A colleague hurried by, saying a quick hello before disappearing into the building.

I made a mental note to message Nolan about the necklace before talking myself up to enter the workplace with confidence. “You can do this, Sophia.” I blew out a heavy sigh as I reached for the door handle. “Pretend like nothing happened.”

Holding my head up high, I entered the front lobby wishing I hadn’t had coffee with breakfast. My blood was shaking and I already had enough jitters to keep me nervous. I headed to the elevator, listening to my heels clack on the marble floor. It was opening just as I arrived and I followed several other people inside, just as I had done hundreds of mornings before this.

The doors closed and I immediately felt the discomfort of being locked inside a closed space. I was filled with unintended anxiety. I could feel the people standing behind me staring a hole into the back of my head, like they knew. I was certain word about my lack of promotion had already gotten out. Gossip spread like wildfire here, and just thinking about it made me want to flee, find something better and escape the grind that was clearly not taking me anywhere.

The ride up to my office floor seemed to take forever.

I closed my eyes and breathed.

You can do this. Showing up and acting like nothing happened will be more awkward for them than it will be for me.

The elevator slowed to a stop and dinged when the doors opened. Hurrying out, I sucked back a deep breath of air, relieved to have finally escaped the suffocating feeling of being trapped inside.

“Hey, Sophia,” a colleague greeted as I headed to my desk.

I nodded and smiled, telling people “Good morning,” and it helped settle my nerves but this was only the start of what I knew was to come.

Then everything changed when I stopped in front of the office that was supposed to be mine. A pang of regret twisted my abdomen when I read his name in the place that should have mine. I couldn’t believe that it had already been changed. It was so quick that it made me think they had the name plaque made before they had even interviewed me.

Slowly, my vision tunneled and soon I was lost inside my head, reliving the interview.

I could still hear every question I was asked. Knew my responses by heart. And how I walked out feeling as if I was guaranteed the position. No doubt, I proved—in the interview, on the job, after work running with the boys at the bars—that I could keep up and perform with the men. But now I knew. I was only there for their own pleasure. Nothing more.

The door suddenly opened and Darren slammed on his brakes.

My heart leapt out of my chest as my jaw dangled on its hinges.

He looked at me, and I stared at him.

Awkward didn’t come close to describing the feeling of how I felt. He knew that I’d been competing for the same job. And from the look in his shifty eyes, I was sure he also knew the truth of how it all went down.

Taking the higher road, I extended my hand and said, “Congratulations.”

He glanced to my hand, slow to shake it. “I hope this doesn’t ruin our friendship.”

My grip firmed at hearing his response. Keeping a straight smile on my face, inside my head I was screaming at him for believing we could have ever been friends.

Not now.

Not ever.

And that was the toughest lesson I had to swallow after this whole ordeal. Because friendships could never happen in an office as cutthroat as this one was. “Thank you, Darren,” was all I could say.

Squaring my shoulders, I marched to my desk completely oblivious of my surroundings. But as soon as I arrived, Courtney peeked her head over the cubicle wall and said, “Sorry.”

“For what?” I spread out my notes, preparing for today’s work.

“I heard the news.” Her voice creaked with sadness.

“Don’t be.” I quickly glanced up at her.

“I was really hoping you would be my new boss.”

“I can still boss you around,” I teased.

She rolled her eyes. “You should know that Darren only got the job because he had befriended top-level management.”

My head shot up. I leaned closer to Courtney with a squished brow. “You know that for sure?”

She nodded. “Can’t tell you how I know, but you were definitely the overqualified candidate.”

Feeling as if the rug had been pulled out from under me, I stood there speechless. I knew it. Knew that I was the better candidate. But, in the end, Darren was the one they chose because they preferred his company more than mine.

“Anyway, if anyone asks, you didn’t hear it from me.”

“Yeah.” I gave her a blank stare. “Of course.”

Courtney disappeared as I fell into my seat. I felt foolish for thinking that a woman could make it in a man’s world. Apparently not. Even after all I’d done…a woman’s credentials had no chance when competing for a spot next to top-level management at the bar.

Knowing I should be getting to work and proving myself to the company that they’d made a mistake when passing me up, I couldn’t find the motivation. Instead, I soon let my mind drift to what Sienna told me about Audrey.

Audrey. I shook my head, feeling my blood pressure rise.

I knew she was a bitch the moment I saw her. But I couldn’t believe she would go as low as using Nolan’s brother Cooper’s campaign for governor as an excuse to get back with Nolan.

My stomach flipped.

It seemed as if I was surrounded by the worst of scum no matter where I went.

And it made me ill.

Reaching for my cell, I wanted to text Nolan. Let him know that I understood what he was going through and that he should have told me the complete picture of what was happening. But, then, maybe he didn’t know?

Rumor has it, Audrey told her daddy to pull his support for Cooper for the stunt Nolan pulled over the weekend when he decided to take you to the fundraiser instead of her.

I could still hear Sienna’s voice ringing between my ears as Mr. Rick Gibbons stepped into my cubicle. He eyed my phone and I didn’t care that he saw me on it during business hours.

“Have to say I’m surprised to see you,” he said.

“How could you?” My eyes squinted.

He stuffed his hands inside his pockets and looked to his right.

“You practically promised me that job.”

“Sophia,” he turned to me, “I wasn’t the only one to decide. If it was up to me, you would have been given the promotion.”

“You’re so full of it,” I said, turning my head away.

“Careful, Sophia. That attitude will get you in trouble.”

Looking at my desk, I realized that I didn’t want to be here. Not after what Courtney had said, not after learning I’d been lied to. This wasn’t a place I wanted to be affiliated with. I could do better.

“No. You be careful.” I snapped my head back to him. “Once my story gets out, I’ll be suing you for sexism.”

A mixture of fear and disappointment washed over his face.

Standing, I began tossing my belongings into my tote. I felt my hands tremble but I refused to let him see. Now it was time for me to make a statement. A statement to all the hardworking women working for unequal pay, getting harassed at work, and not feeling valued when putting in more hours than their male colleagues.

Turning back around with my heavy tote slung over my shoulder, I said, “Thanks. But no thanks. I hope you accept my immediate resignation.”

I marched out of the office, holding back my smile.

Though I was terrified that I might have just ruined my career, I couldn’t deny how liberating it felt to stick up for myself and let them know I wasn’t going to be pushed around. It didn’t matter that I was leaving without recommendations. I had enough in the bank to hold me over until I decided my next move. But as I rode the elevator down, I couldn’t bite back the tears any longer. After putting in the time, I was leaving with nothing to show for it.

Pushing through the front glass doors, the wind caught my hair. And that was when I saw Nolan leaning against his pearl white Lexus high performance luxury vehicle, acting as if he was here waiting for me to arrive.