Chapter 3

Just as I was about to reach the exit, Lisa rushed over and blocked me. The cheap perfume filling my nostrils made me sneeze.

“Oh, this is an old hen, not a young rooster. It’s actually good for you, so don't worry, just eat it.”

All my colleagues looked at me.

Other team members also chimed in:

“Mia, you’re the MVP of this project. You pulled so many all-nighters, you really need to replenish your strength.”

“Lisa’s just looking out for you. Just have a bite, please.”

Mr. Hayes, who had been silent for a long time, also spoke up, persuading me:

“This is their own farm-raised chicken, not like the factory-farmed ones. Just try a piece.”

Cold sweat beaded on my forehead as I forced an awkward smile.

Lisa being this nice to me? I wondered what her game was.

But now I was essentially on the hot seat. If I still refused, they'd accuse me of disrespecting Mr. Hayes and being arrogant about my achievements.

If I wanted a promotion or raise later, someone would surely bring this up.

After two or three seconds of hesitation, I had no choice but to return to the table and sit down.

I picked up my fork and took a chicken drumstick.

I put the drumstick in my mouth. It was incredibly tender.

Seeing that no one reacted, I continued eating on my own.

Until I had eaten it down to the bone. Time seemed to stop. Everyone fell silent, as if by unspoken agreement. The private room was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.

The smiles on everyone's faces instantly froze. The malice in their eyes shot at me like sharp daggers.

“Mia, you're absolutely shameless!”

My best friend at work was the first to react, clenching her fist and slamming it on the table, her eyes practically spitting fire:

“I must have been blind to ever be your friend.”

“You're utterly disgusting!”

“Mr. Hayes, fire her immediately. People like her don’t belong in our company.”

My heart tightened, and my legs started to tremble uncontrollably:

“The restaurant owner brought the chicken soup, and Lisa told me to eat it!”

“What did I do wrong?”

But my colleagues just stared at me coldly, ignoring my breakdown.

I looked pleadingly at Sarah, my mentor, who brought me into this industry.

When I first started, Sarah taught me everything, meticulously, detail by detail. She saw my potential, my champion.

I hoped she would speak up for me.

But to my surprise, Sarah seemed like a different person today. Her eyes held an expression I couldn't understand, distant, like she was looking at a complete stranger.

“Mia, if I’d known you were this kind of person, I would’ve fired you during the interview.”

Mr. Hayes picked up the chicken soup bowl and smashed it violently on the floor, roaring:

“Mia, don't bother coming in tomorrow. Our company doesn't need someone with your unethical conduct.”

It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on me. I stood there, stunned.

My colleagues shot me disgusted looks and dispersed. As they passed me, some even spat at me.

“Ugh, she's absolutely shameless. She's a waste of space, a waste of oxygen.”

I had worked here since graduating, diligently and meticulously, never made a single mistake.

Was eating one chicken drumstick going to end my career of so many years?

The private room was a mess.

Overturned wine bottles dripped onto the floor, and I felt my strength draining away, slumping to the ground.

The company SnapChat group erupted in condemnation against me.

But I scrolled through thousands of messages and couldn't find a single reason why they were treating me like this.

When I returned to the office, my desk supplies had already been dumped next to the trash can, smelling of garbage.

I was thrown out of the company like trash.

A dozen colleagues stood by the entrance, staring at me like I was a pathetic stray.

Like a puppet, I picked up my belongings, walking back to my rental apartment like I’d lost my soul.

I lost all strength and fainted on the floor.

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