The next morning, I had barely stepped into the department before I saw a crowd gathered around the bulletin board.

Pinned right in the center was my pay stub.

Next to it, someone had taped up unflattering photos of me with a label scrawled across them: CHEAPSKATE OF THE YEAR.

The cleaning lady looked uneasy.

"Ms. Chavez, it was already up when I got here this morning. I was going to tear it down, but that intern in your department told me to leave it."

I reached up and ripped every sheet off the board. Mercedes walked over right on cue, pressing a hand to her mouth in exaggerated shock.

"Oh my God, who would do something like that? But honestly, Matilda, if things have gotten this bad, you can't really blame everyone else, can you?"

I stared at her.

"Was this you?"

Mercedes blinked, the picture of innocence.

"Matilda, don't go throwing around accusations. There are hundreds of people in the company chat. Could've been anyone. But hey, I did stay late last night putting together your attendance records and colleague feedback. I'm about to hand them to Manager Whitney."

I looked at that face, barely concealing its smugness, and felt nothing but revulsion.

I didn't waste another word on her. I turned and headed straight for the manager's office. But before I could even open my mouth, Mercedes was already there, eyes rimming red.

"Manager Whitney, I'm so sorry to bother you with this. I never thought it would blow up like this. If I'd known Matilda was going to come make trouble for you, I would've just paid for the coffee myself."

She glanced at me, timid and wounded, as if she were the one who'd been wronged.

"Here are her recent attendance records, colleague evaluations, and client reception notes."

Maurice picked up the folder, flipped through two pages, and tossed it onto his desk with open irritation.

"Well, well, Matilda. So this is how you've been working. Half your colleagues describe you as selfish and uncooperative. How exactly do you expect to be a team player with an attitude like this?"

Right. I didn't buy them coffee, so now I was selfish and uncooperative. They were the ones who'd lost their minds.

I was about to respond when the door swung open and Duncan Swanson walked in. His gaze found me almost immediately.

"What's all the noise about? You're Matilda Chavez?"

"That's me."

Mr. Swanson's expression was cold, his face stamped with undisguised contempt.