Kourtney pulled back, her eyes flicking between them, and she felt a pang in her chest. They were treating her differently already and she could feel her smile faltering. The rest of the office was still clapping, their voices overlapping with praise.

“Kourtney, that gala was unreal! The way you pulled it off? Pure genius,” Jenna, another colleague who used to be among those who always antagonized her said with fake admiration.

“You’re a legend,” added Tom, the IT guy, nodding like he’d just met a celebrity. “Skyline’s never had anything like it.”

Kourtney nodded politely, but her mind was spinning. She was not dumb. And she certainly wasn't naive....