I felt heavy as I approached my boss's office. I had been working hard on this project for months — I was about to risk my soul. I thought this was the beginning of the blessings I had been waiting for.
As I waited for my boss to call me, I imagined his smile as he praised my work. Promotion. Bonus. And maybe, the respect of the entire company.
“Come in, Alice,” called Mr. Reyes, my boss.
When I entered, there was another person inside — Carla. One of the new employees. A friend of my husband, Martin.
“Sit down,” said Mr. Reyes, his face serious.
I frowned. What is Carla doing here?
“We have a problem,” my boss began. “There’s a report saying that you weren’t the original creator of the project you submitted last week.”
It felt like cold water had been poured over me.
"That's not true. I did it from start to finish."
Carla sat next to me, a restrained smile on her lips. “I’m sorry, Alice. But I was the one who really had the idea. I submitted it first. I don’t know how you got the files, but I don’t want to miss this.”
My eyes widened. “What?! Carla, you didn’t even know about that project when I started!”
Mr. Reyes took a deep breath. “I reviewed the submissions. Carla's came first. I'm sorry, but we have to terminate your contract.”
It feels like my world has collapsed. Fired? Just like that?
When Carla left, I was left speechless. I was fired from my job... for lying.
But the trouble didn't end there.
When I got home, I confronted Martin. And during our conversation, he readily admitted: He himself gave my files to Carla.
“I did it for her… because I love her,” he said coldly.
I felt like I was stabbed. We worked hard for so many years, but only one woman was more important to him?
I didn't lose my mind. I didn't cry. But inside, my emotions were burning.
Since then, my former teammate Joel has been helping me — quietly but always there. He invited me to start our own project. I poured everything I had learned into it, and in the first quarter alone, we exceeded our goals.
And Carla? The truth also came out. She couldn't maintain my project. She was caught plagiarizing other reports. She was also fired from the company.
Meanwhile, I gradually rose up — not just as an employee but as a stronger woman.
While we were celebrating a new contract with a client, Joel tapped me.
“Thank you, Alice. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to reach this,” he said.
I smiled. “Me too. Thanks for the trust.”
And for the first time after everything, I felt ready to love again — not with someone like Martin, but with someone who respected my personality.
