Chapter 1

After I hung up, the HR from the rival company, Mark Chaney, sent me a text the very next second.

"Thank you, Ms. Marsh. It would be an honor for our company to have you join us. Your onboarding details and follow-up plans are all ready. Whenever you're available for a face-to-face meeting, just give me a call anytime."

Sensing the warmth and enthusiasm in Mr. Chaney's text, I couldn't help but feel a bitter pang.

They were a rival company, yet they were willing to offer me the greatest respect and standing. Meanwhile, the company I gave three years of my absolute best to only ever humiliated me in public.

I returned to the dining table.

Harvey came over with a glass of wine and a bunch of people in tow.

"Dana, where did you run off to? We were looking all over for you for a toast."

As soon as he finished speaking, my nominal mentor, Bruce Floyd, immediately stepped forward and looked at me mockingly.

"Mr. Vance, don't mind her. Young people are so arrogant these days. She probably ran off to hide and cry. If only she knew how good we have it with a boss like you. I'd be grateful even for ten bags of cookies, let alone ten cups of instant noodles."

Deafening laughter immediately erupted all around.

"Mr. Vance is so thoughtful to choose a major brand like Master Noodle. It's the only thing fit for a top salesperson like Dana!"

My colleague, Penny Knox, joined in the jeering.

"Exactly! Dana just doesn't know when she's got it good. Mr. Vance went out of his way to get those practical prizes because he knows how tough client visits are for her. Most people would kill for something like this."

The taunts kept rolling in. But I just sat quietly in the corner with my eyes lowered, completely unfazed throughout it all.

Harvey cleared his throat and reprimanded everyone with a feigned stern expression, "Alright, that's enough teasing. Dana is a key player in our company. Would I ever shortchange her?"

He talked a big game, but when he turned to look at me, his eyes were full of contempt.

"You failed to clock out several times when you were working on Mr. Neal Garner's project. According to company policy, that means a deduction from your year-end bonus. I paid for these ten cups of instant noodles out of my own pocket. I couldn't just let you go home empty-handed, could I?"

I sneered inwardly at his high-sounding excuses.

I had been running myself ragged every single day trying to land Mr. Garner's 500-million-dollar project, with nothing to eat but instant noodles when I got hungry.

Meanwhile, Bruce, Penny, and the rest of my colleagues spent their days lounging around the office, munching on chips, and gossiping.

Yet, Harvey rewarded them with cars and gold, while using some bullcrap excuse to dock my bonus.

The next moment, Harvey patted my shoulder and said in a hypocritical tone, "Work hard next year. If that major project with Mr. Garner goes through, I'll give you a 30% raise and promote you to Head of Sales."

I smiled but said nothing.

Over the years, I'd lost count of how many times I'd heard empty promises like that.

Just then, a server came over with a dining cart loaded with exquisite lobster pasta, its rich aroma filling the air.

But instead of serving the dishes, she pulled out a bowl of prepared instant noodles from the lower rack and asked puzzledly, "Excuse me, who ordered the instant noodles?"

Bruce immediately raised his hand and bellowed at the top of his lungs, "I ordered it just for Dana. It's her favorite. How could lobster pasta possibly be worthy of her? We can't let our 'Instant Noodle Queen' feel out of place now, can we?"

Laughter erupted once again. Harvey's eyes crinkled with amusement. Clearly, he was very pleased with Bruce's antics.