Chapter 1: Early Warnings

My phone buzzed at 6:47 a.m., its shrill vibration slicing through the silence of my one-bedroom apartment. HR was calling. Never a good sign.

The sun hadn’t even cleared the horizon, but already I felt that cold, corporate dread settling in. I pictured HR’s glass-walled lair—fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, the stale smell of burned coffee lingering, and the faint whir of the copy machine just audible beneath it all. I braced myself for whatever game was coming.

"We’ve noticed some areas where your performance isn’t quite meeting expectations."

Megan, the reigning queen of HR’s canned lines, didn’t bother looking up from her laptop. Her tone was as chilly as the overzealous AC—set to arctic for her comfort and no one else’s.

"But my performance has always been the best in the department."

I kept my voice even, refusing to let the frustration show, though my pulse thudded at my wrist. Five months at the top, and this was my reward?

"Good performance could just be luck."

My jaw clenched so tight I thought I might crack a tooth. Was she serious? Megan let the silence hang, tapping her manicured nails against her Starbucks cup, eyes never leaving the screen. I stared at her, determined not to flinch.

"I’ve been number one for five months in a row."

"But your numbers haven’t increased during those five months. It’s always five million."

"The market is down. Everyone else’s numbers have been cut in half. The fact that I’ve managed to keep mine steady is already rare."

Megan hesitated for a moment, then rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed—she knew I had a point, but she just dug in her heels like she owned the place. The overhead lights flashed on her badge, perfectly straight as always.

"Even if your work performance is fine, your attitude is a big problem."

"Screw you."

I muttered it under my breath, my knuckles white around my notepad. If only the carpet could file my annual review.