Chapter 1 · Being Humiliated, We Just Left

Chapter 1

At the company's celebration party, my boss's girlfriend, Rowena Daniels, put me on the spot and told me to bark like a dog. "One bark for one thousand bucks."

The whole room went dead silent. I just smiled and raised my glass. "Ms. Daniels, how about I do a hundred barks for 100 grand? Cash up front."

My coworkers burst out laughing, saying I was slick.

But Rowena suddenly started complaining to my boss, Roger Ferguson, "See? Just like people say online. Female subordinates are always so snarky to the boss's girlfriend. Honey, look at her. I just wanted to test if she'd listen to me, and she's totally disrespecting me."

Roger softly wiped her tears away, then fixed me with a cold stare. "If my girlfriend tells you to bark like a dog, you bark. Don't think you can get away with your usual tricks here!"

I barked, and walked away with 100 grand.

The next day, I took my whole team and jumped ship to a rival company.

Three months later, Roger, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, called me up. "Gina, are you behind all this?"

I glanced at the ownership papers for the company I'd just acquired and smirked. "Mr. Ferguson, looks like it's your turn now. Ten grand for every bark."

*****

"Alright, everyone, let's raise our glasses to our MVP, Ms. Poe! If Gina hadn't saved the day on the Vista project, we wouldn't have stood a chance! Am I right?"

At the company's celebration party, the department head, Erasmus Ball, was all smiles, glass in hand, hyping up my achievements.

I was the sales director, the one who made the company's profits skyrocket this time.

My coworkers jumped in, tossing out compliments left and right.

"Ms. Poe, you're a legend."

"From now on, I'm riding with Ms. Poe."

I kept my polite smile and raised my glass, but inside, I saw right through it all.

All that flattery? Just lip service. Anyone who actually bought it was a sucker.

Our young boss, Roger Ferguson, tossed me a token compliment before turning to the cute, petite girl at his side, leaning in to hear her whisper something, a soft smile playing on his lips.

That was his girlfriend, Rowena Daniels.

She saw me as her number one rival.

Ever since I landed the director spot thanks to my results, and Roger started depending on me, Rowena's gaze was always full of undisguised wariness and hostility whenever she looked my way.

It was like she thought I might swoop in and steal Roger from her at any moment.

Give me a break.

There was nothing shameful about making money. The real shame was having none.

Men? Nothing made me feel safer than seeing my bank balance go up.

I dropped my gaze, masking the sarcasm in my eyes, and got ready to knock back my drink.

"Roger..." A timid, tearful voice suddenly broke the silence. It was soft, but it instantly made the whole room go quiet.

All eyes turned to Rowena.

Her eyes were red, tears clinging to her long lashes, looking so fragile and pitiful you couldn't help but feel for her. She was holding tightly onto Roger's sleeve.

Roger's brows furrowed, his voice gentle and full of concern. "Rowena, what's wrong? Who made you upset?"

Rowena's eyes locked onto me like hooks, her voice trembling with innocent hurt. "Roger, I... I just feel so insecure."

She sniffled, acting all fragile for the crowd, and pointed right at me.

"Everyone online says... that a pretty and capable subordinate like Ms. Poe is exactly the kind who... who ends up sleeping with the boss..." she stammered.

Someone's fork dropped onto their plate with a crisp little sound.

The whole room froze, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Roger looked embarrassed, gave Rowena's hand a reassuring pat, and said quietly, "Come on. Don't say that. Gina's the backbone of our company."

"I'm not making this up." Rowena's voice went shrill, almost desperate. "I'm just scared. Unless... unless she shows me."

She suddenly turned, her tear-filled eyes boring into me like I was her last lifeline, and spat out every word, "Ms. Poe, can you... can you bark like a dog for me? Just a few times?"

She flashed a smile, sweet but savage. "One bark, one thousand bucks. Think you can do it?"

Something inside me just snapped, right then and there.

Humiliation hit me like a tsunami, drowning me in an instant.

Chapter 1

At the company's celebration party, my boss's girlfriend, Rowena Daniels, put me on the spot and told me to bark like a dog. "One bark for one thousand bucks."

The whole room went dead silent. I just smiled and raised my glass. "Ms. Daniels, how about I do a hundred barks for 100 grand? Cash up front."

My coworkers burst out laughing, saying I was slick.

Roger softly wiped her tears away, then fixed me with a cold stare. "If my girlfriend tells you to bark like a dog, you bark. Don't think you can get away with your usual tricks here!"

I barked, and walked away with 100 grand.

The next day, I took my whole team and jumped ship to a rival company.

Three months later, Roger, teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, called me up. "Gina, are you behind all this?"

I glanced at the ownership papers for the company I'd just acquired and smirked. "Mr. Ferguson, looks like it's your turn now. Ten grand for every bark."

*****

"Alright, everyone, let's raise our glasses to our MVP, Ms. Poe! If Gina hadn't saved the day on the Vista project, we wouldn't have stood a chance! Am I right?"

At the company's celebration party, the department head, Erasmus Ball, was all smiles, glass in hand, hyping up my achievements.

I was the sales director, the one who made the company's profits skyrocket this time.

My coworkers jumped in, tossing out compliments left and right.

"Ms. Poe, you're a legend."

"From now on, I'm riding with Ms. Poe."

I kept my polite smile and raised my glass, but inside, I saw right through it all.

All that flattery? Just lip service. Anyone who actually bought it was a sucker.

Our young boss, Roger Ferguson, tossed me a token compliment before turning to the cute, petite girl at his side, leaning in to hear her whisper something, a soft smile playing on his lips.

That was his girlfriend, Rowena Daniels.

She saw me as her number one rival.

Ever since I landed the director spot thanks to my results, and Roger started depending on me, Rowena's gaze was always full of undisguised wariness and hostility whenever she looked my way.

It was like she thought I might swoop in and steal Roger from her at any moment.

Give me a break.

There was nothing shameful about making money. The real shame was having none.

Men? Nothing made me feel safer than seeing my bank balance go up.

I dropped my gaze, masking the sarcasm in my eyes, and got ready to knock back my drink.

"Roger..." A timid, tearful voice suddenly broke the silence. It was soft, but it instantly made the whole room go quiet.

All eyes turned to Rowena.

Her eyes were red, tears clinging to her long lashes, looking so fragile and pitiful you couldn't help but feel for her. She was holding tightly onto Roger's sleeve.

Roger's brows furrowed, his voice gentle and full of concern. "Rowena, what's wrong? Who made you upset?"

Rowena's eyes locked onto me like hooks, her voice trembling with innocent hurt. "Roger, I... I just feel so insecure."

She sniffled, acting all fragile for the crowd, and pointed right at me.

"Everyone online says... that a pretty and capable subordinate like Ms. Poe is exactly the kind who... who ends up sleeping with the boss..." she stammered.

Someone's fork dropped onto their plate with a crisp little sound.

The whole room froze, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Roger looked embarrassed, gave Rowena's hand a reassuring pat, and said quietly, "Come on. Don't say that. Gina's the backbone of our company."

"I'm not making this up." Rowena's voice went shrill, almost desperate. "I'm just scared. Unless... unless she shows me."

She suddenly turned, her tear-filled eyes boring into me like I was her last lifeline, and spat out every word, "Ms. Poe, can you... can you bark like a dog for me? Just a few times?"

She flashed a smile, sweet but savage. "One bark, one thousand bucks. Think you can do it?"

Something inside me just snapped, right then and there.

Humiliation hit me like a tsunami, drowning me in an instant.