Chapter 14

                                    

                                          
Five days later, I found myself in a meeting that had been building up in anticipation for weeks. Today, we would find out who would be promoted to the supervisory position over the developer and engineering team. The tension in the Zoom meeting was palpable, with everyone on edge, waiting for the announcement. My nerves were on fire as I tried to focus on the faces in the virtual meeting room, wondering what the outcome would be.
When the announcement finally came, I nearly held my breath as my manager spoke. “I’m happy to announce that the new supervisor for the developer/engineering side will be… Yasmine.”
There was a moment of silence before the room filled with scattered applause, but my focus shifted to Aiden, who had been with the company for years. I had always sensed some competitiveness from him, and as the spotlight shifted to me, I saw the tight smile on his face. His fake enthusiasm was obvious.
“Congratulations, Yas,” Aiden said, his voice flat, though he tried to add some warmth. “I’m sure you’ll do great.”
The words were polite, but the tone made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I could feel the jealousy and resentment radiating from him, even through the screen. But I chose to ignore it, offering him a calm smile in return. “Thanks, Aiden,” I replied smoothly, refusing to let his thinly veiled disdain get to me.
As the meeting continued, I tried to focus on the excitement of the moment, but the undercurrent of animosity from Aiden lingered in the back of my mind. Still, this was my time to shine, and I wasn’t going to let anyone’s jealousy dim that for me. I’d worked hard for this, and no one—especially not someone like Aiden—was going to take away from what I had earned.
After the meeting wrapped up, I sat back for a moment, letting it all sink in. I had done it—I was stepping into a new role, one that came with more responsibility and leadership. And despite Aiden’s bitterness, I knew I deserved every bit of this promotion.
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When Marcus came home from work that evening, I felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside me. I had spent the entire day navigating the complex feelings that came with my recent promotion—after only six months with the company, they saw so much potential in me that they offered me a supervisory role over the developer/engineering side. It was a huge leap, but I couldn’t ignore the subtle tension I’d felt from people like Aiden. Still, I was ready to celebrate.
As soon as Marcus walked through the door, I greeted him with a big smile, unable to hold in the news any longer. “Guess what?” I said, practically bouncing on my heels.
Marcus looked intrigued, setting down his bag. “What’s up?”
“I got the promotion!” I beamed. “They made me a supervisor over the developer team. Can you believe it?”
Marcus’s face lit up as he walked over, pulling me into a tight hug. “That’s amazing, Yas! I’m so proud of you,” he said, planting a kiss on my lips. “I knew you were killing it, but wow, already?”
I nodded, feeling the warmth of his embrace. “Yeah, they said they see the potential in me. It’s a lot to take in, but I’m excited.”
Marcus grinned, his excitement evident. “We’ve got to celebrate this. Let’s go out, have a few drinks, and just soak in the moment. You deserve it.”
Later that evening, we found ourselves at a cozy lounge, the kind with low lighting, plush seats, and the perfect ambiance for a celebration. We ordered a couple of drinks, letting the buzz of the night melt away any tension as we sat side by side, reminiscing about the last year.
“Can you believe it’s been over a year since we met?” I asked, swirling my drink in my glass.
Marcus shook his head, looking at me thoughtfully. “No, it’s crazy. So much has happened, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m sorry though…” His voice softened, a hint of guilt slipping in. “I’m sorry for being so closed off lately.”