"Alright, listen up." Camille's frigid eyes scan the office. "As you know, today we are presenting our marketing strategy for SunFire Technologies to the executive team at head office. I want this meeting to be flawless. You represent me. And you do not want to make me look bad, right? Of course, I will be the one to give the presentation but you should expect questions afterward."

We have spent the better part of two weeks preparing for this presentation. Camille asked all four of us to come up with marketing ideas to share during the meeting. SunFire is a start-up tech firm that is supposedly going to match with Apple one day. Their cellphones don't even have portrait mode, so I don't really buy the accuracy of those projections. That being said, I still worked my ass off to come up with a creative idea. Karl, Sanjay, Rachel, and I emailed our suggestions to Camille earlier this week. She praised us saying Gavin Tremblay, our CEO, will be ecstatic. All of our ideas will be presented, including Camille's. Apparently, Mr. Tremblay has to approve our plan before we pitch to SunFire, probably because this account is worth millions.

When I had coffee with Jen this morning she said everyone calls him a dictator. Honestly, he can't be worse than Camille.

I'm nervous the entire elevator ride to the top floor. That is until I glance at Rachel, who keeps picking at her dress. I think this is the first time she's ever had to wear pantyhose. Perhaps even a dress. Her discomfort is palpable, but the sheer amusement on Sanjay's face makes me softly snicker. Great, I'm getting pleasure from someone else's pain. How sadistic.

Camille clears her throat as we stand outside the boardroom. "Ready?" she asks.

We all nod in unison and make our way through the daunting frosted glass doors.

Mr. Tremblay is seated at the head of the table. He scans Camille up and down as we enter, and I swear she blushes.

"Ms. Harris," Mr. Tremblay shakes Camille's hand. "I've been looking forward to this all week."

"Good." Camille walks over to the podium as we take our seats. "Prepare to be blown away."

I can see why Camille is the Director. She runs through the presentation with ease, confidence, and even a couple of puns. Who knew? Ice-Queen has jokes. Karl, Sanjay, Rachel, and I keep taking turns examining Mr. Tremblay's face. He seems to be enjoying the presentation. Either that, or he's bopping along to a song playing in his Bluetooth ear-piece. I pray it's not the latter.

After the last slide, Camille takes a seat beside Mr. Tremblay as he claps his hands.

"Well done, Ms. Harris." Mr. Tremblay pauses. "And the team. Very promising ideas."

"Thank you, do you have any questions?" Camille asks as she smirks.

Mr. Tremblay rubs his chin as he thinks. "Whose idea was number four?" I swallow. Oh, God.

Camille glares at me, then turns back towards Mr. Tremblay. "We can ax that one right away."

Mr. Tremblay's eyes widen. "Why would we do that? It's clearly the most innovative."

Camille's mouth drops. "Really?" Hah! "You liked it, sir?"

"I loved it!" Mr. Tremblay exclaims. "Whose idea was it?"

I take a deep breath. Holy crap. "It was mi-" I begin to say but Camille cuts me off.

"It was mine, actually," Camille announces, and I drop my pen. This bitch! Did she just steal my work? Should I say something? This is incredibly unethical. This is why she asked us to send our ideas individually, not in a mass email. What a conniving...She-Devil. I can see why Marice calls her that now.

I duck under the table to pick up the stupid pen. My eyes shift forward, and my jaw drops. Holy shit. Camille's pointy wicked witch of east high-heel is grazing Mr. Tremblay's shin and his hand is rubbing her thigh. What a...harlot! She's unbelievable.

I lift myself back into my seat and scowl at Camille. It dawns on me, Mr. Tremblay is probably the man she was cheating on Hunter with. My heart pounds with anger.

"I especially love the concept of incorporating music from older decades. It will help the launch stand out from the loud electro-pop visuals consumers as so used to seeing." I catch the end of Mr. Tremblay's praise. "What inspired this idea, Ms. Harris," he asks. Oh yes, Camille. Do tell.

Camille shrugs coyly. Ugh, slut. "It just...came to me," she answers. "You know how these things are, Mr. Tremblay." I am so tempted to gag right now.

Mr. Tremblay laughs. "Keep it up, Ms. Harris and soon you might join us on the top floor."

Camille bashfully slaps his shoulder. "Oh, stop." Oh, get a room.

As soon as we get off the elevator, I follow Camille back to her office. Karl, Sanjay, and Rachel give me an odd look but I wave them away.

"Why are you following me, Delilah?" Camille stops just outside her office doors.

"What was that?" I shake my head fervently. "That was my idea, and you completely stole it!"

Camille scoffs as she enters her office. "Listen to me, little girl. When I win, you win. It doesn't matter whose idea it was, only that Mr. Tremblay approved it."

I cross my arms. "If it doesn't matter, then why didn't you just say it was mine?"

"Because." Camille's jaw twitches as she takes a stride towards me. "I'm not going to tell the CEO that an entry-level nobody had a better idea than me, the Director," she seethes. "Now, go back to your little office and write me a report detailing the concept. Ok?"

Is she serious? "I'm sure you're more than capable of the details yourself, Director. Since it's your idea and all."

"This is insubordination, Delilah." Camille taps her foot. "I expect the report on my desk Monday morning."

I roll my eyes. "No."

"What did you just say?" Camille's face begins to turn red. Oh look, the icicle is heating up.

"I said, no." I walk out of her office and slam the door behind me. Is this what she does? I storm into my office and grab my jacket and purse.

"Camille said I can leave early today. Bye." I announce to my colleagues.

As I'm about to exit the front doors, Karl grabs my shoulder.

"Lilah?" His eyes are muddled in concern. "What's wrong?"

My entire body is vibrating from frustration and angry tears begin to fill my eyes. I point to the bar across the street. "I need a drink."

Karl's mouth gapes open as I explain the whole situation over Cosmopolitans.

"Can she even do that?" Karl asks as he polishes off his drink. "She's completely out of line."

"I don't know if I can continue to work for her, Karl." I sigh. "She has no respect for me."

"You can tell Marice?" Karl suggests. "You said the two of you are pretty tight."

"I can't just keep running to Marice every time there's a problem." I exhale deeply. "It's like every time a fire gets put out, another one starts. I feel like I'm playing a never-ending game of whack-a-Mole but with Camille's slithering head."

Karl chuckles and then frowns. "I don't want you to leave. Who am I going to have falafel's with?"

"I've been thinking about switching departments for a while now. Maybe this is a sign. But seeing as Camille is banging the CEO, I'd probably get into trouble no matter the department."

Karl's eyes widen from the juicy new information. "She's banging Mr. Tremblay? What?"

"I don't know for sure but she was playing mad footsie with him under the table and he was definitely feeling her up."

Karl smirks. "Lilah?" he asks.

"What?"

"I think you just found your golden ticket."

I look at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Tremblay is married."

I choke on the last sip of my cocktail. He's married? That means...oh God. What is wrong with this company? Has society lost all morals? I blink rapidly at Karl as I digest the facts.

"What do you mean by golden ticket?" I ask carefully. It doesn't sound as jolly as a trip to the chocolate factory.

Karl sighs. "It means you've got the upper hand, Lilah. Go back to the office and blackmail the bitch."

I stare at Karl in shock. "I-I've never...threatened anyone before," I stammer.

"Sweetie, welcome to the corporate world, it sucks." Karl grins as he hops off the stool and holds out his hand. "You're going to love it."

I don't know what I love more. The fact that he semi-quoted Friends or the fact he single-handedly filled me with brazen courage.

I pace around Camille's office, mentally manifesting Karl and Kimmy energy. I inhale deeply and I knock three times on the door. I don't wait for a response and turn the handle. It's showtime! I confidently stroll over to her desk and sit down.

"Oh, look who's back." Camille closes her laptop. "Did you reconsider?"

"Listen here, Camille," I begin, feeling my veins coursing with sass, frustration, and knowledge of the upper hand. "You are going to go to Mr. Tremblay's office right now, and tell him that the idea was mine."

"And why would I do that?" Camille leans back into her chair and crosses her arms.

"Because if you don't, I will tell the entire office that you are sleeping with the CEO."

Camille's face turns ghostly. "Wha- What are you talking about?" she stutters.

"I never thought that I'd ever sink this low, Camille. But you are so insufferable and unethical that I don't even feel bad about it." That's a lie. I feel icky but my true feelings are well hidden behind the sheer exasperation of this whole situation.

"No one is going to believe you." Camille shifts in her seat. "It'll just be a rumor."

I shrug. "That's true, but it will get back to his wife, one way or another. And Mr. Tremblay seems like the kind of man who wouldn't want his reputation destroyed. Plus, if he's sleeping with you, he's probably strayed before, so he might do whatever he has to do to save his marriage. Like fire you."

Camille bites her lip nervously. "I underestimated you, Delilah."

Victory! "I'm sure that won't happen again."

***

"You are a bad-ass bitch!" Kimmy exclaims as she stuffs sweet and sour pork into her mouth. "I can't believe you did that!" Kimmy pretends to wipe a tear from the corner of her eyes. "My little Lilah, all grown up."

I reach for the chow mein container on Kimmy's coffee table. "I don't feel good about what I did. I feel kind of dirty using blackmail," I confess.

"What-the-fuck-ever. Sometimes you need to get a little dirty, especially with someone like Camille. Did you tell Hunter? He'd probably throw you a parade."

"Yeah, I called him after I left the office. He said he never found out who she was cheating on him with. Apparently, she'd 'work late' a lot, so it didn't surprise him."

"Well, now he knows the whole truth and you've secured your job. I see that as a win-win."

"Kimmy, I don't want to hold this information over Camille's head or use it as a get-out-of-jail-free card. I just want to do my job in peace. If I actually do something wrong or make a huge mistake, I'll accept the consequences, even if that means being fired."

Kimmy rolls her eyes. "Saint Lilah."

"Oh shut up, I just don't want to turn into a Camille. Let's just hope this keeps her on the straight and narrow."

"Cheers to that." Kimmy holds up a spring roll.

My phone buzzes. Hunter's calling.

"Hi!" I answer the call quickly.

"Hi baby." Hunter's voice brings me instant joy. "What're you doing?"

"Kimmy and I are just having some dinner at her place."

Kimmy leans over my lap. "Hi Hunter! Your girlfriend is a bad-ass!" she yells into the receiver. I playfully push Kimmy away.

"Sorry about that. She's a bit riled up," I laugh.

"It's fine," Hunter chuckles. "Tell her I say hi and that I agree."

I turn to Kimmy. "He says hi and that he agrees."

"Of course he does. Man's smart!" Kimmy yells.

"I am smart," Hunter muses.

"Kimmy's rather loud isn't she?" I laugh. "So, what's up?"

"I just got off the phone with my father. He's hosting a pre-thanksgiving dinner. He's insisting that both Jack and I come. I expect Jack will call Kimmy shortly."

"Ok..." I pause. "Are you going to go?" He doesn't seem keen on spending time with his dad.

"I don't have much choice since I didn't attend his gala."

"It won't be so bad." I pause. "Right?"

"No, it'll be great because you'll be coming with me," Hunter states.

I'm going to meet his father? "Um.."

"Please, Lilah. Don't make me suffer alone," Hunter pleads. "Plus Kimmy will be here. Well, I'm assuming." She's not one to miss a soirée.

I look over at Kimmy who's feverishly texting. Jack must have messaged her about the dinner.

"Ok, I'll go," I murmur. "When is it?"

"Tomorrow night." Tomorrow? So soon! "Also, it's a black-tie event." Great.

"I don't have any evening gowns, Hunter..." What am I going to wear?

Kimmy leaps towards me again. "Don't worry Hunter! I'll take her shopping tonight! I'll Cinderella the shit out of her." Kimmy screams into the phone, and I shoot her a glare.

"Cinderella?" I ask Kimmy as Hunter laughs in my ear.

"Just call me your fairy godsister." Kimmy winks at me.

I grunt. "Ok, well apparently we're going shopping."

"I'm sure you'll have fun. Women generally love shopping," Hunter says as Kimmy starts clearing off the table. I grab the last spring roll from the box before she takes it away. Food over shopping, always.

"Women do, I don't." Shopping is equivalent to torture. Crowded malls. Screaming kids running everywhere. Dressing rooms. Ugh.

"Well, as a thank-you, I left you a little gift in your apartment." A gift? I love gifts.

I smile widely. "Breaking in already, aren't we? What is it?"

"You'll see." I roll my eyes. He sure does say that a lot.

"Will I like it?"

"You can tell me tomorrow. Jack and I can pick up you and Kimmy on the way. Where do you think you'll be getting ready?"

"Probably at Kimmy's." She has enough mirrors to shoot a FunHouse horror movie.

"Ok, we'll pick you up around 5 p.m. Does that sound good?"

"Yes, that's fine. Just make sure you get me home by midnight, otherwise I'll turn into a pumpkin."

"I do love pumpkin pie." Hunter hums. "You know, with a little whipped cream."

"Hunter," I blush as the image floats around my mind. "Save it for tomorrow."

"Oh, I will."

I giggle. "Ok, well I've got to go shopping now, so I'll see you later."

"Can't wait."

I hang up and turn to Kimmy who has her shoes on and her purse draped over her shoulder. There's a frightening look in her eyes. Like she's ready for war.

"Let's go shopping!" Kimmy shrieks as she drags me to the front door.