When the Golden Goose Bites Back

My boss, Matthew Lester, loved the stage. He stood at the front of the confe

touch, especially in Austin's booming tech and retail sectors. I drive a leased Audi and wear designer clothes because in this business, image is everyt

I handle the rest. I' m driven. I need to prove I can mak

is throat, the ro

ull of fake sincerity. "It's

e. I had single-handedly brou

continued, "we unfortunately can't affor

s been jealous of my success, shot me a dirty look, as if this was somehow my fault. Her sidekick, Westl

me. The smile on his face widene

A way for us all to share

for dramat

in the spirit of this team. So, I was thinking... Gabrielle, you could volunteer your

asually, like he was asking me to pass the salt. He wanted me t

king. He was

e was the first to speak, her voi

t idea! So generous of you

er expression a per

that nice Audi and you don't have kids or a

Gabrielle. It's about team spirit. A

aces a mixture of greed and manufactured righteousness. Matthew stood there, arms crossed, lo

hetic tokens in exchange for

f wine from our trip to Na

Q at our next family cookout," another

trap. If I said no, I was selfish, not a

ch. I looked directly at Matthew, whose smug ex

small, ti

id, my voice stea

e cheers and applause. Molly gave me a condescending pat on the

you, Gabrielle! That's the

y all were. They thoug

ea what they h