Moments later, a text popped up:
*【Rose, don't mind Joanna. She's just blowing off steam. You've watched this company grow from the ground up—I wouldn't feel comfortable handing those accounts to anyone else.】*
*【I'll be back tomorrow. Take these two days as a paid vacation. We'll talk when I return.】*
I stared at the screen and let out a dry laugh.
Their favorite routine. Good Cop, Bad Cop. A psychological game designed to break me down and build me back up in their image.
Joanna would strip away my self-worth, calling me useless, and then Blake would swoop in with crumbs of validation. A classic manipulation tactic to make me believe that they were the only two people on earth willing to employ me.
I didn't reply.
The next day, I sat across from Isabella Lambert.
"I specialize in operations," I said, introducing myself. "At my previous company, I managed all six major accounts—"
A knowing smile stopped me mid-sentence. "I know. Your accounts are case studies in our training program. The moment I saw your name on the resume, I knew exactly who you were."