If looks could kill Philip would have been riddled with holes by now.
"Don't be shy, come up and share. Speak about your shortcomings; let everyone offer you advice. It's for your own good and to help our new colleagues avoid making the same mistakes. And you've been last for fourteen months in a row, you must have accumulated a lot of failed cases. You must be quite confused by now!"
At this, several voices chimed in, "William, come up, we're eager to hear about your failures!"
"Haha, that's right, don't be shy. It's all for work. You don't want to be last for the fifteenth month, do you?"
Mocking and disdainful eyes surrounded me. In that moment, I felt like a circus clown.
Mia, Anna, and others looked particularly contemptuous, especially Melody, who frowned and looked displeased.
Then, Jessica, standing to the side, chimed in. "William, are you royalty? Even when so many people are inviting you, you still won't come up. Do you need me to personally invite you?"
"William, are you deaf? Didn't you hear Jessica?" Melody stepped forward, her tone icy.
I couldn't hold back any longer. Damn it, the repeated humiliations. Did they really think I was so mild-mannered?
I tossed the broom to the ground and strode forward. Fine, they wanted to embarrass me? Bring it on!
Seeing me approach, Philip's face lit up with a triumphant smile. Holding a microphone, he called out. "Let's give a round of applause!"
The applause thundered once again, not as a welcome, but as ridicule.
They were all waiting to see me make a fool of myself.
Philip handed me the microphone, stepped aside, and whispered, "Rogue, I'm going to ruin you!"
I took the microphone and coldly smiled, "We'll see about that!"
I glanced around the room. Over two hundred people from the marketing department were staring at me intently.
Mockery, sarcasm, contempt, disdain—this moment made me realize they saw me as a circus monkey.
"I'm William, that's right. I'm the one who has been last for fourteen consecutive months!"
Before I could finish my sentence, the room erupted in laughter. Philip was laughing so hard he was doubled over, and Jessica's eyes were filled with even more contempt.
"But I know my own performance. I joined the company at the beginning of last year. As a newcomer, in my first month, I lost five clients. But do you know why? Because you're all idiots!"
"Why else, you're just a fool!" Mia interjected in a mocking tone.
"Mia, shut up, you bitch!" I retorted, directing my anger at her.
Mia's face turned beet red, and the room fell silent, surprised by my direct confrontation. "What... what did you say, Rogue? Who are you calling a bitch?"
I stared at her coldly. "I'm calling you that. You're the biggest bitch in the company!"
I practically roared out these words. "Do you really think you're some high-class lady? Dressing provocatively every day, do you think no one knows what you're up to? Peter from Group One, Ray from Group Three, Carl from Group Six—how did these three leave? Don't you know?"
"What are you saying? What does their departure have to do with me?"
"Of course it does. While others sleep with clients, you sleep with colleagues. That's quite a shortcut. You put on makeup and crack sunflower seeds all day at the office, don't make a single call and clients come to you. Do you really think you're a marketing genius? No, you're just the biggest bitch, everyone knows you undercut quotes behind the scenes. Sleeping with a client for three days, damn it!"
"You... you..." Mia's face contorted with anger, her body trembling.
"William, you've crossed a line. How can you defame your colleagues like this?" Philip stepped forward. "You're not just a failure, you're a complete jerk. Mia's hard work is evident to everyone, and you..."
"Shut up!" I spat at his feet. "Did you sleep with her? Did she work hard on you? Did you give her a lot of money?"
"What are you saying?" Philip was furious. If it weren't for the public setting, he would have come over and hit me.
"Have you forgotten that you boasted to colleagues before, saying you had secretly taken photos on your phone? Need me to remind you? The secret album called 007, with all your great deeds inside! Oh, it doesn't just include Mia, but probably many female clients too, right? Philip, you really have a broad business—going to bed with female clients for service!"
"William, you son of a bitch, stop slandering people here!" Philip yelled. "Quick, cut off the microphone signal, don't let him talk nonsense."
"What's the matter? Did I hit a nerve? Are you getting angry because I hit the nail on the head?" I looked at him coldly.
A shadow fell across Jessica's face. "William, are you asking to be dismissed?" she asked, her tone icy.
I swiveled to face her, my eyes flashing with defiance. "Jessica, are you attempting to intimidate me? Is termination your only remaining play? Do you derive pleasure from crushing the dignity of others to elevate your own standing?"
"Don't be ridiculous!" she spat.
Jessica's hand flew up as if to strike me, but I deftly sidestepped her blow.
"Don't dodge!" she seethed.
Her fury was palpable, but her failed slap was not followed by another attempt. She was acutely conscious of her image; she had no desire to be perceived as a harpy.