Chapter 74

~~Julie~~ It’s my first day at work, and I’m more nervous than I care to admit. The onboarding was three days ago, where I met my team and other important persons. But no amount of onboarding or pre-meetings could have prepared me for the reality of stepping into the unknown. Everything is different. Everything is fresh. And mostly not in a bad way. I walk into the meeting room, and a half-dozen faces turn toward me, all of them smiling. Brightly. Too brightly. “Good morning, Ms. Jenkins!” says a brunette near the head of the table. “We’re so excited to have you on board!” I nod, mustering my best confident boss smile. “Thank you. Let’s get started, shall we?” They exchange eager glances, and the meeting begins. A sleek presentation flashes on the massive screen at the far end of the room. Charts, projections, strategies—it’s polished, professional, everything I expected. I scribble notes, interject where needed, and offer insights. They’re good. No, they’re great. Efficient, enthusias