I’d had a crush on Daniel for years, so when he asked me to dinner, I couldn’t say no. But when I arrived, he wasn’t there. Instead, a waiter handed me a note saying to meet him in the bathroom. What I found changed everything.
For three years, I’d admired Daniel from afar, the charming head of my department. I knew he never noticed me—after all, I wasn’t the typical model-type women he dated. But one day, he asked me to dinner. I could hardly believe it.
The next day, I waited at the restaurant, but Daniel was late. Eventually, the waiter handed me a note asking me to meet him in the bathroom. Confused, I went, only to find Daniel and two colleagues laughing, filming me. It turned out it was all a bet—a cruel joke at my expense.
The next day, Daniel shared the video in our work chat, making me look desperate. I was humiliated, but the worst was yet to come.
When I returned to work, the company owner, Mr. Reynolds, called me in. In front of the entire office, he played the video and then turned to Daniel, asking who thought it was funny. When several people raised their hands, Mr. Reynolds fired them. Daniel tried to downplay it, but Mr. Reynolds wasn’t having it. He then offered me Daniel’s position, recognizing my work ethic and character.
In just three days, I went from invisible to department head. I realized I’d been seeking validation from the wrong people. It was time to lead.