Rachel found herself surrounded by mockery, the very colleagues who had welcomed her so warmly when she first joined now sneering at her embarrassment.
And there was Lily, her lips curved into a smug, victorious smile, savoring every second of Rachel's humiliation.
The more Rachel squirmed, the more satisfied Lily became.
If it weren't for Rachel, Lily would never have been fired from her old firm.
She wouldn't have struggled through rejection after rejection while searching for work.
To Lily, Rachel was the reason for every setback she had faced. And tonight, she finally had her chance for revenge.
But just as the whispers and taunts threatened to suffocate the room, one male colleague, clearly unable to watch any longer, finally spoke up.
"What's going on here? Rachel never said she was covering this meal. Since we all ate, let's just split the bill evenly."
His words made the others falter, their expressions flickering with guilt. He was right.
