I pulled out the projector and opened the files. All the documents—incorrect reports, absent logs, and screenshots—I presented them clearly, with no anger in my voice. The entire office was silent. Ella bowed her head, Jonas turned pale, and Mr. Ramirez couldn’t speak.
“I didn’t do this to ruin anyone,” I said, keeping my tone calm. “I just want to know what the real basis for merit is here in the office.”
Silence. The only sound was the soft hum of the air conditioner.
After a few seconds, Mr. Ramirez spoke. “Clara… I owe you an apology. I was completely wrong.”
A few weeks passed, and a major change occurred. Ella and Jonas were transferred to a different department, while I—I was not only promoted, but I was also made the team leader. But more than the position, the most satisfying part was seeing the office become fair again.
One afternoon, Mr. Ramirez approached me. “Clara, thank you for your courage. Sometimes we need a dose of reality to wake us up and see who is truly deserving.”
I smiled. “I didn’t do it to embarrass you, Sir. I just wanted to feel that the world is fair, even just sometimes.”
He smiled back and nodded. “And now, you yourself are the reason why this office will be like that.”
As I looked out the office window at the sun slowly setting, I smiled. In the end, you don’t have to seek revenge or do something bad to get justice—sometimes it’s enough to show them just how valuable you truly are.
And finally, amidst the silence of the office, I felt that even in a world full of favoritism, there is still a place for people who work honestly—because the day will come when they themselves will be recognized as truly deserving.