The Vitamin Fox

Margot's cat, Binx, watched with judgmental eyes as she swallowed her daily antidepressant—the only vitamin keeping her vertical in this economy. Eight years at Parrish & Crane, and what did she have to show for it? A corner cubicle and a titanium wedding band from a husband who'd left her for someone younger, someone brighter.

That someone was Clara.

Clara, the new hire with the wit of a fox and the morals of a dumpster fire. Clara, who'd made it her mission to dismantle everything Margot had built. Not that Margot had much left to dismantle. But there was principle involved. There was dignity.

And then there was the matter of Richard.

Richard, the bull in charge of the M&A division, whose idea of leadership was bellowing into speakerphones and harassing junior associates. Richard, who'd been quietly embezzling client funds for eighteen months. Richard, whose crimes Margot had discovered entirely by accident—a misplaced spreadsheet, a late night, a bottle of wine.

Now Margot had two choices: blow the whistle on the bull, or watch Clara cozy up to Richard and likely get pulled into his gravitational field of corruption when everything inevitably collapsed.

"You're overthinking," Binx seemed to say, licking a paw with deliberate slowness.

Maybe. But Margot had spent too long being someone else's doormat. First the ex, now Clara trying to poach her clients, Richard treating the entire office like his personal feedlot.

She opened the document. Forwarded it to the SEC's anonymous tip line. Then drafted her resignation letter.

Clara could have Richard. The bull could have his inevitable crash. Margot would start over—again, yes, but this time on her own terms. She swallowed her vitamin with a glass of cheap merlot and smiled as Binx finally deigned to blink.