07/07/2026
THE PROMOTION NOBODY WANTED HIM TO GET — EPISODE 1
When David got promoted, the office erupted in applause.
Handshakes.
Smiles.
Congratulations.
For a moment, it felt like everyone was genuinely happy for him.
Everyone except Michael.
David noticed it immediately.
Michael was the first person who welcomed him when he joined the company.
The first person who showed him around.
The first person who said,
"Don't worry, we've got each other's backs here."
Over time, they became close.
They ate lunch together.
Worked on projects together.
Covered for each other when deadlines became impossible.
David considered Michael more than a colleague.
He considered him a friend.
So when the promotion announcement came and Michael's smile looked forced, David brushed it aside.
Maybe he was just having a bad day.
Maybe he was shocked.
Maybe he was overthinking it.
Later that evening, David returned to the office to pick up his charger.
As he walked past the conference room, he heard voices inside.
"...I still don't understand how they chose him."
"He hasn't even been here as long as some of us."
"He probably knows somebody upstairs."
David froze.
His heart sank.
Then he heard a voice he recognized immediately.
Michael.
The same Michael who had congratulated him an hour earlier.
The same Michael who had hugged him in front of everyone.
The same Michael who called him brother.
David stood there in silence.
Not because strangers doubted him.
But because the person he trusted most was among them.
That night, David learned something most people learn too late:
Not everyone walking beside you is walking with you.
Some people support your journey...
until it starts taking you somewhere they wanted to go themselves.
To be continued on Friday...