"So what you're all saying is, I owe you an apology?"
Conrad put on his best peacemaker face.
"Matilda, no need to be so harsh. Mercedes meant well. You're doing better than most of us. Would it kill you to look out for the team once in a while?"
I rolled my eyes.
"Then why don't you look out for them? Your numbers were the highest in the department last month."
Conrad's mouth opened and closed. Nothing came out.
Another woman picked up the slack without missing a beat.
"That's completely different. Conrad's got a family to support, a wife and kids. Not like you. Thirty years old and still single. If you're not the one treating, who should be?"
A cold weight settled in my chest.
In their eyes, being thirty and unmarried made me the easiest target in the room.
Mercedes watched the crowd rally to her side, and the triumph in her eyes was barely contained.
"Matilda, why put yourself through this? You already offended the whole department yesterday. If you still won't admit you were wrong today, the only person who's going to suffer is you."