Chapter 2

Everyone swarmed around her.

“Oh my God, Brooke! You’re so lucky!”

“The best fortune! Brooke is our company’s lucky charm!”

“Next year’s sales are in the bag!”

With everyone showering her with praise, Brooke could barely contain her smile.

She stared straight at me, a malicious little grin spreading across her face.

“Claire hasn’t opened hers either. Maybe she got the best fortune too?”

Everyone turned to me.

I didn’t believe in any of this, but I didn’t want to spoil their fun.

I tore off the seal. At the end of the stick were the words:

Worst Fortune.

“Oh my God, Claire! You got the worst one!”

“The vendor said that fortune means bad luck follows you everywhere. Nothing goes right all year. You lose money and attract disasters. Only people born unlucky draw that one!”

Seeing my expression darken, Brooke immediately put on an apologetic face.

“Claire, I was just talking. Please don’t take it personally.”

She claimed to feel bad, but the moment we returned to the office, she spread the news about my terrible fortune.

Meanwhile, she worked constantly to maintain her image as our office lucky charm.

There wasn’t a single document on Brooke’s desk. It was covered in lucky cat figurines and good-luck bracelets, with her fortune stick displayed in the most prominent spot.

That wasn’t all. She also began finding ways to take over my work.

When I was assigned a project, Brooke would snatch up the files first.

“Claire, let me handle it. I’m the lucky charm. Maybe I can keep your bad luck away!”

When I needed to meet a client, Brooke planted herself in my car and refused to leave.

“Claire, with my good fortune along for the ride, the client will actually sign.”

“Get out.”

My face hardened. That evening’s contract was crucial, and the client didn’t like unnecessary people sitting in.

Having failed to get her way, Brooke huffed and climbed out.

Then she started making little comments about me to our coworkers.

“Claire seems a little off lately. That last proposal got rejected even after she revised it three times.”

“Do you think her bad fortune is affecting her? Good thing I’m here to balance it out. Otherwise, our department’s sales would definitely drop.”

“Do you think Claire’s bad luck might drag down our bonuses too?”

Thanks to her tireless efforts, quite a few coworkers started believing her. Their eyes grew wary whenever they looked at me.

People I’d once been close to began keeping their distance. Everyone crowded around Brooke instead, hoping some of her luck would rub off.

I ignored all of it.

One of the company’s biggest deals had reached a critical stage. I was working late every night, barely finding time to drink water.

Who had time to care about the nonsense Brooke was spreading behind my back?