Chapter 1: Promotion to Partner

- Thursday Morning -

"I'm sorry to say, Sarah, but after our quarterly review you just did not make the cut for partner," her boss said in a monotone, grumbly voice; his face hardly moving from its stern expression. The words did not quite process yet for Sarah, who instead heard nothing but a faint ringing sound in her ears. She zoned out, staring at the beautiful cityscape to her side. Her bosses office was forty stories up and the glass curtain window provided a gorgeous birdseye view of the city below; a view Sarah would kill for. He continued speaking, using every term of corporate jargon imaginable. None of it meant anything to Sarah, however, who remained in a slight state of shock. She had entered this meeting expecting a promotion. Expecting to be rewarded for her years of dedication and hard work for the company. Instead, she was being unjustifyably denied of her right to being made partner - an honor which Sarah had sacrificed much of her youth for. "Well, in a year, we'll see where you are and reasses," her boss said, a remark which cut through the heart of Sarah. A twinge of anger had begun to simmer within her as the weight of the news slowly began to hit her. A blank faced Sarah unwillingly swallowed her pride, extending an obviously forced thanks to her boss. As she headed for the door Sarah could feel her bosses eyes following her on her way out, likely admiring her perky rear end in her tight pants. "Sarah," he said. She stopped. "Yes, Mr. Hartman?" Asked Sarah, who was feeling nothing but pure bitterness towards her boss. "Just my advice," said Mr. Hartman, wearing the cookies little grin on his face, "but you should try smiling more. Might make you seem a little more agreeable." Sarah's blank face quickly furrowed with disgust at his comment and then immediately by rage. She screamed at him for his total lack of professionalism, using a number of expletives in the process. She opened the door, "Creep!" She yelled at him before slamming it in his face behind her. The commotion had attracted the attention of the entire office and Sarah now had to contend with their many staring eyes. A frazzled Sarah, embarrassed and consumed with emotion, stormed off, the sound of her heels furiously clicking with each step. In her anger she had failed to think where she was storming off to and soon found herself alone in the break room. She had closed the door behind her upon entering, and now in her solitude could finally process the awful news she had just recieved. Sarah was distraught at having to wait another year to make partner. That morning she had been so confident that today was finally day. So confident in fact, that she had naively financed herself a beautiful new sports car. That weekend, she went to the mall and spent a frivolous amount on clothes and jewelry. All with money from a promotion she was not getting. The worst part, however, was that she had been advertising her promotion to her friends and family for weeks now. Giddy at the chance to prove to them how successful she was. How the years of sacrificed weekends and holidays were worth it. But now she had to tell them she had failed. Feeling sick, Sarah leaned over the counter in an effort to calm herself down. It was then she saw them. Out of the corner of her eye - a box of donuts. Sarah had worked at this office for ten years and near everyday there was a box of some kind of pastry nicely set out in the break room. Everyday for ten years Sarah had ignored it, almost as though it never existed. But something had snapped within her. Without a thought, her hand darted inside the box, pulling out a tantalizing chocolate donut. She admired it for a moment. Her mouth salivating. Sarah took her first bite. A big one. Bliss. The delicious flavors exploding onto her tongue. She closed her eyes, releasing an audible moan displaying the pure satisfaction she felt in that moment. Sarah licked every bit of sugar from her lips. That single bite had truly been better than sex. She took another, and then another, practically inhaling the thing in an instant. The donut was gone but Sarah's appetite certainly wasn't. She peered out the window of the break room, scanning to see if anyone had seen her commit her naughty little deed. They hadn't. Sarah returned her attention to the box. Her mouth still salivating. She bit her lip, knowing full well she shouldn't. But Sarah couldn't help herself. Almost autonomously, her hand darted back inside the box, plucking another chocolate donut. She stuffed it into her mouth, devouring it in near three bites and for that fleeting moment, Sarah was eleviated from the stresses of her work. Briefly distracted from her financial anxieties. She savored the flavor of the sweet, gooey treat - having long forgotten the taste of such forbidden fruit. Suddenly, Sarah snapped out of her food born trance. She hadn't even realized it, but in her zoned out state she had grabbed herself a third donut. Half eaten already, Sarah couldn't believe how much of a pig she had been. She had a figure to keep and her little binge had just earned herself another round of crunches at the gym. In her hand was the last bites of her chocolate donut, glaring back at her as she looked it up and down with envious eyes. Her mouth watered. Her stomach growled. Sarah inhaled it in a single bite, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. It was ecstasy - the explosion of flavors proving to be a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day. She swallowed it, immediately licking each finger of every morsel of chocolate icing. But now her tasty little treat was gone and her spontaneous binge over, and Sarah was left with nothing but the guilt from her naughty actions. She glanced back at the box of donuts, chiding them for tasting so good. As they sat there with their icing shimmering under the light, they practically taunted Sarah to grab another. She knew she wanted to. "I can't," she said to herself quietly as she regained her composure. She brushed off any crumbs from her blouse before buttoning her suit jacket. As though nothing had even happened, Sarah left the breakroom and headed back to her office.