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The additional responsibilities I’d taken on without additional compensation.

For years, I’d never bothered to keep track.

Now I understood that if you don’t document your value, other people can pretend it doesn’t exist.

Then something unexpected happened.

Emily asked me to talk privately.

“I need to ask you something.”

“Sure.”

She looked nervous.

“Why are you leaving?”

I froze.

“I didn’t say I was leaving.”

She gave me a knowing look.

“You didn’t have to.”

I smiled.

“Why do you think I’m leaving?”

She lowered her voice.

“Because I was hired to replace you.”

I didn’t respond.

“And because,” she continued, “I don’t understand why they’re paying me so much more.”

I looked at her.

“What did they tell you?”

“That this was a newly created senior position.”

I almost laughed.

“That’s interesting.”

She frowned.

“It’s not true?”

I shook my head.

“My title hasn’t changed.”

She stared at me.

“They told me I’d be taking over your responsibilities.”

“You will.”

She looked uncomfortable.

“I didn’t know.”

“I believe you.”

She sighed.

“I don’t want you to think I did this to you.”

“I don’t.”

And I meant it.