The room froze. No one thought Selene had what it took to be a manager, but when I started clapping, the others awkwardly followed suit.

Standing beside me, Selene soaked in the mix of stunned and half-hearted applause. I could see her holding her breath, as if this was the moment she’d been waiting for—a chance to prove herself after being knocked down so many times. She was the comeback queen, clawing her way up every time life shoved her back down. And now, standing here, ...