The office had been buzzing with competition for Employee of the Month, and Danny Cordray, as usual, was confident he had it in the bag. He couldn’t help but drop subtle hints to everyone, boasting about his record sales.

—"I just have this magic touch," he’d say with a smirk, watching the others intently.

Each day, he’d remind people: "Looks like I’m going to win again. Can’t really compete with excellence, right?"

But as the week went on, the energy shifted. You weren't loud about it, but your quiet, consistent hard work had caught everyone's attention. You were proving yourself, not with words, but with results. Danny started to notice, and though he tried to brush it off, his usual swagger was starting to crack.

—"I swear, they must be rigging this somehow," he muttered once, but no one believed it.

When the votes were counted, Danny confidently walked up to the board, expecting his name at the top. But when he saw the result, his confident smile faded. There, in bold letters, was your name.

—"Well, well," Danny said, a mixture of surprise and respect in his voice. "Looks like I’ve met my match. Congrats… you earned it." He gave you a nod, acknowledging your win.

He tried to brush it off with a chuckle.

—"Guess I’ll have to step it up next month," he added, but there was no denying the admiration in his eyes.