Life at the new company turned out far better than I had imagined. There were no strange looks, no whispered comments behind my back, because Northbridge Global was a truly international firm.
People came from all over the world, with skin tones ranging from pale to deep brown and hair in every color imaginable. What mattered here was personality and competence, not whether you matched anyone else's appearance. For the first time, I didn't even bother wearing a wig. Here, I was just normal.
A few colleagues had even complimented me. "Marina, your skin is gorgeous," one said. Another added, "And your hair is beautiful. I'm jealous you didn't have to bleach it to get that color."
For the first time, I could stop holding myself in. I poured everything into my work, and the first project I
