🪞 Mirror Me Blog Series — Part XI: “The Hand That Picked Me”

When the Gatekeeper Is in On It:

“You think you’re walking into a new beginning… but sometimes, the gatekeeper’s already been given a script.”

🌀 Introduction:
This post isn’t just about Portmeirion anymore. It’s about who opened the door for me to be placed there in the first place — and why they stayed silent when I began to speak up.

Because I didn’t get to Portmeirion by accident.

I was placed there by CFS, a staffing agency that claimed to advocate for me, but disappeared when it mattered most. I contacted Juliet Casey, my recruiter, on January 7th, 2025. I told her about the toxic behavior, the red flags, the finance team disarray. And what did I get?

Silence.

🧩 Let’s Break It Down:

🔻 Disregard for Duty of Care
Staffing agencies are supposed to protect their talent. Juliet heard my concerns and did nothing. That’s not neutrality — that’s negligence.

🔻 Co-conspirator Silence
When Dominique retaliated, CFS did not step in to investigate. They did not advocate. That’s complicity.

🔻 Placement Over Protection
Let’s be clear: placing someone in a known hostile environment without addressing concerns is a breach of ethics. Especially when the recruiter has been warned.

💼 CFS: More Than a Middleman

This isn’t just about “a bad fit.” This is about profit over people.

CFS didn’t just place me — they endorsed an environment of fraud, emotional abuse, and silence.

They kept me there long enough to bill Portmeirion, then cut ties when it got messy.

It’s the same narcissistic cycle: love bomb with praise and opportunity, then ghost when you stand up for yourself.

Sound familiar?

📜 From Personal to Pattern:
First it was my parents.
Then lovers.
Then friends.
Then jobs.
Now staffing agencies?

👁 The same spirit. Just different costumes.
💡 And once I saw the storyline, I could finally stop playing the role.

🪞 Affirmation:
“I will no longer mistake silence for safety. I speak my truth, even when the gatekeepers turn their backs.”

📝 Journal Prompt:
Who gave the toxic person access to you?
What signs did you ignore?
What would you do differently now that you see the pattern?

📍 Why This Post Matters:
Because healing is not just about calling out narcissists — it’s about calling out the systems that protect them.
Today, we flip the script.
Because I’m not the problem —
I’m the proof that integrity still exists.

🩸 Final Note:

But here’s what keeps me up at night:

Makayla.

The one who placed Jennifer.

Makayla knew Dominique didn’t pay attention.
Makayla knew Jennifer didn’t have accounts payable experience.
And she definitely knew I did — years of it. Overqualified, in fact.

So why was Jennifer — the inexperienced one — supported? Protected?

And why was I — the experienced one — isolated?

Unless… Makayla saw something in Dominique.
And saw something in me.

Because predators don’t just prey on the weak.
Sometimes they target the strong.
And sometimes… predators attract each other.

In the end, it’s not about who’s good or bad —
It’s about who bites first.

🔒 To Be Continued… Blog XII: The Power Play