I feel like I've become a professional spy at my current job, and it's really taking a toll on me. Right now, I'm pretending to be engrossed in some legacy code while secretly checking my emails every few minutes in a private browser window. Every time my phone vibrates, I jump because I fear it might be a recruiter calling back, and my boss could be right behind me. Just last week, I told my manager I had an urgent dentist appointment, but I was actually in my car at a grocery store parking lot for a second-round interview. It was sweltering, and I was wearing a blazer over a t-shirt, trying not to sweat while discussing my 'passion' for project management. The logistics are insane! I’ve started keeping a clean button-down shirt in my trunk for surprise video calls. I even had to hide in the handicap stall of the office bathroom during one interview, whispering my answers while someone next to me was having a rough time after lunch. I can't shake the feeling that the IT department is onto me; I've been visiting Glassdoor during lunch breaks, and I wonder if they’ve flagged my account. To be safe, I’ve switched to using my personal hotspot, but the paranoia lingers. It feels like I’m living a double life, and it's affecting my work performance. I’m more focused on the job hunt than my actual job. Just yesterday, my boss asked why I've been taking so many private calls, and in a panic, I told him it was about a plumbing issue at home. Now he’s asking for updates on my pipes, and I have to keep this lie going. I'm on the brink of a mental breakdown. The worst part is the ghosting from companies I'm applying to. I’m risking my current paycheck for a role that might only pay a little more and possibly have worse benefits. I just want this to end so I can stop feeling like a fugitive every time my phone rings. I feel like I've forgotten how to work without looking over my shoulder.