If you want to reach the top, don't look for a mentor; look for a sponsor. A mentor gives advice over coffee whereas a sponsor puts their reputation on the line to advocate for you when you are not in the room.
Merit alone won't win you opportunities; someone powerful who decides that their success is tied to yours will.
Some people were sent to you with an expiry date on their assignment. They stayed past it because you kept renewing the relationship. Discernment also knows when to let the subscription lapse.
Nobody leaks your secrets to people who don't care. They leak to exactly the right people. Which means they know your enemies. Which means they've met.