I had just stepped onto the stage for the company’s holiday gala raffle when my boss, Gavin Chase, shoved a crumpled piece of paper into my hand. "Top Salesman's exclusive prize! Go on, open it up and show everyone!" he sneered. Under the expectant gaze of the entire company, I unfolded the paper. Scrawled in messy handwriting were the words: Janitorial Duty: Clean all office restrooms for three days. As the room erupted in laughter, Gavin crossed his arms, smirking at me. "Generous, right? I mean, we all know your sales numbers come from sleeping with wealthy cougars. It’s dirty money. To keep things fair for the other hardworking employees, you shouldn't mind putting in a little extra elbow grease, right?" The laughter turned into a roar. Sarah Sterling, the CEO and my girlfriend of twelve years, stood right next to him. She watched the whole scene unfold. And just like always, she didn't say a single word to defend me. Everyone expected me to snap. To scream. To break down. Instead, I just nodded calmly. "Okay." The next day, the company received over 300 cancellation notices for pending real estate closings. The capital chain snapped instantly. Gavin and Sarah begged me to call the buyers back. I smiled and replied, "No thanks. If I save the company again, my performance will be too high. I wouldn't want to make the other employees feel 'unbalanced.'" Chapter 1 When I said I accepted the "reward," the venue went silent for a split second before the laughter redoubled. Gavin laughed the hardest, leaning back, practically wiping tears from his eyes. "See? That’s why he’s the Top Dog! Thickest skin in the game!" I ignored his sarcasm and spoke into the microphone, my voice steady. "I just want to clarify one thing. Since the company has assigned me this janitorial duty, this will be my only task for the next three days. I will not be responsible for any other work." Gavin paused, looking confused. He hadn't expected a counter-condition. It was the end of the fiscal year. All the sales targets had been met because of me, but the deals were still in escrow. We were waiting on the clients to finalize their bank transfers. Me stepping away from sales right now was essentially handing him a loaded gun pointed at the company’s revenue. But Gavin thought I was just losing my mind from anger. He didn't think twice. "Fine! If you don't want to do sales, don't. It’s not like the Sales Department is a one-man show. Do you really think Sterling Estates stops spinning without you?" He sneered. "Just focus on the toilets. If I see a single hair on the floor, you’re fired." I didn't say another word. I turned and walked off the stage. In the hallway, I pulled out my phone and sent a message to my exclusive client group chat—a group known as "The Whales." [Me: Ladies and Gentlemen, I am facing a position change. Please delay your bank transfers and closing procedures temporarily. Await my further notice.] The moment I hit send, a text from Sarah popped up. [Sarah: Come to my office. We need to talk.] I tossed my phone onto the passenger seat and drove home. We fell in love in college. After graduation, at Sarah's begging, I turned down a job offer with a starting salary of $200k to help her build her real estate brokerage from scratch. She always said, "Once we hit $100 million in revenue, we'll get married properly." I believed her. I gave everything to the company. In return, I got ignored and suppressed. Gavin had only been at the company for three months. His sales numbers were a fraction of mine. But because Sarah was obsessed with his "Ivy League background" and "overseas experience," she bypassed me and made him the Sales Director. And I, the top salesman for three years running, was rewarded with three days of cleaning toilets. Back at the office the next morning, amidst looks of pity and mockery, I walked to the utility closet and put on a janitor's vest. Just as I picked up a mop, a voice rang out behind me. "Liam, stop!" Chapter 2 It was Sarah. Usually, she pretended we were strangers in the office to "maintain professionalism." This was the first time she had called out to me publicly. She walked over, her face cold, looking down at me. "I told you to come to my office. Why didn't you?" "I was busy working," I said flatly. "Didn't see it." It was the excuse she always used on me. Hearing it come from my mouth made her choke on her words. "It’s just a small prank," she sighed, lowering her voice so others wouldn't hear. "Do you have to throw a tantrum?" "I know you're unhappy about Gavin's little joke, and I know I didn't step in. But he's the new Director. He's boosted morale. If I sided with you in front of everyone, it would undermine his authority. You need to be more understanding of my position." "You know damn well that wasn't a reward," I cut her off. "That was bullying. Pure and simple." She frowned. "Liam, don't start." "And what morale did he boost?" I continued. "Do you think our numbers are up because Gavin sits in his office drinking lattes? If I wasn't out there in the rain and snow, skipping meals to meet clients, do you think we would have closed a single deal this winter?" Sarah’s face darkened. "Liam, don't be so arrogant. You act like you hold up Sterling Estates all by yourself." "If it wasn't for Gavin's 'Warm Winter' marketing campaign, would we have that much foot traffic? You’re benefiting from his strategy. Don't act like a martyr." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Gavin's "Warm Winter" campaign consisted of setting up a folding table outside the office, serving cheap instant coffee, and giving away dollar-store gloves that fell apart in a day. The coffee went cold, and the gloves ended up in the trash down the block. In Sarah’s eyes, that gimmick was genius. And my twelve years of blood and sweat were just me "riding his coattails." The last thread of affection I held for her snapped. I threw the mop into the bucket. It landed with a loud splash. "Fine," I said cold. "Since you think Gavin is the savior of this company, I quit. And we’re done. I’m breaking up with you." Chapter 3 We had been together for over a decade. No matter how disappointed I was, I had never threatened to leave. Sarah stared at me, eyes wide with shock. "Liam, are you insane? Do you know what you're saying?" Her shock quickly turned to anger. "We are inches away from the revenue goal I promised. Just 300 more closings and we hit the target. If you mess this up now, I won't give you a second chance!" I didn't waste another breath. I walked out. When I got home, my phone rang. It was my dad. "Liam! Are you out of your mind?" he screamed the moment I picked up. "How dare you fight with Sarah? Go apologize to her right now!" "You're a man in his thirties! You have what you have because of her! Don't be ungrateful!" His voice dropped lower. "Sarah is young, beautiful, and rich. A woman like that sticking with you for twelve years is a blessing! If you piss her off, who’s going to want you? You need a capable woman to hold you up. Go beg for forgiveness and lock down that marriage. Stop acting like a child!" "Without Sarah, you are nothing!" I held the phone away from my ear, laughing bitterly. For years, Sarah had bought my dad's loyalty with cheap gifts—cigarettes, whiskey, a red envelope here and there. He treated her like a savior and me like a parasite. "Dad," I said calmly. "I'm done listening." I hung up. I opened my phone to the client group chat. [Me: Everyone, I have officially resigned from Sterling Estates. If you have any real estate needs in the future, you can find me personally.] Less than a minute later, the group exploded. [Mr. Henderson: Liam is leaving? What about our escrow? I only trust you, Liam. I don't trust that company.] [Mrs. Lee: Exactly. We chose Sterling because of your expertise. If you go, we go.] [TechCEO_Mike: I don't care what logo is on your business card. I follow the talent. Liam, wherever you land, let us know.] [InvestCorp_J: My deal hasn't closed yet. Liam, tell me where to sign the cancellation papers. I'll move the portfolio to your new firm.] Messages poured in. No doubts. Just unconditional trust. Twelve years of devotion meant nothing to Sarah. But to these clients, my honesty meant everything. It wasn't that my efforts were wasted. It was just that Sarah wasn't worthy of them. I wiped a tear from my eye and typed: [Thank you all for the trust. Once I settle on my next move, you will be the first to know.] Chapter 4 Just then, a text came in from an unknown number. It was marked as "Executive Recruiter." [Mr. Cole, hello. We’ve been tracking your reputation in the industry. We heard you might be on the market. Our client is prepared to offer double your current salary and a Director title. Interested?] I replied: [Let's talk.] I slept better that night than I had in years. The next morning, I went to the office to pack my personal belongings. I ignored the whispers. Gavin strutted up to my desk, a smug grin on his face. "Hey, Liam, buddy. Can't take a joke?" "Just because you had to scrub a toilet, you break up with the CEO? A little dramatic, don't you think?" He pulled a red envelope from his pocket. "Tell you what. I'll be the bigger man. Here’s a personal bonus from me to smooth things over." He handed me the envelope. "There's fifty bucks in there. Take yourself out to lunch." Fifty dollars. The company gala had given out thousands in cash prizes to random interns. The top salesman got fifty bucks and a mop. I slapped his hand away. It wasn't a hard hit, but Gavin shrieked like he’d been shot and threw himself backward, crashing into my desk. "Liam! I was just trying to be nice! Why did you hit me?!" Sarah rushed out of her office. "Liam! My patience has limits!" she yelled. "Apologize to Gavin right now or get out!" I shook her hand off my arm. "Sarah, is your memory failing? I quit yesterday. I'm just here to get my box." Sarah’s face twisted. She blocked my path to the elevator. "You can leave, but the client list stays. Those 300 pending deals belong to Sterling Estates." I stopped and looked at her. "Fine." I reached into my box, pulled out a stack of files, and dropped them on the nearest desk. "But I’ll remind you. Those 300 clients signed because of me. Not because of Sterling Estates. And definitely not because of you or Gavin." Sarah laughed. "You have quite the ego, Liam. Without the company platform, you’re nobody. You think they’ll follow you? Don't flatter yourself." Gavin chimed in from the floor. "Exactly! We'll take over these accounts and close them by Friday. You think the company stops turning without you?" I didn't argue. I picked up my box and walked to the elevator. As the doors slid open, a receptionist came sprinting down the hall, face pale as a ghost. "Ms. Sterling! Gavin! It’s a disaster!" "The phones won't stop ringing! It’s the clients! They’re all canceling! Every single one!"
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