With the wedding approaching, a company-wide Slack announcement offered every employee a $10,000 bonus and a week-long trip to Hawaii—sparking rumors that CEO Sophia Sterling would marry Director Vance there. Leo Cole, Sophia’s new assistant, hesitantly messaged, “I’ve only been here three months—should I really get the bonus?” Sophia replied, “Everyone who contributes gets rewarded.” Soon after, HR told me the Director role I’d been promised was given to someone else. Confused, I went to Sophia’s office and overheard her confess to a friend: the bonus was a discreet way to cover Leo’s mother’s surgery, and she’d previously missed my mother’s funeral to care for him after he broke his leg—all while lying to me, her fiancé. “If Ethan hears, he’ll throw a fit,” she laughed. I stepped away and called my father: “I’m calling off the engagement.” If she wanted to be someone else’s savior, I’d set her free. 1 My father’s voice shot up an octave on the other end of the line. “What did you just say?” “Son, since you were a boy, you’ve only ever had eyes for that Sterling girl.” “You gave up your place at our company, started as a grunt at Sterling Corp, all for her.” “You’re about to get married, and now you want to call it all off?” “What in God’s name happened?” My knuckles turned white as I gripped the phone, but my voice was steady. “Dad.” “Do you remember that goldfish I had as a kid?” “Every day, I changed its water, fed it, took perfect care of it. But all it ever wanted to do was jump out of the bowl.” “Then one day, it finally did.” I paused. “By the time I found it on the floor, it was already dried to a husk…” Silence stretched over the line. When my father spoke again, his voice was raw. “Are you… are you sure about this?” “Yeah. I’m sure.” After hanging up, I opened my laptop and emailed my resignation to HR. The moment I walked into the office the next morning, the receptionist told me I was needed in the main conference room. I pushed open the heavy doors, and two dozen pairs of eyes snapped to me. Sophia sat at the head of the table in a sharp white pantsuit, her long hair pulled back, revealing the elegant curve of her neck. Her gaze met mine, flickered for a fraction of a second, then hardened back into its usual calm composure. “Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin.” Her voice was as cool and crisp as ever. I took my seat. Directly across from me was Leo. He looked particularly sharp today, his hair perfectly combed. A pair of antique gold cufflinks peeked out from his crisp, light-blue shirt. I recognized them immediately. The ones I’d hunted down in a dusty little shop in Paris two years ago for Sophia’s birthday. “There is only one item on today’s agenda,” Sophia announced, her eyes sweeping across the room. “The appointment of the new Director of Marketing.” My fingers tapped a restless rhythm on the polished wood. That title should have been mine. From the day I walked away from my family’s empire five years ago to start at the bottom of Sterling Corp, I had climbed the ladder to Associate Director. Everyone in this room, including me, thought my promotion was a done deal. “After careful consideration, I have decided to appoint Leo Cole as the new Director of Marketing, effective next month.” A few seconds of dead silence, then the room erupted. Mr. Davies, the grizzled head of finance, was the first to slam his hand on the table. “Sophia, this is completely against protocol!” “The kid’s been here less than three months! He’s not even out of his probationary period!” Kate from Operations stood up to back him. “He’s right. Based on seniority, performance, and contribution, Ethan is the only logical choice!” I sat there quietly, my eyes locked on Sophia. Her expression didn’t waver. She simply raised a hand, silencing the room. “While Leo’s tenure has been short, the new market strategy he proposed has already been unanimously approved by the board.” Her voice was soft, but it carried an authority that tolerated no argument. “I am confident he can lead the marketing department to new heights.” “This decision is final.” Leo kept his head down, the very picture of humility. But I saw the faint, triumphant smirk playing on his lips. When his gaze finally met mine, a flicker of smug satisfaction flashed in his eyes. “If there are no other questions, this meeting is adjourned.” Sophia closed her file. I pushed my chair back, the screeching sound tearing through the quiet room. Every head turned in my direction. Sophia’s brow furrowed. “Ethan, do you have something to say?” 2 “No.” My face was a blank mask. I turned and walked toward the door. “Director Vance!” Leo shot up from his seat and hurried after me. “Please, wait!” He put a hand out to block my path. “I’m just a guy from a small town. I don’t have the experience or the insight for a role like this.” “The Director position… I honestly don’t feel I’ve earned it.” “I really think you’re the better fit…” His voice trailed off, perfectly calibrated to sound like a nervous rookie intimidated by a veteran. But as he pretended to straighten his tie, my eyes caught the glint of the watch on his wrist. A Patek Philippe. The one Sophia had given me for my twentieth birthday. The one I treasured so much I kept it locked away in a safe. The sight of it made my blood run cold. “Leo, don’t be like that,” Sophia said, walking over. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “This was a company decision. You don’t need to step aside for anyone.” She turned to me, her eyes laced with disapproval. “Ethan, don’t be so petty.” Her words twisted in my gut like a knife. For years, I had put my own legacy on hold to build hers. I brought her dinner during late nights at the office, sat by her bedside when she was sick. I worked myself to the bone, driving Sterling Corp’s revenue through the roof, doubling its market value. And now, in front of the entire executive team, she was calling me petty? I nearly bit through my lip. “Sophia,” I said, my voice dangerously low. “I quit.” For the first time, a flicker of panic crossed her face. “Ethan, what are you talking about?” “I said, I’m done.” “Now get out of my way.” I shoved past Leo, sending him stumbling back. He immediately put on a wounded expression. “Director Vance, please, don’t be angry.” “This is all my fault. I apologize…” he whimpered, his eyes darting toward Sophia. Sophia rushed to his side, steadying him before whirling on me, her eyes blazing. “Ethan! That’s enough!” “Leo was trying to be gracious. What gives you the right to push him?” I let out a cold, humorless laugh and turned to leave. The sharp click of heels echoed behind me. Sophia caught up, her fingers digging into my arm. “What is this attitude, Ethan?” Her voice was glacial. “The meeting isn’t over, you haven’t apologized to Leo, and you’re just walking out?” I stopped, turning to face her. Her beauty was as sharp and fierce as ever—lips like fire, eyes that could cut glass. But the warmth I once saw in them was gone, replaced by an arrogant, dismissive glare. “I’ve already resigned, Sophia,” I replied calmly. “This meeting has nothing to do with me.” “And as for Leo, I will never apologize to him.” Her brow tightened, but she quickly regained her composure, that familiar look of being in total control settling back onto her face. “I haven’t accepted your resignation, which means you’re still an employee of this company.” Her tone softened slightly. “We can forget the apology for now. Just come back to the meeting.” A wry smile touched my lips. “Since when do you care about protocol, Sophia?” “Leo didn’t even finish his probation period, and you made him a director.” Her eyes faltered for a second. “Company decisions are not for you to question.” “You’re right, they’re not,” I nodded. “Which is why I’m opting out.” “Out of sight, out of mind.” I moved to walk around her, but she was clearly not expecting such a clean break. She stood frozen for a moment before rushing after me again. “Ethan!” “What are you so upset about? Is this really all because you didn't get the director job?” I looked at her, and a bitter laugh almost escaped my lips. She still thought this was about a damn job title. “Sophia,” I said, my voice even. “In all the years we’ve known each other, when have you ever seen me throw a fit over work?” She was momentarily speechless, but her pride kicked in and she lifted her chin. “Then what are you so angry about?” I held her gaze. “You know damn well what this is about.” A flicker of something—guilt?—crossed her eyes before she masked it. “I… I have no idea what you’re talking about.” I decided to cut to the chase. “The cufflinks. The watch. Where did he get them?” Sophia blinked, then answered with a dismissive wave of her hand. “I gave the cufflinks to Leo as a reward for his hard work.” “As for the watch, you never wear it anyway. What’s the big deal if he has it?” 3 I almost choked on a laugh. So the things I held so dear were meaningless to her. She nonchalantly tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a smirk on her perfect red lips. “Ethan, when did you become so possessive?” “They’re just things. If you want new ones, I’ll buy them for you.” She glanced back toward the conference room, her tone airy. “Leo has been working around the clock on the new project. He deserved a little recognition.” “Recognition?” A block of ice formed in my chest. Ever since Leo had started at the company, our arguments had become more frequent. Every single one was about him, and every single time, I was the one who backed down. Not this time. “Sophia, for your birthday that year, I scoured every antique shop in Paris to find that 19th-century pair of cufflinks.” “You told me you loved the story behind them, that it was the most thoughtful gift you’d ever received.” I gestured to the bracelet on her wrist. “Just like this Tiffany bracelet I won for you at auction five years ago.” Her fingers instinctively went to the bracelet. Her gaze shifted for a moment before she put her mask of cool superiority back on. “Ethan, be mature about this.” “It’s perfectly normal to reward a high-performing employee. You’ve given gifts to your subordinates before.” I was done talking. We parted in anger. After smoking half a pack of cigarettes, I went back to my office to pack my things. I found my personal belongings scattered across the floor. But the thing that made my vision go red was the framed photo of my mother. The glass was shattered, and right across her smiling face was the muddy print of a man’s shoe. “Oh, Mr. Vance, I’m so sorry.” Leo came jogging over, his face a mask of fake concern. “Sophia said this office needed to be cleared out for the new director, so I had the cleaning crew start on it.” I turned slowly, a roar filling my ears, my blood pounding. “Who did this?” I pointed at the footprint on the photo, my voice a low growl. Leo’s eyes darted around nervously. “It… it must have been the cleaners… maybe they dropped it by accident…” “Bullshit!” My vision tunneled. I kicked over a nearby metal trash can, and it slammed against the wall with a deafening crash. Leo flinched, his eyes instantly welling up with tears, looking like a frightened rabbit. “What’s going on?” Sophia rushed over. Leo immediately darted behind her for cover. “Sophia, Director Vance is mad that I had his office cleared out.” Sophia glanced at the mess on the floor without a flicker of concern. “It’s just an office swap, Ethan. Why are you making such a scene?” She didn’t even look at the desecrated photograph. “If you want to stay, just have them move your things back in.” I snatched the photo off the floor, not even feeling the shards of glass digging into my palm. “Sophia, look closer! This is a memorial photo of my mother!” Her gaze finally dropped to the picture. Her lips parted, but before she could speak, Leo cut in. “Sophia, I swear I didn't know! The cleaning staff must have been so careless. But ultimately, it’s my fault.” His tears started to fall on cue, streaming down his cheeks. “Maybe… maybe I should go and pay my respects to his mother, to atone for this…” “Shut your mouth!” I roared. Leo cowered, pressing himself into Sophia’s side. She immediately turned on me, her eyes furious. “Ethan! Have you lost your mind?” “Leo already apologized! What more do you want?” “He’s not the one who stepped on the photo!” Leo, ever the actor, let his tears fall faster. “Mr. Vance, I know you despise me, but I truly didn’t mean for this to happen…” Seeing the raw murder in my eyes, Sophia stepped in front of Leo, shielding him. “Ethan, if you have a problem, you take it up with me. Don’t you dare touch him!” Before I could even respond, Leo dropped to his knees without warning. His eyes were red, his voice choked with emotion. “Mr. Vance, it’s all my fault!” With trembling hands, he took off the cufflinks and the watch, holding them out to me. “I know you’re angry because Sophia gave me these gifts.” “A poor kid like me… I don’t deserve to wear things like this.” “And I should have never caused a misunderstanding between you and Sophia.” I snatched the cufflinks and the watch from his hands. And right in front of him, I threw them into the trash can I’d just kicked over. Leo’s shoulders shook violently. A fresh wave of tears streamed down his face as if he’d been grievously wounded. “Ethan! You’ve gone too far!” 4 Sophia rushed forward, pulling Leo to his feet, her expression full of pity. She gently wiped the tears from his face, her voice softer than I’d ever heard it. “Leo, stop it. You did nothing wrong.” When she looked back at me, her eyes were like shards of ice. “Do you really have to humiliate him like this, Ethan?” Leo seized the moment, grabbing her sleeve, his voice thick with tears. “Sophia, maybe… maybe I should just resign…” “I don’t want Mr. Vance to be unhappy, and I don’t want to be a source of conflict in the company.” He spoke with such sincerity, but the corner of his mouth twitched into a nearly invisible smirk. As predicted, his words made Sophia’s heart ache for him even more. She squeezed his hand, her voice firm. “Absolutely not! You earned that position with your talent. Why on earth would you resign?” “Ethan, look what you’ve done to him,” she said, her voice dripping with disappointment. “Even now, all he can think about is you.” “And what about you? What can you do besides bully and intimidate?” I watched the whole pathetic performance, a cold numbness spreading through me. Leo’s acting was flawless. Every tear was perfectly timed, every word expertly crafted to pull on Sophia’s heartstrings. “Sophia.” My voice came out as a raw whisper. “Can you really not see that he’s playing you?” “Playing me?” Sophia scoffed as if I’d told a terrible joke. “Ethan, when did you become so cynical?” “Leo is kind, genuine, and hardworking. He’s nothing like you.” “You’re manipulative and small-minded!” Leo dutifully lowered his head, his shoulders trembling as if he were enduring some great injustice. He sobbed quietly, “Sophia, please, don’t fight with Mr. Vance because of me.” “It’s all my fault. I never should have accepted your gifts in the first place.” “A poor kid like me has no right to wear a watch and cufflinks worth a fortune.” Sophia patted his back, her voice a soothing murmur. “Don’t say that. You deserve the very best.” She looked up at me, her eyes filled with nothing but disgust. “I never thought you could become this person, Ethan.” “Leo works himself to the bone for this company, and you throw a fit over a few trinkets and then humiliate him over and over again!” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “Think whatever you want.” I turned and walked toward the door, my steps firm. “Ethan!” Sophia called out behind me. “You’re just leaving? Without a single word of apology?” I paused and looked back at her one last time. My gaze slid from her to Leo’s deceitful, tear-streaked face. “Sophia, we’re done.” She froze. Leo’s eyes immediately reddened again, his voice cracking. “Mr. Vance, please don’t say that… Sophia cares about you so much…” Sophia grabbed his hand, her voice steely. “Leo, that’s enough.” “If he’s going to be this ungrateful, then we’re not going to beg him to stay.” After hearing that, I left without looking back.
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