Chapter 1

I ate a cookie because I was hungry from working overtime, and my manager fined me six hundred thousand dollars!

She jabbed a finger in my face, furious. “Ethan Brooks, landing a contract doesn’t make you special!”

“This is a workplace! If you want to eat, go home!”

“Company policy clearly states that snacks are prohibited! You knowingly broke the rules, which makes it even worse!”

“Your six-hundred-thousand-dollar commission on that contract is canceled!”

I looked at her and said flatly, “Whatever.”

I decided to stop going the extra mile.

That was when she started to panic.

Vanessa Hayes was deeply unhappy with my attitude. “Ethan, you’re going to apologize in front of the entire company!”

Looking at her face, red with anger, I clenched my fists. Then I said calmly, “Sure.”

My coworkers all stared at me in disbelief.

Vanessa turned and clicked away in her heels toward the twenty-third floor. I stayed at my desk.

A moment later, a notice appeared in the company-wide WhatsApp chat.

“Due to repeated violations of company policy, Ethan Brooks of the Sales Department will forfeit this month’s commission, totaling $600,000. He will also deliver a formal apology at today’s company-wide meeting at 2:00 p.m. to serve as a warning to others!”

My coworkers looked stunned. Jason Miller, who sat across from me, sent me a private message. “Vanessa must be going through menopause. Don’t take it personally. Just swallow your pride. That’s six hundred grand!”

I smiled. Swallowing my pride wouldn’t help. She wanted to get rid of me now that I’d served my purpose.

She’d had her eye on my position for a long time.

When the chairman first recruited me, we’d agreed that I wouldn’t have to clock in or out. I could come and go as I pleased and eat or drink whatever I wanted. All he cared about was results.

I brought in half the Sales Department’s business on my own.

This latest contract with M Corporation was worth ten billion dollars. I’d handled the renewal and wrapped it up in just one week.

Vanessa probably thought my job looked too easy. She was jealous.

I messaged Jason back. “Just wait. This afternoon won’t just be about humiliating me. Someone’s going to take my job, too.”

Jason looked shocked. I ignored it and calmly organized all my client files, then printed them out.

Next, I wiped all the data from my work phone. Once that was done, I started writing my apology.

Vanessa came downstairs once in the middle of it. When she saw me working on my statement, she smiled smugly.

At two, she came to round everyone up. More than a hundred employees settled into the large conference room on the twenty-third floor.

Vanessa’s voice rang out, crisp and forceful. “Let me make this clear. This is a company, not your home. We’ve repeatedly told you not to turn this place into a garbage dump, but some people refuse to listen!”

“Being recruited by the chairman doesn’t make you special. Anyone can make a phone call, have dinner, and sign a contract!”

“Ethan, come up here and apologize. Let everyone hear exactly what you did wrong!”

I stood and walked to the front under a mix of confused and gloating stares.

“Vanessa is right. I shouldn’t have eaten a cookie at work. From now on, I’ll follow company policy to the letter. I won’t step out of line again!”

“I’m not much of a speaker, Vanessa. I don’t have anything fancy to say. If you say I can’t eat, I won’t eat. Being in sales doesn’t make me anything special.”

“I’m glad you understand! Given your repeated violations, senior management has decided to remove you as sales director. Effective immediately, you’re a regular sales representative.”

“This is our new director, Derek Hayes. He earned his master’s degree overseas, and he’ll be taking this department to new heights!”

A smattering of applause followed as Vanessa brought forward a man with a greasy-looking face. Jason and I exchanged a glance. He was finally convinced I’d called it.

Then Vanessa added, “Ethan, organize all your client files and turn them in. We’ll be redistributing your accounts!”

I agreed immediately and handed over the printouts.

If you can handle those clients, be my guest.

My cooperation made Vanessa suspicious. She checked everything carefully and only let it go once she was satisfied nothing was missing.

Derek was even more arrogant. As soon as we came down from the twenty-third floor, he tapped my desk.

“Get moving, Ethan. Pack up all your things right now. If anything goes missing later, you won’t be able to handle the consequences.”