My protégé had just stolen a five-million-dollar wealth management contract right out from under me. She stood there, waving the freshly signed receipt in my face, looking incredibly smug. "Mentor, the client specifically asked to open the account under my name. I couldn't exactly push the business away, could I?" "If you want to blame someone, blame yourself. You're getting old, and you move too slow." "Don't look at me with that bitter, wrinkly face! Tell you what, I'll treat you to a bubble tea to make up for it." Somehow, her words twisted the situation to make me look like the petty one. And of course, the branch manager stepped in to play peacemaker, telling me not to be so hard on the "young girl." Had they both forgotten that my portfolio practically funded over half of this entire branch? Chapter 1 I rushed back to the office right on time, only to hear the news that my client had been poached. I went straight to Chloe. Chloe had completely dropped her usual sweet, respectful act. Holding the signed receipt, she looked at me with absolute justification. "Mentor, you can't blame me for this." "You weren't here. We couldn't just leave a VIP client sitting in the lobby waiting, so I stepped in to host him for you." "If it wasn't for me, you would have completely offended the client! And instead of thanking me, you're accusing me of stealing your commission?" "Besides, Mr. Vance insisted on buying the portfolio through me. What was I supposed to do?" "I couldn't just reject the firm's business!" "At the end of the day, you were the one who was late, Mentor. Who else is there to blame?" I had a 10:00 AM appointment with the client. He arrived exactly five minutes early. In what universe does a five-minute window naturally lead to closing a five-million-dollar deal? She claimed she didn't use my name to secure the signature. Bullshit. Right then, my phone buzzed with a text from Mr. Vance: [Hey Elena, are you feeling alright? I just realized my portfolio manager isn't listed as you. Did you guys have some internal restructuring?] What could I say? I had to lie and tell him it was a system error, assuring him that I was still his dedicated wealth manager. After replying, I looked back at Chloe's unapologetic face and demanded, "Did you use my name to poach my client?" "Chloe, do you have a death wish in this industry?" Stealing clients is the ultimate taboo for wealth managers. For her to do it this blatantly, there was no way management didn't know. Furthermore, I was her mentor. I had personally trained her from her very first day on the job. If word got out that she stole a client from her own mentor, no firm in the city would ever hire her again. "While this is still quiet, I strongly suggest you go to operations and transfer that account back to my name." Mixing threats with reason was the absolute limit of my patience. I genuinely hoped she would be smart enough not to blow this up and make everyone look bad in the office. But Chloe just looked at me with a cocky, lackadaisical smirk. "Mentor, you must be joking." "Why would I hand over my client to you?" "Just because you're my mentor, I'm supposed to surrender my commission?" "You neglected the client. I managed to retain him. That's my skill. Being my mentor doesn't give you a free pass." "I might be a fresh grad, but I'm not some pushover you can just bully." Wow. She actually thought she was taking a brave stand. I was so furious I actually laughed. I reached out to grab the receipt from her hand to go fix the transfer, but she blocked me. "Mentor, why are you so mad?" "Aren't we all just regular employees here? Nobody is better than anybody else." "As long as the client signs with our firm, what difference does it make whose name is on the paper?" "Tell you what, I'll buy you a Starbucks. Get the most expensive Frappuccino on the menu. Consider it a thank you for everything you've taught me." Looking at her triumphant, smug face, I wanted to slap myself. Chloe had been glued to my side since she was hired right out of college. She was my junior from the same university, graduated from the same finance program. Naturally, I took her under my wing and invested a lot of time in her. I poured my heart and soul into teaching her how to source leads and maintain client relationships. Over the past few months, Chloe had consistently ranked number one among the new hires. I had been genuinely happy for her, frequently offering advice when she made missteps. I even taught her the unwritten rules of corporate gifting for high-net-worth clients during the holidays. I never, in a million years, expected her to stab me in the back. "I can't afford your coffee." "And don't call me Mentor anymore. I clearly have nothing left to teach a 'superstar' who steals her colleagues' clients." I was seething. But Chloe just shrugged carelessly. "Fine, don't drink it. Saves me money." "Why are you acting like such a victim? You're getting older, your reflexes are slow. Are young people not allowed to be ambitious anymore?" "No matter who you tell, I'm in the right here." "You're just a washed-up older woman. I called you Mentor to be polite, did you really think you were that important?" "Honestly, I don't want to call you that anyway. From now on, every man for himself." "But Mr. Vance is officially my client now. So stop dreaming about stealing him back." Chapter 2 I didn't bother listening to the rest of her tough-girl speech. I turned on my heel and marched straight to the Branch Manager's office. Manager Sterling seemed to already know exactly why I was there. Before I could even speak, he started trying to pacify me. "Elena, listen. The ink is already dry on the contract. If you start fighting your own protégé over a client, it's going to look terrible for everyone." "Besides, you weren't here. Making a VIP client wait that long is a failure on the firm's part." "Chloe was actually covering for you." I suppressed the fire burning in my chest and explained calmly: "When Mr. Vance arrived, I was already pulling into the parking garage. Chloe deliberately parked her car horizontally across the access aisle, which is why I was delayed by a few minutes." "I already spoke to Mr. Vance on the phone. Why did Chloe still process the paperwork under the pretense that she was acting on my behalf?" I shoved my phone across the desk, showing him Mr. Vance's text. "Mr. Vance still has no idea what actually happened. Who exactly is stealing whose client here?" My tone sharpened. Manager Sterling's face hardened in response. "Elena, I think you've let your ego get way out of control lately." "I have never heard of a wealth manager making a VIP wait. You made a mistake, and now you're blaming your coworkers?" "Chloe fixed your massive screw-up. Instead of thanking her, you're accusing her of theft?!" "If it wasn't for her, Mr. Vance probably would have walked right out the door!" Now I understood perfectly. Manager Sterling and Chloe were in this together. For him to defend her this aggressively... it was impossible not to suspect he had orchestrated this whole thing. Seeing my face flush with anger, Manager Sterling softened his tone, switching to his usual manipulative tactics. "You're her mentor. Her securing a massive client is partly a reflection of your excellent training." "Tell you what, I'll approve two days of PTO for you. Go home, rest up, and really think about whether your behavior today was professional." "Elena, you need to learn to be content. Your monthly commission is the highest in the entire branch. You make more money than I do." "What more do you want?" Carrot and stick. It was his classic playbook, and he thought it would work on me. Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten one crucial detail: I didn't apply for this job. I was aggressively headhunted by the previous branch manager. I brought a massive book of business with me. My portfolio brought in an average of nearly $15 million in new daily deposits, essentially subsidizing the salaries of over half the staff in this building. My high income was entirely due to my own hustle and connections. It had absolutely zero to do with his "leadership." In that exact moment, I made the decision to jump ship. "Manager Sterling, since the commission for Mr. Vance's account is going to Chloe, I'll be sure to contact him and let him know. Also, I expect Chloe to reimburse me for the expenses incurred in securing his business." "From the day I started courting Mr. Vance until this morning, I've spent roughly $1,500 out of pocket on gifts and dinners. I'll compile an itemized expense report. Please make sure Chloe is aware she needs to pay it." His eyes widened in absolute shock. "Elena, you are being completely ridiculous." "Those were your personal, out-of-pocket expenses! Why should Chloe reimburse you?!" "Just because you claim it was for client maintenance doesn't make it a firm-mandated expense!" "I think you're just bitter and trying to sabotage our most promising new hire!" "Elena, we're all veterans here. The firm needs fresh blood to survive. You can't just hoard the top-biller spot forever. You have to leave some room for the rookies to grow." "This matter is closed. Mr. Vance was hosted by Chloe, and he signed the paperwork with Chloe. He is her client." "If you're feeling generous, you should actually transfer a few more of your accounts to your protégé. But if you aren't, you at least shouldn't stand in the way of someone else's ambition." "Elena, I'm warning you for your own good. Don't try any underhanded tricks." I honestly couldn't hold it in anymore. I burst out laughing. I had never heard of anyone "hoarding" the top-biller spot like it was a reserved parking space. Every top-performing wealth manager in this industry either had massive generational wealth connections, insane luck, or legendary networking skills. I had never heard of a veteran willingly handing over their top rank to a rookie out of the goodness of their heart. Manager Sterling had been parachuted into this role from the IT department. He was a classic case of an amateur trying to dictate to a professional. I couldn't be bothered to argue with him anymore. I pulled out my laptop, opened the HR portal, typed out my formal letter of resignation, and hit send. Chapter 3 As I walked out of the manager's office, Chloe happened to be strolling by, still waving that signed receipt. Seeing me, she smirked and flicked the paper in my direction. "Got the door slammed in your face, huh?" "Elena, the times have changed. In today's market, results are the only thing that matters. Seniority means nothing." "You only have a big portfolio because you got lucky and entered the industry a few years before I did." "Did you honestly think it was because of your skill?" "If you actually had skill, Mr. Vance wouldn't have signed with me so easily." With that, she adjusted her collar, put on a sickeningly sweet voice, and strutted into the manager's office. "Manager Sterling~ See, I told you I could close Mr. Vance!~" "Look~ The five million dollar transfer went straight into my account, just like a good boy~" Chloe didn't bother keeping her voice down. She clearly wanted me to hear every word. I paused by the door, waiting to hear Sterling's response. "Chloe, don't get arrogant just yet. You still have a long way to go to catch up to Elena." "As far as I know, she single-handedly accounts for over half the growth in this branch's AUM. If you can figure out a way to take over her portfolio..." "Don't worry, Manager Sterling! I can absolutely handle it." "I shadowed her for months. I already memorized all her little tricks for client retention." "It's just chatting them up and sending them cheap gifts. Those rich people love feeling like they're getting special treatment. Give them a few minor perks, and they'll come begging to deposit their money." She paused, perfectly timing her pivot to flatter him. "But mostly, it's because our firm's products are so strong." "Under your brilliant leadership, Manager Sterling, our branch is already the top performer in the region. Everyone in the industry is so jealous we have you!~" That hit the exact right spot. Sterling had always felt insecure about being an external hire with no finance background. He knew the staff didn't respect him and only kept their mouths shut because of his title. But he wasn't completely blind. He could feel the resentment. Chloe's aggressive flattery inflated his ego to the size of a blimp. "Mm. I knew I didn't misjudge you." "I don't know why Elena walks around acting so high and mighty. She's literally just selling the products we provide." Chloe immediately agreed. "Exactly! If it wasn't for your brilliant strategic direction, she would be nothing." "She actually thinks her success is entirely her own doing." "She's just a sales rep. People call her 'Manager' to be polite, and she actually thinks she's an executive?" "Zero self-awareness." Their voices dropped lower, but I could still clearly hear Sterling's smug reply. "My advice to park your car horizontally across the aisle worked perfectly, didn't it?" "If it wasn't for my strategic guidance, you never would have stalled her that long." "Experience matters, Chloe. You still have a lot to learn from me." Chapter 4 Listening to the two of them plotting and whispering in the office, I couldn't stomach another second. I headed straight for the HR department to expedite my offboarding. Linda, the HR Director, stared at me in absolute shock. "What?! Elena, you're resigning?!" "If you leave, what is this branch going to do?" "Did Sterling try to screw you over?" "Oh my god. I used to think he was just incompetent. Now I realize he's actually brain-dead!" "He spends all day micromanaging formatting issues instead of doing actual business! I've rewritten this staffing report ten times! He just told me the tenth draft is worse than the first!!!" I tried to calm Linda down, explaining the entire situation with Chloe and the poached client. She immediately approved my resignation in the system. "I am pushing this through with priority!" "She actually had the nerve to steal your client?! After you specifically asked all of us to look out for her when she was hired?!" "What an ungrateful little snake." She was even angrier than I was. After dragging Chloe's name through the mud for another five minutes, she looked at me hesitantly. "So... that five million dollar commission really just goes to Chloe?" "She just gets away with it?!" "I am so mad my blood pressure is spiking! Elena, what do we do?!" I patted her back and gave her a deeply mysterious smile. "Don't worry, Linda. They aren't getting a dime out of this." Chapter 5 My resignation was immediately forwarded to Corporate HQ. Linda secretly texted me to let me know that Manager Sterling had written a massive, 500-word essay in the "Manager's Comments" section, entirely dedicated to assassinating my character and calling me arrogant. "His ability to twist the truth is honestly impressive." "He wrote that you constantly neglected clients, slacked off during work hours, were frequently absent from the office, and spent your entire workday just chatting with people." "Even an HR rep like me knows that a wealth manager's job is literally to network and chat with clients. How does the branch manager not know that?" "I'm just sad you won't get your severance package. That would have been a massive payout." Looking at the notification that Corporate had already approved my resignation, I replied calmly: "Linda, do you know how much interest my clients' portfolios generate on a daily basis?" "Every day I leave earlier is a massive financial win for me." Everyone at the branch only knew that I was recruited here with a $15 million portfolio already under my belt. Maintaining a massive daily deposit growth rate isn't just about having good financial products. Honestly, without serious connections, it's mathematically impossible. With that much liquid cash, these CEOs aren't idiots. Why would they park their money with me just to earn standard, low-tier interest? If it wasn't for the $150 million trust fund my dad set up for me, combined with him constantly dragging me to high-level networking dinners with his billionaire friends, I never would have hit those numbers. It wasn't like other firms hadn't tried to poach me. But this firm actually had decent products, the benefits were good, and most importantly, it was a ten-minute drive from my house. My dad only ever asked one thing of me: come home for dinner more often. Saying goodbye to Linda, I went back to my desk to pack up my things. After working here for years, I did have some sentimental attachment to the place. I backed up all my client chat logs to my personal cloud, wiped my desktop hard drive clean, and took all my physical notebooks containing my clients' personal preferences to the heavy-duty paper shredder. Only then did I grab my box to leave. Unfortunately, I bumped into Chloe, who had just returned from a long lunch break at the salon. She dramatically pointed at my cardboard box. "Elena, why are you resigning?" "Are you scared my numbers are going to crush yours next month, so you're running away while you still have your dignity?" "Oh well, it's totally normal. You couldn't stay the top-biller forever." "Sigh. The economy is tough right now. Without my elite networking skills and background, bringing in new deposits must have been exhausting for you." "Maybe you could try cold-calling people from the phone book?" Her face was twisted into such a punchable, smug sneer. I couldn't wait to see how long she'd be smiling. To avoid the drama, I brushed off the spot on my shoulder where she had accidentally bumped me, my tone dripping with sarcasm: "The firm's entire future rests on the shoulders of exceptional talent like you." "Keep up the hard work. You wouldn't want to disappoint Manager Sterling." She was momentarily speechless, her face flushing bright red before she glared at me. "I don't need you to tell me that!" "Don't worry, the student has already surpassed the master. You're just old and useless now." I ignored her pathetic taunts and started saying my goodbyes to the veteran staff around the office. They looked genuinely sad to see me go. Several of them hugged me, whispering, "When you make it big, don't forget us!" Right then, Chloe aggressively shoved her way through the crowd and violently slapped the cardboard box out of my hands. "Leaving in such a hurry, Elena? Are you trying to steal company property?!" "I need to inspect everything in that box!"
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