I went undercover at the company my sister owns. Three months into my internship, HR informed me that I wouldn't be offered a full-time position. And that they were docking my entire probationary salary. “The reason?” “You took three days off.” I had to stop myself from laughing. “First, it was bereavement leave.” “Second, I followed all legal procedures.” “Third…” I turned my head and looked at Ryan, another intern from my cohort. “He took a total of twenty-one days off to take care of his girlfriend’s period cramps.” “On what grounds was he offered a full-time position?” The HR manager shot me a look of pure contempt. “This company is his family’s. On what grounds do you think?” “Besides, his girlfriend has severe cramps. It can be life-threatening.” “You? It was just your grandmother who died. What right do you have to take time off?” 1 On the last day of my internship, I was summoned to the office of Sharon, the HR manager. “Cole, your application for a full-time position has been denied by the company.” I wasn’t surprised by the outcome. “Furthermore,” she continued, a smug look on her face, “due to your excessive absences during the probationary period, which severely impacted your work progress, your entire three-month intern salary will be forfeited as per company policy.” This time, I did laugh out loud. “Sharon, I’m going to need an explanation.” My reaction seemed to infuriate her. She sat bolt upright, her sharp, narrow eyes fixing on me like a hawk. “An explanation? What is there to explain? It’s written in black and white: absences cannot exceed two days. How many did you take?” “Three,” I answered calmly. “First, it was bereavement leave for my grandmother, which is a legally protected right.” “Second, I submitted all the required documentation, and it was approved by my department supervisor.” “Third…” My gaze drifted past her to a figure clowning around with colleagues just outside her office. “Ryan, who started at the same time as me, took three separate leaves of absence over the last three months, each one for seven days, to care for his girlfriend during her period. That’s twenty-one days total. Why was his position made permanent?” Sharon scoffed, leaning back in her chair with an air of lazy superiority. “Cole, did your internship turn your brain to mush? You’re comparing yourself to Ryan?” “Don’t you ever bother to find out who runs this place?” “Besides,” she said, her voice dripping with disdain, “Ryan’s girlfriend has menstrual pain. It’s excruciating. It could affect their ability to have children one day. That’s a serious matter. And you?” She looked me up and down, her lip curling. “It was just your grandmother who died.” “Old people die. It’s not a big deal. Was that really worth taking three days off? So dramatic.” I lowered my eyes and stopped arguing. As she continued her tirade of sharp, petty insults, I silently reached into my pocket. My finger slid along the side of my phone and pressed the lock button. Just before the screen went dark, I saw it clearly: the bright red, pulsing timer of a voice recording. Perfect. I had all the evidence I needed. 2 I walked back to my desk in the Marketing Department, my expression blank, my water bottle in hand. The usually bustling office fell silent. Every eye in the room swiveled toward me like a searchlight. I could sense the pity, the curiosity, but mostly, the schadenfreude. The low hum of whispers was like the buzzing of flies. I ignored them all and walked straight to my desk to pack my things. My keyboard, my mousepad, a coffee mug I’d had for three years, a few textbooks. My fingers paused as I picked up the proposal for “The Starlight Initiative.” This plan, born from countless sleepless nights, had ended up being the crowning achievement on Ryan’s resume. I remembered it vividly. My direct supervisor, Greg—a middle-aged man with a receding hairline whose favorite phrase was “better to let sleeping dogs lie”—had presented the proposal to Ryan in front of the entire department, praising him for his “raw talent and promising future.” And me, the actual creator, had received a dismissive, “Cole contributed as well. Keep up the good work.” All of this happened because everyone in the office was convinced that Ryan was the CEO’s fiancé. “Hey, Cole, what are you doing?” Ryan sauntered over, looking down at me with a disgusting, feigned surprise. “Packing up so suddenly? Did Sharon say something harsh?” “Don’t take it to heart. Her bark is worse than her bite.” He reached out to hold down the flaps of my cardboard box, but I sidestepped him. I couldn’t be bothered to look at him, continuing to sweep the last of my belongings into the box. He seemed to lose interest, his voice taking on the gloating tone of a victor. “Well, don’t feel too bad about it. Just because you didn’t make it here doesn’t mean you won't make it somewhere else. Tell you what, in a few days, I’ll have my girlfriend keep an eye out for you, find you a good job somewhere. How does that sound?” I finally stopped and looked up at him, saying nothing. My direct gaze seemed to make him uncomfortable, but he puffed out his chest anyway. I picked up my box, turned, and walked away. “Cole!” Jenny from reception ran over and grabbed my arm, her eyes red. “They’re being awful! This is just bullying!” Jenny was the only person in the company who had treated me like a friend. I patted the back of her hand and discreetly slipped the digital recorder into her pocket. “Keep this safe for me,” I whispered. She blinked, then nodded firmly. I didn’t look back again. I walked toward the elevator, one step at a time, the box in my arms. As I passed the large glass wall of the office, I could see the faces inside, all scheming and self-satisfied. The elevator doors slid shut, sealing me off from their world. 3 Three days later was the company’s welcome gala for new employees. I had no intention of going. An intern who’d just been fired attending a party to welcome himself sounded like a bad joke. But Jenny’s calls kept coming, one after another, until my phone was about to die. “Cole, are you really not coming?” “The food is free! It’s a waste not to eat it!” I looked at my pale face in the mirror. The refusal was on the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it. Maybe I should go. Maybe I should see Ryan in his moment of triumph, accepting everyone’s congratulations. Before I could decide, I received an unexpected call. It was my sister, Seraphina. “Cole, where are you?” Her voice on the other end was familiar—a little tired, but as steady as ever. “At home. Sis, aren’t you supposed to be in Europe for business? Did you finish early?” “Change of plans. I just landed.” She paused, a hint of a smile in her voice. “I have a surprise for you tonight. A gift, to celebrate my little brother’s successful new job.” My stomach dropped. “What kind of surprise?” “I’m not telling you yet. Get ready. I’m on my way to pick you up.” She hung up before I could ask anything else. I stared at the dark screen of my phone, a sense of foreboding creeping over me. Meanwhile, in the grand ballroom of the Starlight Hotel, the gala was in full swing. Seraphina, dressed in an elegant, custom-made gown, captured every eye in the room the moment she entered. Her presence seemed to suck the air out of the room for a few seconds. No one had expected the rarely-seen, almost mythical CEO to personally attend a simple welcome party for new hires. She ignored the executives who rushed over to greet her, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room as if searching for someone. Once. Twice. A slight frown creased her brow. Cole wasn't here. Her eyes finally settled on the reception desk area, where she spotted a familiar face—Jenny. She knew about Jenny; Cole had mentioned she was his only real friend at the company. Seraphina strode toward her. “Ms. Vance!” Jenny was so startled she nearly dropped her champagne flute. She shot to her feet, a nervous wreck. “Where is Cole?” Seraphina’s question was direct. Her voice was quiet, but it carried an undeniable weight of authority. “C-Cole… he…” Jenny’s eyes darted around nervously. “He… he wasn’t feeling well today, so… so he didn’t come.” Seraphina stared at her, her fingers unconsciously twisting the ring on her finger. “Not feeling well?” she repeated, her tone unreadable. “I just spoke to him on the phone a few minutes ago. He didn't mention anything about not feeling well.” The color drained from Jenny’s face. Her lips trembled, but no words came out. Her reaction was more telling than any excuse. Seraphina’s heart sank. Something was wrong. 4 Just as Seraphina’s patience was wearing thin, the ballroom lights dimmed. A single spotlight hit the center of the stage. The host cheerfully announced that the welcome gala had officially begun. HR Manager Sharon, dressed in a brand-new suit, walked onto the stage, beaming. She savored the attention, cleared her throat, and began in a dramatic, sing-song voice. “Good evening, leaders, colleagues, and friends!” “Today is a day for celebration, a day we welcome fresh talent into our company.” “After three months of rigorous evaluation, a group of outstanding interns has distinguished themselves and will now officially join our big family!” Polite applause rippled through the room. Seraphina sat in the VIP section in the corner, her fingers tightening around her wine glass, her icy gaze locked on Sharon. “And now, I will announce the names of the interns who have successfully been offered full-time positions!” Sharon’s voice rose with unconcealed pride. She lifted her cue card. “From the Tech Department, Kevin Wang and Michael Lee…” “From Administration, Jessica Zhao…” With each name, a small pocket of cheers and applause would erupt from the crowd. But Seraphina’s expression grew darker by the second. The atmosphere around her became so cold that several executives who had planned to offer her a toast thought better of it and stayed away. “And finally,” Sharon drew out the word, a sycophantic grin plastered on her face, “I want to introduce a true prodigy from our Marketing Department. Not only did he contribute several brilliant ideas during his internship, but his performance was leagues ahead of everyone else. He is the future star of our company—Ryan!” The spotlight instantly swung to Ryan in the audience. He rose gracefully from his seat, dressed in a designer suit, and waved to his colleagues with the smug, self-assured air of a winner. The entire room erupted in the loudest applause of the night. Sharon continued to gush from the stage. “Mr. Ryan’s excellence is clear for all to see! His joining our team will undoubtedly bring a new wave of energy to the Vance Corporation! Let’s give him one more round of applause to officially welcome him aboard!” The applause was thunderous. Seraphina’s gaze swept over Ryan without lingering, then returned to Sharon’s face. She listened silently. She listened until Sharon closed her cue card and, with a triumphant smile, announced, “That concludes the list.” She had not heard the name she was waiting for. Cole. Her brother, Cole’s name, was not on the list.
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