My department director, Linda, always said I was her favorite in the whole company. She praised my sharp mind and hard work, constantly boasting that I was her star pupil, hand-picked and trained by her. The other colleagues envied me, saying Linda favored me and that sticking with her guaranteed a bright future. Just because I casually mentioned having a sensitive stomach once, Linda started bringing me a stomach-soothing breakfast every single morning. She even spent her free time in the office researching and making different kinds of stomach-nourishing porridges and cakes, bringing me a new variety every day. She constantly reminded me not to skip breakfast and to take care of my health. However, her cooking skills were terrible. Either the multigrain porridge wasn't cooked through and nearly chipped my teeth, or the cakes had too much baking soda. Our department manager held a concurrent position at the head office and was away year-round, leaving Linda practically in charge of everything in the team. Occasionally, I would vent to my colleagues about the breakfasts, but they would just tease me. "You're complaining about a good thing! Linda manages the whole team yet still keeps your stomach in mind. Be grateful." I could only swallow my grievances and keep my mouth shut. That is, until my third year at the company, when I landed a massive 150-million-dollar contract. The company specifically threw a victory banquet for me at a five-star hotel. The big boss even announced he would give me a special individual bonus to recognize my achievement. At the banquet, Linda personally brought over a thermos container, smiling as she said, "Chloe, your stomach is sensitive. You shouldn't eat the heavy, spicy food from outside. I specially made you some clear noodle soup. Eat up." Then, still smiling, she handed me a thick red envelope. I opened it to find a single coin. A shiny, one-dollar coin. Looking at the soggy, clumped-up noodles, I slammed the thermos right in front of her. "Keep your fake concern. I want my rightful bonus, every single cent of it, right now!" 1 Broth splashed everywhere. Yellowed vegetable leaves lay limply on top of the clumped, sticky noodles. It looked sloppy and half-hearted. All my colleagues froze, then someone whispered, "So ungrateful. Linda treats her so well, and she embarrasses her like this over a little bonus." Manager Davis also looked angry, his face darkening: "Chloe, what kind of scene are you making? Director Linda made that stomach-soothing soup specifically for you, keeping your health in mind. The bonus is a gesture from the company. Is this any way to act?" Linda's eyes instantly reddened. She pulled out a tissue and dabbed delicately at her eyes, her voice soft and fragile: "It's all my fault. I didn't plan it well. The noodles got soggy and made Chloe feel wronged." "As for the bonus, it was decided by the top management. One dollar symbolizes a smooth and prosperous journey ahead. It represents the company's high hopes for you." "Chloe, I truly value talent. Salespeople easily ruin their stomachs. If the bonus is too large, I was afraid it would go to your head and you'd lose focus..." A wave of condemnation instantly washed over me. Some said I was spoiled and ungrateful, that I had forgotten Linda's mentorship all for the sake of money. Looking at Linda's aggrieved and "considerate" act, I let out a cold snort. I pulled a stack of documents from my bag, placed the one-dollar coin on top, and waved them at everyone. "Spoiled and ungrateful? Forgot my mentorship?" "In my first year, here are the files for twenty-eight contracts. The total bonuses amounted to 360,000 dollars, but every single time, they were credited to Linda, because she claimed the clients were 'company resources.'" "Every time, she used the excuse that the sales department had high expenses, that we needed to buy gifts and give kickbacks to clients, and directly pocketed the money." "For this 150-million-dollar mega-contract, I ground it out for four months, traveling to ten different cities to negotiate. You give me a one-dollar bonus and claim it's for my own good? I want to know, whose pocket did the 150,000-dollar bonus from head office actually end up in?" Everyone was stunned. The color instantly drained from Linda's face. Exposed, she still tried to maintain her composure, bending down to pick up the thermos, her voice choked with emotion. "Chloe, I'm truly doing this for your own good. Why can't you understand?" "To be in sales, you need a healthy body. You're young and like junk food. I've brought you breakfast for a whole year to protect your stomach. How many clean, healthy meals have I made for you?" "As for the bonus, you're still young. You should look at the big picture, prioritize the company's interests, and be humble. That's how the bosses will value you, and you'll get promoted faster." A senior colleague, Sarah, quickly tried to smooth things over, pulling my arm. "Chloe, don't be so stubborn. Linda is doing this for your future. At every sales meeting, she specifically mentions your name and praises you. We've all seen how she takes care of you." Other colleagues chimed in. "Chloe, apologize to Linda quickly. She's giving you major responsibilities and trying to groom you. How can you be so short-sighted and only care about immediate, petty profits?" Linda immediately played along, looking at me with a face full of "heartache." "No need for an apology. We're mentor and mentee, it's what I should do." "I just value talent and want to cultivate more capable and visionary elites for the company." "Chloe, if the food isn't good, you can tell me, and I'll remake it. As for the bonus, if it really comes down to it, I can give you my share. Just don't be angry." She reached out to affectionately grab my hand. The smell of that bland noodle soup clinging to her, combined with her hypocritical posturing, made my stomach churn. I shook off her hand, my voice cold as ice. "Linda, I can take care of my own health. I don't need you to go out of your way for me." "As for the bonus, I earned it with my own ability. Why would I want your share? If head office wants to groom someone, they look at their capability, not someone who violates company policy, arbitrarily alters the bonus structure, and causes internal friction and drain among the staff." Hearing this, my colleagues gossiped even louder, rolling their eyes and accusing me. "It's just a bowl of noodles and a bonus. Is it worth throwing such a huge tantrum?" "Exactly. Linda remembered her sensitive stomach every single day for a year. Anyone else would be overflowing with gratitude. Instead, she publicly turns on her for a little money." "Young people nowadays only care about profit. They're so restless and materialistic, no sense of loyalty at all. Linda really nurtured an ungrateful snake." 2 Manager Davis's face was livid. He slammed his hand heavily on the table. "Chloe, shut your mouth! Director Linda ran herself ragged organizing this victory banquet and even prepared a gift specifically for you. What right do you have to slander her like this? You must apologize to Director Linda." As soon as he finished speaking, Linda promptly had her assistant bring over a gift box and placed it in front of me, smiling. "Chloe, I know you work hard, constantly staying up late to finish proposals. This is a special gift for you: the newest lumbar support cushion. You sit for long periods, and your back suffers. This will make it more comfortable." I opened the box to find a flimsy cloth cushion clearly bought from a cheap dollar store. The foam was completely flat, the edges were fraying, and the printed pattern was blurry. My accumulated anger finally exploded. I threw the cushion on the floor and stomped on it hard. "Who wants this garbage?! I brought in 150 million in sales, and the company can't even give me a proper reward. You try to fool me with this? You dismiss me with one dollar? Do you think I'm a beggar?" The crowd looked at the cushion, then at the single coin in my hand. Their expressions grew complex, but some still sided with Linda. Sarah glared at me. "What's wrong with the cushion? As long as it's practical, that's what matters. Linda remembered you have back problems from sitting too long. That kind of thoughtfulness is rare." "Exactly. Back when we made sales, we didn't even get a word of praise. The fact that Linda even thinks of you is good enough, yet you're being so picky." Linda quickly picked up the cushion from the floor, lovingly dusting it off. She grabbed Sarah's arm, then looked at me helplessly, her eyes red. "Chloe, it's all my fault. The company's budget is tight lately, and the commission for the 150 million hasn't come through yet. I don't have much money on hand either. I went to several stores to buy this cushion. It's my incompetence that made you feel wronged. Next time, when the commission comes in, I'll definitely get you a better one, okay?" Watching her theatrical performance, I couldn't help but sneer. The last time I secured a ten-million-dollar contract, the bonus was ten thousand dollars. She told me the exact same thing. I didn't want to fight with her then, thinking it would be fine if it was distributed among the whole sales department. After all, I didn't secure the contract entirely on my own. Jessica accompanied me to meet the client, and Michael ran around organizing the materials for me. But I later found out that the ten thousand dollars was never distributed to the sales department. She kept it, claiming it was used for the department's "public relations expenses." I didn't expect her to become even more brazen, trying to pocket a bonus of over a hundred thousand dollars. I scoffed, my gaze piercing her. "Director Linda, you say the sales commission hasn't come through. But what about the special individual bonus the company awarded? The boss personally promised it. How did it turn into one dollar when it reached you?" Linda's eyes darted away, her face flushing red as she stammered, "The company has a lot of expenses. You don't know the cost of running things until you're the one in charge. As a director, I have to consider everything." "As for the special bonus you mentioned, it's still going through the approval process. Chloe, don't be so impatient. Once it's approved, I'll give it to you immediately, okay?" Sarah immediately chimed in, "It's just a bonus. What's the big deal if it's a few days late? Why have you become so mercenary, with only money in your eyes?" Other colleagues echoed her, accusing me of being too profit-driven and ungrateful. Linda wiped a tear and stopped the crowd. "Alright, everyone, stop talking. Chloe is still young. Maybe it's just because the holidays are approaching, and she needs money. Don't blame her. It's all my fault for being an incompetent director. I always want everyone to share the benefits and bring more profit to the sales department. It's all my fault." Saying this, she pulled something out of her bag and shoved it at me, smiling. "I apologize, don't be mad." "You haven't eaten anything yet, you must be hungry. I specially bought you these stomach-soothing soda crackers. Eat some to line your stomach, don't let yourself starve. Whenever your stomach bothers you, don't I always buy these for you?" Manager Davis and Sarah, hearing this, glared at me indignantly. "Look how good Linda is to you. Even after all this, she's still thinking about your stomach." I pinched the box of soda crackers. The box was crushed. I opened it to find the crackers were stale. I took a bite, and it crumbled into dry dust. The production date was from three months ago. I was so angry I laughed. I smashed the crackers hard onto the floor. "Who wants your cheap, fake kindness?! If you truly thought I worked hard, if you truly cared about my health, you would give me the bonus I earned! Stop trying to fool me with this garbage, and stop using your fake favoritism to play the good guy!" Manager Davis immediately lunged forward and slapped me hard across the face. "You little brat, you have no manners whatsoever! I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders." "A teacher for a day is a parent for a lifetime. Director Linda cares so much about you. How can you be so ungrateful? How can you break her heart like this?" "Maybe I don't have good manners, but at least I don't steal other people's bonuses! I worked my tail off for three months, and she tries to dismiss me with a bowl of soggy noodles and a single dollar?! Is this the benevolence and loyalty you all talk about?!" Linda cried even harder, leaning into Sarah's embrace, looking like the victim of a massive injustice. Sarah comforted her while looking at me with deep disappointment. "Chloe, you're becoming more and more out of line. Linda trained you from scratch. She's taken care of you in every way for a year. If it weren't for Linda, could you have signed so many big contracts?" "The resources are Linda's. The clients sign because they trust the company's strength. You just ran a few errands, and now you're making a scene trying to monopolize the bonus." 3 Manager Davis stood up, his face dark. "There's no reasoning with her. I think she's just been spoiled. Today I have to teach her a lesson, show her what it means to respect her mentors and be grateful." With that, he raised his hand, ready to slap me again. Linda immediately threw herself forward to stop him, crying, "No, no, no, Manager! Chloe made a huge contribution today. Even if she made a mistake, you can't blame her. It's all my fault. I didn't coordinate the department's relationships well. It has nothing to do with Chloe." Davis's hand was held tightly by Linda. He was both angry and exasperated. "Look at the situation, and you're still protecting her! This ungrateful snake, does she appreciate anything you've done?" The colleagues all shook their heads and sighed, murmuring about how I didn't know how good I had it and was totally ungrateful. "Look how good Linda is to you. If it were anyone else, the manager would have chewed them out and probably kicked them out the door. Would they still protect you?" Linda wiped her tears, smiled with feigned magnanimity, and bent down to pick up the thermos and the soda crackers. "Alright, alright, everyone, let's stop criticizing Chloe." "I'll go make Chloe another bowl of noodles, and buy a nicer gift. Today is Chloe's victory banquet, we can't ruin everyone's mood." Watching her take the act all the way to the end, I couldn't bear it anymore. I rushed forward and shoved her hard in the chest, screaming, "Who wants your fake kindness?!" The room fell dead silent. No one expected me to actually lay a hand on Linda. Manager Davis was stunned for three seconds. When he recovered, he grabbed a set of tableware and hurled it at my head. "You ungrateful wretch! I have to cure you of this today. I'm telling you right now, get out of this company immediately. You're fired." A sharp pain shot through my forehead, and warm liquid slowly trickled down my cheek. Everyone looked at me in shock, and then the accusations started pouring in again. "Serves her right. So unappreciative." Linda immediately threw herself at Manager Davis, hugging him and crying, "Manager, let's talk this out, don't hit her, don't hit her, it's all my fault." As she looked up, I caught a fleeting glimpse of smugness hidden in her eyes. Seeing that smug expression, I finally laughed. I pulled out my phone, opened a voice recording, and played it. The clear conversation between Linda and Manager Davis filled the room. "I kept Chloe's 150,000-dollar commission and transferred it to my card. I'll just give her a dollar and say the company budget is tight. She's just a greenhorn, she can't do anything about it." "Baby, you're so smart. Doting on her every day, cooking for her, acting so concerned about her bad stomach—making it look like you treat her so well. How could she possibly have the face to demand money from you?" "They're just new employees. If they dare disobey, I have you, right? We'll just fire them and tell them to get lost." ... The moment the recording played, the room plunged into a deathly silence. Linda's face turned pale as paper. Her lips trembled, unable to maintain her aggrieved act any longer. Gripping my phone, I walked toward her step by step. "Linda, your fake favoritism and your scheming end today." Everyone stared dumbfounded at Linda and Manager Davis. Sarah was frozen in place, her hand, halfway extended to help Linda, suspended in mid-air. Her face was full of disbelief. "Director Linda, did... did you really embezzle our bonuses and commissions?" The other colleagues erupted, the whispers impossible to suppress. The accusations previously aimed at me instantly turned into suspicion toward Linda. "No wonder! When I first arrived, Linda doted on me too, bought me coffee every day, told me to drink green tea. But my bonuses were always inexplicably cut in half." "Damn it, this is textbook exploitation of newbies! The new hires work themselves to the bone getting orders, she takes all the benefits, and plays the saint so we can't complain." "We should suggest the company legal department investigate and see exactly how much of our commission she's embezzled."
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