Chapter 2

I fired back directly.

"Director Mark, I never agreed to lend you this car. I'm guessing Aurora took the keys without telling me, didn't she?"

"But since the car's already damaged, shouldn't we talk about repair costs?"

Mark's voice went up an octave.

"You're asking ME for repair costs?"

"Have you lost your mind?"

The coworkers around us started whispering.

"Thomas, you're way out of line. The director drove your car — that's him giving you the time of day."

"Exactly. It's a secondhand car, it's not worth anything. If it breaks, it breaks. Move on."

I almost laughed.

This car was a limited-edition custom order my dad placed overseas. It cost five million dollars. My dad only changed the exterior so I could blend in at work.

And these people were calling it a no-name secondhand car.

Then Mark reached into his pocket and pulled out two bills. He flicked them at me like he was tipping a busboy.

"Two hundred bucks. That's more than enough to fix that heap of junk."

"Keep the change. Call it a bonus."

The bills drifted to the ground. Aurora scrambled to pick them up and pressed them into my hand.

"Thomas, let it go. The director already paid you. What more do you want?"

"We all work together — don't make a big deal out of nothing. It makes you look petty."

I turned around and threw the money back at her.

"Director Mark," I said, "one headlight on this car costs a hundred and eighty thousand dollars."

"The front bumper replacement is another two hundred thousand. Add depreciation — this accident runs at least six hundred thousand total."

"How would you like to pay?"

Silence.

Then the whole crowd burst out laughing.

Mark stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "Thomas, are you seriously trying to scam me?"

"This random used station wagon — and you want six hundred grand? What are you smoking?"

"Fine. If you can prove this car costs six hundred thousand to fix, I'll not only pay you — I'll get down on my knees and call you Grandpa, right here in front of everyone."

I let the corner of my mouth lift, pulled out my phone, and sent the damage photos to the overseas dealership.

"Good. You said it."

"Director Mark, don't come crying to me later."

Back in the office, Mark called an immediate department meeting.

One agenda item only: workplace conduct.

"Certain employees," he announced, "have their minds on everything except their work. All they think about is how to cheat and extort their superiors."

"This department has zero tolerance for that kind of behavior."

"As a consequence, I'm moving Thomas's project over to Aurora effective immediately."

"Aurora has been performing exceptionally well — putting in extra hours, showing real initiative. She's got potential."

The room stirred.

That project was a major account I'd been working for three months. We were weeks away from signing. Handing it over now was the same as giving away everything I'd built.

Aurora stood up without a hint of humility.

"Thank you for the trust, Director Mark. I won't let you down."

She turned to me. "Thomas, don't be discouraged. Even though the project is mine now, you're still welcome to help with some of the smaller tasks."

"After all, we're... colleagues."

She paused just long enough to imply something more.

As if I'd ever want to go public with her. Did she actually think I was proud of this?

Looking back, keeping things quiet was the right call.

A woman like that — my family, the Edwards family — was better off not knowing she existed.

Mark saw I wasn't fighting back and pushed harder.

"Also, given Thomas's attitude and conduct issues, his year-end bonus is canceled entirely."

"In addition, a formal written warning will be issued company-wide. This goes on record."

"If anyone disagrees, you're welcome to hand in your resignation right now."

The coworkers who'd been jealous of me for months looked over with barely concealed satisfaction.

No one spoke up. They were all waiting to watch me slink out.

I didn't flinch. I pulled out a vehicle accident liability form.

"Fine. I'll drop the project."

"All I need is a signed acknowledgment that the car damage was caused by you. Once I have that, I won't even involve the police."

Mark picked up the form and skimmed it.

"Thomas, who do you think you're threatening?"

"Call the cops? Go ahead. You think they'll actually arrest me?"

But Aurora grabbed the pen before he could even finish.

Her head was full of the commission she was about to earn, the promotion she could already taste.

"I'll sign!"

"Thomas is just throwing one last fit. Like this project can't run without him."

She scrawled her name across the form in quick, decisive strokes.

Then, helpfully, she passed the pen to Mark.

"Sign it too. Let him give up for good."

"This project is going to be the centerpiece of this department — and it'll have nothing to do with Thomas."

Mark loved being fawned over. He took the pen without hesitation.

"Fine. You want the formalities? I'll give you the formalities."

"It's just a used car. The damage is a thousand dollars at most. But once this deal closes, I won't just be a director anymore."