The coworkers marveled at how impressive Harvey was, throwing him quiet thumbs-up behind his back.
I stayed silent for a few seconds.
Everyone watched me clench my jaw, certain I was about to throw myself at Harvey.
After all, in their minds, a broke nobody like me who'd never seen real money would have blown it all long ago. Where would I find the cash to pay him back?
But I stayed perfectly calm, pulling out my phone and wiring three million dollars to the bank's account.
I didn't so much as blink.
I held up the payment screenshot. "I've been at this bank for three years, and the gifts I received each year were worth less than eight hundred thousand. I've just paid three million. Is that enough to settle the debt?"
I ignored the shock on everyone's faces.
I ignored Harvey too, roaring behind me that I'd obviously embezzled the bank's funds.
As I passed Frances Fox's office, I gave a long look at the nameplate hanging on the wall: President's Office.
Three years ago her bank had barely any business, teetering on the edge of collapse.
Now it was the largest private bank in the city, and it was me who'd lifted her into that chair.
"President, Samuel is our biggest client. The bank does two hundred thirty million in deposits every year, and he alone accounts for two hundred million of it!"
"How can you just let him walk away, offend him like this?"
I'd just lifted my foot to keep moving when I heard Moira's helpless protest.
But Frances's answer was nothing but irritation.
"He only parked his money in our bank. It's not like he gave it to me."
"And I have to pay him two million dollars in interest every year!"
"Your procurement department sends him gifts worth nearly a million annually. Isn't that all my money too?"
Moira let out a heavy sigh.
"President, that's not how the math works. The whole bank runs on Samuel's two hundred million. Without him the bank's cash flow snaps. If he—"
"There's no if!"
Frances slammed the file down hard on her desk.
"He makes his money off this interest, year after year. At the end of the day, he wouldn't be where he is without me!"
I rubbed my fingertips together, and Frances's words struck me as nothing short of laughable.
She thought far too much of herself.
She thought I lived off the interest on two hundred million.
And she was foolish enough to believe I had no choice but to keep my money with her.
The interest rate she gave me was lower than any other bank in the city.
If I parked that money anywhere else, the interest alone would start at three million a year, minimum.
But for old times' sake, as her former classmate, I'd never made an issue of it.
I never imagined she'd actually feel cheated.
Actually believe I was living off her.
Frances had thrown Moira out of the office.
Moira looked crushed, and when she saw me standing in the doorway, she forced out a bitter smile.
I gave her a nod.
"Come with me. Nothing good will come of staying here, working under someone like that."
Moira had ten thousand times the vision Frances did. She handed in her resignation without a moment's hesitation.
She and I carried our things out, one behind the other.
Harvey chased after us, and the second he saw the scene, his needling words came right on cue.
"Oh-ho, I knew it. There's definitely something going on between these two."
"Samuel gets fired, and Moira goes scurrying right after him!"
"Moira, aren't you afraid your husband finds out?"
Furious, Moira rushed at him, neck stiff, glaring Harvey down.
"Say one more word of that garbage and I'll rip your mouth off!"
Harvey pressed closer, taunting. "Go on, hit me!"
"Best thing you can do is clear out with him. I'll have the President hand the procurement accounts to me. I'll show her exactly who's the real master at keeping clients happy."
I caught Moira's already-raised hand and stepped forward, putting myself between them.
