The others ate it up—Virginia's little power trip had them nodding along, thumbs-up behind my back.
I was silent for a few seconds.
Everyone watched me clench my jaw and figured I was about to lunge at her.
After all, in their minds, a nobody like me who'd never had real money must have spent it all long ago. No way I could pay anything back.
But I pulled out my phone, unhurried, and transferred three million to the bank's account.
Didn't even blink.
I held up the payment screenshot. "Three years at this bank. The gifts never hit eight hundred thousand in any single year. That's three million. Is that enough, or do you need more?"
I didn't wait around for their shock.
I didn't turn around for Virginia's screaming behind me that I must have embezzled bank funds.
I slowed as I passed Nelson Fox's office, my eyes catching the nameplate on the wall—President's Office. Three years ago his bank had barely any business. It was on the verge of collapse.
Now it was the largest private bank in the city, and I was the one who'd put him there.
"President Fox, Tracey is our biggest client. Out of the bank's two hundred and thirty million in deposits, she alone accounts for two hundred million!"
"You're letting her walk out? You're burning that bridge on purpose?"
I was about to move on when I heard Manager Lambert's exasperated challenge.
Nelson's answer was nothing but impatience.
"All she does is keep her money in our bank. She didn't hand it to me."
"I pay her two million a year in interest!"
"And the gifts your purchasing department sends her every year are worth close to a million. Whose money do you think that is? It's mine."
Greg let out a heavy sigh.
"President Fox, that's not how the math works. The bank's entire operation runs on Tracey's two hundred million. Without her there's no way we turn a profit. If she—"
"There is no 'if'!"
Nelson slammed his palm on the desk.
"She makes her living off that interest every year. When you get right down to it, she owes everything she has to me!"
I rubbed my fingertips together, and the only thing I could manage was a quiet laugh at how pathetic he sounded.
He actually believed he mattered that much.
Believed I survived on the interest from two hundred million, and was fool enough to think I had nowhere else to put it. His rate was the lowest in the city. Any other bank would have paid me three million a year minimum.
But we'd been classmates once, so I'd never bothered to fight him over it.
And all this time he'd convinced himself he was getting the raw deal—that I was the one feeding off him.
Greg was kicked out of the office.
He came through the door looking defeated, then froze when he saw me standing right there.
I gave him a nod.
"Come with me. Stay here working under someone like him, and it won't end well for you."
Greg had more sense in his little finger than Nelson had altogether. He handed in his resignation without a second's hesitation.
"I didn't drive today. Give me a ride?"
He took my box and followed me out.
Virginia came chasing after us, and the second she saw Greg at my side her voice cut across the lobby.
"Oh, would you look at that—I always said those two had something going on."
"Tracey gets the boot and Manager Lambert goes scurrying right out the door after her. Real subtle."
"Manager Lambert, aren't you worried your wife will find out?"
Greg stormed back toward her, glaring down at Virginia, looking ready to swing.
"One more word out of you and I swear I'll shut that mouth myself."
Virginia stepped closer, daring him. "Go ahead. Hit me."
"Good riddance to both of you. I'll have President Fox hand purchasing over to me—and I'll show him exactly who knows how to keep clients in line."
