“I think Syl is really talented. Just look at his hands—he’s clearly going to be a top artist!”
“Of course. Director Goldreich never chooses the wrong person…”
The other employees' mocking voices pushed my heart into an icy pit.
Most of the people in the company were people I had once “picked up” from different parks. They all had dreams of becoming artists, but they could not even feed themselves. They had to do hard labor, serve tables, or work in bars to pay for their dreams.
I was the one who brought them into the company. I supported them for many years and only then did they finally get the chance to shine on the path of their dreams. I can still remember them crying and almost kneeling to thank me as if it happened just yesterday.
And now… all of them humiliate me.
While I turned around, Sylvester suddenly rushed out from behind Beatrice. He kicked my knee, forcing me to kneel and held me down tightly.
“Robert,” he shouted, “Ms. Goldreich is already giving you a chance for an apology. If you stay stubborn like a rock and make her angry again, I won't hesitate to make you more misserable!”
I threw Sylvester off me, clenched my fist and punched him right in the face. Blood instantly burst across Sylvester’s face from that punch.
I work out all year. Dealing with this little brat is nothing.
When Beatrice saw her 'loyal' assistant injured, she hurried to help him up.
Her eyes were full of worry. “Don’t be scared, Syl. I'll stand up for you.”
Then she turned to me. “Robert, you—”
“Beatrice, let’s divorce,” I said.
She froze in response.
I did not have time to argue with her. My hand could not wait any longer. While she was still stunned, I borrowed the cleaning lady’s phone.
“Beatrice, you didn’t pay for the cleaning lady’s phone bill, right?”
Ignoring the stabbing pain in my palm, I called an ambulance. Then I looked at her and said, “Beatrice, I’m willing to leave with nothing. When we got married, I had 27,400 dollars in my account. That is my own money. I will use my own money to fix my own hand. From this moment on, you have no right to control me anymore.”
Without waiting for her reaction, I left the office and sat on the sofa in the hallway.
There’s a hospital less than one kilometer away. The ambulance should arrive quickly. For the sake of my hand, I couldn’t leave yet.
Beatrice stayed inside the company making calls about something, but that no longer had anything to do with me.
While I waited, my phone beeped with a new message:
[Robby, we truly appreciate your talent and we are ready to pay for it. We have decided to invest 450 million dollars in Director Goldreich’s company. Tomorrow we will visit the company to talk to you in person.]
I suddenly remembered. Today was the day the investors would give their final answer. Sylvester ruined everything.
I should have explained the situation to them, but now my hand couldn’t type anything. So… they would just have to come tomorrow.
The sound of fast footsteps pulled me out of my thoughts. The doctors finally arrived.
The lead doctor looked at my right hand and let out a sigh. “Who did this to you? Good thing you called the ambulance in time. I don't think we could save your hand if it were too lete.”
The doctor quickly turned to pick up his tools, ready to treat me.
But just as he was about to start, Beatrice rushed out of the office.
