On the other end, Sarah’s impatient voice came through.
“I used it to buy the company’s Pre-IPO Stock Options. All the employees bought in. By the time the IPO hits at year’s end, the shares will skyrocket…”
I cut her off, shouting in fury,
“Eric is running an illegal investment scam! Get that money back right now!”
Sarah’s annoyance deepened as she snapped,
“David, if you don’t understand, stop slandering people.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get rich—I’m not missing it.”
“You’re too short-sighted, no wonder you’ve never made any real money. Eric is way ahead of you.”
Before I could respond, she hung up. When I tried again, she refused to answer.
Boiling with anger, I rushed out and headed straight to the hotel near her office, where the company dinner was being held.
When I arrived, Eric was on stage, microphone in hand, passionately painting a rosy picture of the company’s future.
Below, Sarah and the others listened with flushed faces, thrilled and mesmerized.
The atmosphere was electric. Eric was too good at manipulation, and they had all lost their reason.
My sudden appearance made Sarah falter.
Then, frowning in irritation, she demanded,
“What are you doing here?”
I roared,
“Get that money back!”
Sarah snapped back, her face dark with anger,
“David, are you trying to humiliate me in public?”
“Get out of here right now, or else—”
I cut her off.
“Not until you return that three hundred thousand!”
Sarah’s face flushed red with rage. Her coworkers exchanged curious, mocking looks, whispering behind their hands.
“So that’s Sarah’s husband?”
“Didn’t she say she ruled the house like a queen? That her husband always gave in to her? What’s going on now?”
“I never liked her anyway. She joined after us, but acts all high and mighty just because she’s close to the boss.”
“I heard Sarah and the boss are having an affair. Been cheating on her husband for ages.”
“Of course. Why else would he shower her with luxury gifts when the rest of us get crumbs?”
“But honestly, Sarah’s husband really has no sense of finance. Three hundred thousand invested in stock options—by the IPO, that’ll multiply several times over.”
“My husband’s the same, shortsighted and clinging to dead savings. If not for me, he’d never make a cent.”
“I even put up our family’s hundred thousand into options—didn’t tell anyone at home. Once the stock explodes after the IPO, it’ll be a huge surprise.”
As the gossip swirled, Eric stepped down from the stage, smirking as he said to me,
“David, you can’t make money yourself, so you’re stopping Sarah from making money too? What’s wrong with you?”
“Afraid that once she’s rich, she’ll kick you to the curb?”
“You’re a top university grad, yet you earn only a few thousand a month and deliver food to get by. Don’t you feel pathetic?”
“Sarah’s making money with me. I guarantee that by the IPO, her stock options will be worth at least five times more!”
