“Does the whole world have to revolve around you?”
I freed one hand and rapped my knuckles on the desk.
“Cut the crap that has nothing to do with this project. A hundred and twenty thousand dollars. What's your plan?”
Her eyes were bloodshot.
“If taking the job means losing money, then we drop the project!”
I let out a cold laugh.
“Do you even remember how many drinks we downed, how many all-nighters we pulled to land this client?”
“And besides this project, we've got other contracts with them. If we walk away, how many more hundred-and-twenty-thousands do we lose?”
“Felicity, have you lost your mind?”
She shot me an impatient look and muttered “so petty”,
then
pulled out a bank card and flung it at my face.
“It's only a hundred and twenty grand. I'll cover it for him. Happy now?”
My cheek stung, but I was eerily calm.
Back when we were broke, Felicity used to complain that a twelve-dollar plate of fried rice was too expensive.
Now a hundred and twenty thousand didn't even make her blink.
She'd already forgotten how many people's livelihoods depended on us.
This was never just about money.
Or maybe she knew that. She just didn't care.
Since she didn't care about a hundred and twenty thousand,
what about a hundred times that?
I wanted to see if she'd still be this casual then.
I met up with my buddy Stanley Barnes for afternoon tea.
He hadn't even finished cursing Felicity out when I got a message from Kenneth.
“Mr. Whitfield, get back to the office now!”
The second I reached the office door,
I saw Julian directing people to haul my desk out.
Contracts, files, documents, all scattered across the floor.
Years of work. Every bit of it built from nothing, with my own hands.
Who the hell did he think he was?
“Put it all down. Now!”
I closed the distance in two strides and drove my fist straight into Julian's face.
“Who told you to touch my things?”
Julian clutched his cheek, but his eyes stayed defiant.
“Felicity said you blew a major deal. You don't deserve this office anymore. She wants you moved to one of the cubicles in the main hall.”
She must have heard the commotion.
Felicity showed up.
Her gaze swept the wreckage on the floor, and something flickered behind her eyes.
“Julian, I told you to notify him. Who said you could touch his things?”
Julian lowered his hand, revealing the fist-shaped bruise blooming across his cheek, and turned those pitiful eyes on Felicity.
She caved instantly.
“Ashton, the decision was mine. If you want to take it out on someone, take it out on me.”
“But rules are rules. Yes, Julian sent the price sheet, but it was one of your people who handed it to him. You bear direct responsibility.”
She sighed, placing both hands on my shoulders.
“I saw you booked a plane ticket.”
“I don't have time to go back with you, though.”
“Why don't you use this as a chance to take a few days off and head home? Hm?”
I shook her hands off.
“Who said I needed you to come? I'm going home because……”
She scoffed：“To get set up on a date and married?”
“Drop the threats already. Julian told me your village doesn't even have some tradition about going back to marry at thirty.”
Julian chimed in：“Ash, don't blame me for telling her. I just couldn't stand watching you lie to her anymore.”
I looked him over, slow and measured.
Designer suit. Hermès belt. Louis Vuitton shoes.
None of it matched his salary.
And it was a world apart from the kid I'd first met.
Back then, he'd been so grateful I'd paid his tuition that he could barely find words to thank me.
I bought him his first suit for college.
I went with him to open his first bank account.
