“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 the project. $170,000. What's your plan?”
His eyes were bloodshot.
“If taking the job means losing money, then we drop the client!”
I let out a cold laugh.
“Do you even remember how many drinks we had, how many all-nighters we pulled to land this client in the first place?”
“And beyond this one project, we have other contracts with them! If we walk away, how many more $170,000 losses are we looking at?”
“Ronald, have you completely lost your mind?”
He shot me an impatient glance, muttering “so petty” under his breath,
and then,
pulled out a bank card and flung it in my face.
“It's just $170,000. I'll cover it for her. Happy now?”
My cheek stung, but I was eerily calm.
The boy who once thought a twelve-dollar plate of fried rice was too expensive,
now tossing around $170,000 without blinking.
He'd already forgotten how many people's livelihoods were in our hands.
This was never just about the money.
Or maybe he knew. He just didn't care.
Since he didn't care about $170,000,
what about a hundred times that?
I wanted to see if he'd be just as indifferent then.
I met my best friend Natalie Simmons for afternoon tea.
She hadn't even finished cursing Ronald out when I got a message from Renee.
“Ms. Whitmore, get back to the office now!”
The moment I reached my office door,
I saw Eileen directing people to move my desk.
Contracts, documents, all of it scattered across the floor.
Years of work, built up piece by piece.
Who the hell did she think she was?
“Put everything down. Now!”
I closed the distance in three strides and slapped Eileen across the face.
“Who told you to touch my things?”
Eileen clutched her cheek, but her eyes were defiant.
“Ronald said you lost a major deal and don't deserve this office anymore. He wants you working in one of the cubicles out in the open area.”
He must have heard the commotion.
Ronald showed up.
He took one look at the mess on the floor, and something flickered in his eyes.
“Eileen, I told you to notify her. Who said you could move her stuff?”
Eileen lowered her hand, revealing the red handprint on her cheek, and looked up at Ronald with wide, pitiful eyes.
He caved instantly.
“Aria, this was my call. If you want to take it out on someone, take it out on me.”
“But rules are rules. Eileen sent the bottom-line pricing, sure, but it was someone on your team who handed it to her. You bear direct responsibility.”
He sighed, placing both hands on my shoulders.
“I saw you bought a plane ticket.”
“I can't go back with you, though.”
“Why don't you use this as a chance to take a few days off and visit home, hm?”
I shook his hands off.
“Who asked you to come? I'm going home because……”
He scoffed：“To find a husband?”
“Drop the threats. Eileen already told me. Your village doesn't have any tradition about women having to go back and marry by thirty.”
Eileen chimed in：“Aria, don't blame me for telling him. I just couldn't stand watching you lie to him anymore.”
I looked her over, calm and measured.
A designer suit. Chanel earrings. A Louis Vuitton bag.
None of it matched her salary,
and all of it was a far cry from the girl I'd first met.
Back then, she'd been grateful to the point of tears because I'd paid her tuition.
I bought her first outfit for college.
I went with her to open her first bank account.
