My high-powered CEO girlfriend, raking in millions every year, was so unbelievably cheap. She’d complain a single dollar for a bottle of water was too expensive, insisting I return it and just drink tap water. A two-dollar bus ticket? Pure luxury! She’d make me walk miles to a client meeting. But when I finally signed a multi-million dollar deal, my feet aching from all the walking, and happily treated the client to a cup of coffee, Victoria called, screaming that I was being extravagant. She even unilaterally processed a refund from my account without my consent. The coffee shop owner, humiliated, confronted us, not only voiding the order but also insulting us in front of everyone. My client, offended by Victoria’s arrogance, threatened to blacklist our entire company. I was about to call Victoria, who was out of town on business, to break the news. But then, I saw something on her male assistant Blake’s social media feed. It was a cheesy short video: Blake perched on the hood of a luxury sports car, the kind that costs a fortune and goes viral in trending videos. The caption read: “That feeling when you share a video, and the next second, what’s in it is right in front of you? Priceless.” Turns out, it wasn’t that she was cheap. It was just that I wasn’t worth it. I swallowed the bitter truth, simply liking the post. Moments later, Victoria called, her voice stern. “I know Blake’s young and his words can be a bit naive sometimes, but you shouldn’t cause a scene on social media. What will other employees think of him if they see this?” “Just hand over that deal to Blake, then clarify in the company group chat that I did it to celebrate his success. When I get back from my business trip, I’ll promote you and give you a raise.” Listening to her usual empty promises, I couldn’t help but crack a smile. She had no idea that the deal was already ruined because of her. And the client, who brought in 90% of our company’s profits, was so offended they planned to blacklist her and her company entirely. By the time she and Blake returned from their trip, the company would be bankrupt.
After successfully closing the renewal deal with our long-standing major client, I had just bought them a coffee and was about to share the good news with Victoria when her message popped up first: “Alex, are you trying to fly to the moon? Twenty bucks for one cup of coffee? Are the coffee beans made of gold or something?” On the phone, Victoria’s voice was exceptionally loud. Even without speakerphone, the entire coffee shop could hear her clearly. I felt a burning flush creep up my neck. I forced an awkward smile at the client and rushed outside the shop to explain: “Vicky, I’m treating a client. This client is crucial; they’re our company’s lifeblood…” But Victoria scoffed, cutting me off. “Look at you, all high and mighty now. I’m not in the office, so no one’s watching you, and you finally found a chance to spend money, right?” “Today, it’s twenty bucks for coffee. Next, will it be two thousand for a client dinner? And then two hundred thousand for gifts to maintain the relationship? Look at Blake; he never needs all this for business deals. If you’re not capable, stop making excuses. Go get that money refunded right now. I’m still on a business trip with Blake, I don’t have time to waste on you.” I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Right. Blake, of course, didn’t need any of those social graces. Because he was Victoria’s most trusted assistant. Blake had only been with the company for less than three months but had already taken on numerous projects, basking in glory. But no one knew that those were all deals my colleagues and I had already secured. Victoria had simply used the excuse that “the company should be like a warm family” to demand we cater to Blake, forcing us to unconditionally hand over our projects and clients to him. As for me, Victoria only gave me a meager $200 allowance each month. I was practically starving, surviving on cheap, generic ramen noodles bought in bulk, barely enough for two meals a day. My bargain-bin shoes, bought for less than ten bucks online, would fall apart constantly, and I just kept gluing them back together with Super Glue, over and over again. Because I couldn’t even afford to treat clients to a meal, I’d been sneered at by clients more times than I could count, so I had no choice but to constantly refine my proposals, often pulling all-nighters, organizing data and documents until three or four in the morning. But Victoria simply ignored all my efforts. Or perhaps, she just didn’t care. Snapping back to reality, I took a deep breath and pleaded softly: “Victoria, I finally secured this deal. Can we just… not do this? Just for my sake.” Victoria snorted coldly. “I’ve only been away for a few days, and your wings have grown, haven’t they? And ‘respect’? What’s your ‘respect’ even worth?” “If everyone in the company handled deals as lavishly as you, how would we even stay in business?” “Alright, I’ll ask you one thing: are you going to get the refund or not?” I glanced back at the client, who was growing visibly impatient, and clenched my teeth. “Vicky, believe me, this time…” But the next second, the call was abruptly cut. I couldn’t help but smile wryly. Victoria was always like this. Any slight inconvenience, and she’d immediately throw a tantrum and give me the silent treatment. But at least I had survived this hurdle for now. If Victoria was just angry, there was still a chance to explain later. However, Aether Corp. was a top-tier leader in the industry. If we pissed them off, not only would future collaborations be dead, but our standing in the entire industry would be jeopardized. I put my phone away and returned to the coffee shop to discuss the follow-up cooperation with the client. We hadn’t spoken more than a few sentences when the barista approached with two large iced Americanos. Just as I reached for them, the barista sneered and *dumped* both cups directly over my client’s head and mine. “Look at you two, so high and mighty, talking big about multi-million dollar deals, yet you can’t even afford a twenty-dollar coffee and demand a refund?” “Don’t you just love scamming people? Well, today, it’s on the house! Drink up!” Suddenly, all the customers in the shop turned their heads, staring at us. “No way, they can’t even afford a twenty-dollar coffee? And they have the nerve to pretend to be business elites?” “Isn’t that the Aether Corp. logo? I thought they were a top-tier industry leader. Still scrounging for freebies when they come out to do business? Doesn’t look so good.” Listening to the whispers around us, the client’s face immediately darkened. He looked straight at me. “Mr. Chen, I expect an explanation.” I quickly apologized, offering him a tissue, before turning to the barista. “Sir, I already paid. Are you mistaken?” The barista looked disgusted. “Don’t play dumb with me. I’ve seen plenty of your type.” “Dare you swear that the person threatening to leave bad reviews every day if I didn’t refund wasn’t you?” With that, the barista shoved his phone screen in my face. The text message showed the other person threatening the barista for a refund, or they would leave bad reviews daily. And that number was Victoria’s. A wave of bitterness washed over me. I had clearly told her I was on a business meeting. In her eyes, was my career and my reputation less important than twenty dollars? After a long moment, I sighed softly, ready to pay to smooth things over. But the next second, the payment page flashed a “password incorrect” message. Before I could react, Victoria’s triumphant message came through: “Who said it couldn’t be refunded? You should be thrilled to have such a thrifty, budget-savvy girlfriend like me.” “Oh, and I changed the password. Consider it a lesson for talking back. You can walk home today.” Seeing me hesitate to pay, the barista lost patience. Just as he was about to lay hands on me, the client stepped in and paid ten times the amount. I was about to thank him for his help, but the client looked down at the now-damp contract, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it into the trash. “Mr. Chen, I don’t see the need for this cooperation anymore.” “The person on the phone just now, was that your company’s Ms. Lin? We’ve cooperated for five years, yet in Ms. Lin’s eyes, I’m not even worth a single cup of coffee. This isn’t just an insult to me; it’s a blatant disregard for Aether Corp. itself.” “I will report everything that happened today to headquarters.” I panicked, quickly grabbing his arm and bowing apologetically. After all, Aether Corp. was our partner, accounting for 90% of the company’s profits. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say they supported the entire company. “Ms. Davies, I apologize on Victoria’s behalf. She might just be in a bad mood today…” But before I could finish, the client shrugged off my hand and left without looking back. I quickly pulled out my phone, ready to tell Victoria the news. After all, Mr. Henderson of Aether Corp. was infamous for his massive ego and how much he valued respect in the industry. Other suppliers had been blacklisted simply for not giving him the first toast at industry events—a sign of deep disrespect to him. Not to mention, today, our company had caused his company’s reputation to suffer. I had to act fast, before the matter was reported to headquarters. There was still a chance to salvage things. But I called Victoria ten times in a row, and no one picked up. As I was about to send her a message, I saw Blake’s Ins feed. It was a freshly recorded, cringey short video. In the video, Blake sat on the hood of a luxury sports car, striking a ‘deep’ pose, with a special caption: “That feeling when you share a video, and the next second, what’s in it is right in front of you? Priceless.” In the bottom right corner of the video, Victoria had even spent twenty thousand dollars to buy him a local trending promotion. The video’s likes kept climbing, but my heart grew colder and colder. All these years, no matter how incredibly stingy Victoria was with me, I always thought it was because she had been abandoned by her parents and grew up in poverty, which made her so afraid of being poor. I thought that’s why she developed such a personality. So, no matter how cheap or demanding she was with me, I always just smiled it off. But now, I finally realized. It wasn’t that she was reluctant to spend money. It was just that I wasn’t worth it. I gave a bitter, ironic laugh and casually liked Blake’s video. Everyone at the company knew that Blake and I didn’t get along. It was like throwing a rock into a still pond—ripples exploded everywhere. Soon, many colleagues were in the comment section, gobbling up the drama. Victoria called then. “Alex, can’t you just make my life easier for once?” “Blake’s young, so his words can be a bit naive sometimes, but you shouldn’t cause a scene on social media. What will other employees think of him if they see this?” “Go hand over that deal to Blake, then clarify in the company group chat that I did it to celebrate his success. When I get back from my business trip, I’ll promote you and give you a raise.” From the other end of the line, I could still hear Blake’s fake, whiny sobs, intermingled with Victoria’s words. I couldn’t help but laugh, a harsh, bitter sound. Even at this point, Victoria’s only concern was Blake. Since she clearly didn’t care about me at all, why should I break my back managing her company for her? Snapping back to reality, I scoffed. “Can’t do it.” Victoria was stunned, about to erupt in anger and threats, but I didn’t give her the chance. I hung up directly. Just then, the client sent me a file. It was a draft lawsuit from Aether Corp. They said it had already been submitted for processing and would be approved in three days at most. In the past, I probably would have called immediately, groveled and begged for forgiveness. But now, I just smiled faintly and replied with a simple “okay.” Three days. Victoria should be back from her trip by then. I wondered what expression she’d have on her face when she returned and realized she had completely ruined the company herself!
As soon as I replied, Blake’s video, which had just been trending locally, vanished. In its place was a ridiculously long “apology” post, spanning thousands of words, set to some sappy, over-dramatic music titled “We’re All Just Trying to Live.” I quickly skimmed it. It basically said he was just excited about closing a big deal and got carried away with a viral trend, never expecting to upset my supposedly “fragile ego.” Now, he claimed he was losing sleep and appetite, hoping for my forgiveness. It was less an apology and more a provocation. But Victoria couldn’t see through it. Or perhaps, it was a subtle warning from her. Soon, as Blake continued to embellish the truth in his post, his narrative gained momentum. The comment section was flooded with sympathetic and comforting messages for him. “Blake, I’m with you! Alex, that stingy, penny-pinching miser! We helped him so much, but after closing millions in sales, he wouldn’t even treat us to dinner, let alone a bubble tea. Don’t let him get to you!” “Exactly! He’s just jealous and trying to get under your skin because you get to travel with Victoria!” Many of the comments were from subordinates I had personally trained. Yet, now, they were all speaking up for Blake. I wasn’t surprised. Ever since Blake, despite only having an associate’s degree, was given a special promotion and parachuted in as Victoria’s personal assistant three months ago, Victoria spared no expense in networking for him and treating people to meals in the office. Within a week, everyone got the hint about Victoria’s intentions and started pandering to Blake. As for the old loyalists who insisted on performance-based results and spoke up for me? Over the past three months, they were either targeted with impossible tasks until they quit, or they were demoted to entry-level positions in distant branch offices for even a minor mistake. As for the business trip with Victoria, I was originally the chosen one. A week ago, Victoria, to reward me for becoming the top salesperson again that quarter, used the excuse of a business trip to say she’d take me to the beach I dreamed of, to feel the sea breeze. But the very next day, when the official notice came out, the person going on the trip was Blake. Even Blake’s selfie had replaced my photo as the sales champion on the incentive board. I was fuming and confronted Victoria. But she claimed she kept me back because she didn’t trust anyone else. She needed a “general” like me to hold down the fort. It was laughable. At the time, I was so touched, thinking I had finally earned Victoria’s trust. Looking back now, it was just another one of her manipulation tactics. Snapping back to reality, I was about to exit the app when Victoria replied in the comment section: “Ultimately, actions speak louder than words. To certain individuals, I say: Just watch yourself!” She didn’t name names, but immediately, dozens more comments insulting me appeared below. I couldn’t be bothered to read them anymore. I walked straight back to the company, intending to find HR and resign. After all, Victoria had already offended the industry leader. There was no point in staying with a doomed company. Better to resign early and find some peace. But as soon as I entered the office, many people quietly lowered their heads, stifling laughter, seeing my wet hair and shirt. I was used to it. I went directly to HR and requested to resign. The HR person just glanced at me out of the corner of their eye, then went back to playing on their phone. “Ms. Lin isn’t here, so she can’t sign. Unless she personally approves.” I immediately called Victoria, but the call was hung up instantly. Then Victoria sent a message: “What, anxious now?” “Too late!” “You didn’t just hurt Blake’s delicate feelings; you also severely affected the company atmosphere. Unless you personally apologize to him and hand over your current projects, you can just get lost!” Victoria had threatened me like this more than once. After all, my salary and savings were all in her hands. She was so sure I wouldn’t dare to quit easily. Before, I would always admit my mistakes and apologize, but this time, I had no patience left. I showed the chat history directly to HR. HR was stunned for a moment, then told me to come collect my resignation certificate tomorrow. But no sooner had I left than Victoria called me. “Alex, it’s working hours. I checked the monitors, why aren’t you at the office?” I didn’t explain, and I couldn’t be bothered to. Anyway, Victoria didn’t really care where I was or what I was doing. Seeing my silence, Victoria scoffed, as if she had expected this. “Absent without leave during working hours? Your quarterly bonus will be completely wiped out.” It seemed she still didn’t know I had already resigned. Before I could speak, Blake’s voice came through on the line, interjecting on my behalf: “Vicky, Alex might really have something important to deal with.” “He works hard too. How about I pay for this out of my own pocket?” Victoria was unfazed. “What’s so hard about Alex’s job? He’s probably just using ‘business’ as an excuse to go out and mess around.” I gave an ironic smile. Ever since I joined Victoria’s company, I had practically worked overtime every day until late at night. Even after the company found its footing, I was still the first one in the department every day and the last one to leave. Over these past seven years, half of the company’s client data was collected by me, door-to-door, one by one. There were times I faced outright hostility—getting spat on or having leftovers thrown at me was considered a mild inconvenience. But Victoria simply ignored all my efforts. Seeing my continued silence, Victoria, thinking I had chickened out, smiled triumphantly. “Admit you were wrong?” I nodded and hummed in agreement. Yes, I was wrong. Wrong for not seeing her true colors sooner, wrong for letting myself be miserable for seven years. Hearing this, Victoria thought I was genuinely repentant and seemed in a much better mood. She proactively asked: “Oh, right, why did you call me so urgently earlier today?” I simply brushed it off. “Nothing, just didn’t have money for the bus.” A triumphant laugh came from the other end of the line, and then she sent me a fifty-dollar Venmo payment. “Alright, don’t be so petty. The fried chicken place downstairs has a Thursday discount. Take this 50 and treat yourself to something nice.” I was momentarily stunned, thinking Victoria had changed her ways. But the next second, she changed her tone. “Oh, right, Blake and I will be back at the office tomorrow. Didn’t you say you negotiated a big deal? Remember to get the contract ready beforehand. If we’re going to put on a show, we might as well do it right.” I scoffed. Turns out, she was still doing it for Blake. I was about to refuse when a message from the Aether Corp. client popped up. “Today is the deadline. Since your company refuses to negotiate with us, our legal team will be at your office tomorrow. You have been warned.” No doubt, they hadn’t been able to reach Victoria. After all, she was still in a fit of rage, with only Blake on her mind. Who cared about business? Thinking this, I suddenly let out a cold laugh. “Fine. I agree to hand over all clients and projects to Blake.”
Seeing that I actually agreed to hand over the projects I had worked so hard to secure, Victoria was momentarily stunned, then smiled triumphantly. “See? Wouldn’t that have been easier?” “Given how sensible you’re being, I’ll consider that raise later.” With that, Victoria hung up. But she had no idea that she would never get a raise again. By the time she returned tomorrow, the company would be ruined. … The next day, I arrived to pick up my resignation certificate as HR had instructed. As soon as I entered, I ran right into Blake, who had just returned from the business trip. The moment he saw me, Blake couldn’t wait to show off all the luxury items Victoria had bought him during their three-day trip. “Alex, look at you. Your clothes and shoes combined, forget a hundred bucks, do they even cost fifty?” “You work yourself to death with all that overtime, and in the end, it all just benefits me, doesn’t it?” “If you still want to stay at this company, hurry up and hand over those contracts. Otherwise… I can’t guarantee what might happen to you.” Listening to Blake’s threats, I just smiled faintly. “You’re too late. The contracts are gone.” Blake frowned. “You gave them to someone else?” I glanced out the window and sneered. “I threw them away a long time ago.” Blake was so furious he was about to raise his hand, but then he saw Victoria approaching and immediately started putting on an act. “Alex, I know you must be upset that a new guy like me closed such a huge deal.” “But I was doing it for the company. How could you just throw away the contract?” Victoria immediately glared at me. “Alex, you should know, I hate people who don’t keep their word.” “If you don’t want to get fired, hurry up and re-sign a contract.” Hearing that, I simply handed her my resignation certificate. “Excuse me, I’ve already resigned.” Victoria was stunned for a moment, then, as if realizing something, she scoffed. “Alex, do you think I’m still some naive girl fresh out of college?” “That kind of manipulative game doesn’t work on me anymore.” “I knew you’d back out, so I already had HR use the system to contact the client. They’re on their way. Your resignation means nothing.” Suddenly, colleagues from across the department were secretly laughing at me, thinking I had brought this on myself, that I really thought I was the main event of the company. But I just looked out the window. A black Maybach had pulled up downstairs. It was Mr. Henderson’s private car from Aether Corp. Seeing their CEO personally arrive, Blake instantly beamed with delight. “Vicky, it looks like they really value their cooperation with us; even Mr. Henderson came himself!” “And he brought his legal team too! They must be so afraid we’ll break the contract.” The words had barely left his lips when Mr. Henderson stormed in, radiating fury. He swept his gaze over everyone. “Who is responsible for this cooperation?” Hearing that, Victoria smiled and stepped forward. “Mr. Henderson, I’m the head of the company. This cooperation was personally handled by our sales champion, Blake.” Watching Victoria’s triumphant expression, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She really had no shame when she lied. Blake had been out of town, yet she still claimed it was his achievement. But this time, she would finally pay the price for her greed. Sure enough. The moment the words left her lips, Mr. Henderson instructed someone to bring two cups of iced coffee. As Blake and Victoria smiled, reaching out to take them, Mr. Henderson snorted coldly. Without a word, he snatched the cups and splashed their contents directly onto their faces. “Didn’t you say our company wasn’t worthy of such high-class coffee?” “Legal team, issue an immediate industry-wide notice: Aether Corp. is severing all ties with VCM Solutions. Any company that chooses to collaborate with them will face the same blacklisting!”
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