The new intern, Chloe, was obsessed with splitting everything down the middle. I’d paid six thousand for a double room on a business trip. She volunteered to handle the reimbursement, and after her “AA” calculation, I didn’t get a single penny back. “Ashley, you went back to the hotel earlier than me, so you stayed there four more hours a day.” “You’re taller than me, so you eat more food and take up more space in the taxi.” “Plus, there’s my service fee for booking the taxi.” Later, when I brought her onto a project, all she did was print documents and order takeout. Yet, she shamelessly demanded an equal split of the bonus. “Ashley, we did this project together. It’s only fair if we AA the bonus, fifty thousand each.” My colleagues all told me she had it tough, coming from a small town, and urged me to be more understanding. Until she unilaterally altered a proposal, causing a glitch in another project, which required a thirty-thousand dollar compensation. Her eyes red, she told me: “Ashley, let’s AA the responsibility. Your salary is higher, so you take the thirty thousand, and I’ll go apologize to the client, okay?” I rejected her absurd proposal. During our argument, she pushed me off the eighteenth-floor balcony. Meanwhile, those same colleagues who’d preached generosity were on a beach in Bali, popping champagne with *my* bonus, laughing and mocking me. “Ashley doesn’t have any backbone. She jumps off a building the moment things go wrong. Good riddance, though. Her jumping to her death is probably for the best.” When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day she asked me for the expense receipts. This time, I was going to let everyone experience the joy of going Chloe’s way of “AA.” … “Ashley, I’ll handle the reimbursement for this business trip.” Chloe’s sweet voice chirped in my ear. My body stiffened. I looked up at Chloe. Seeing that familiar, hypocritical face, I realized I had been reborn. In my last life, I handed her the receipts for the six thousand dollars I’d fronted for the hotel. Every last cent went straight into her pocket. I’d pressed her multiple times, but she’d whipped out a calculator and, with her twisted logic of “AA,” managed to justify keeping every single dollar. Later, Mr. Davison put her on my new project. She was just an intern, with zero experience. Her daily tasks involved printing documents and picking up packages. While I pulled all-nighters working on proposals, she’d clock out on time and head back to her dorm to binge-watch shows. Because the first phase of the project went exceptionally well, the client unexpectedly expanded the scope, and the project bonus increased to a hundred thousand dollars. When Chloe heard the news, her eyes lit up. She practically ran to my desk. “Ashley, we did this project together, so the bonus should be AA, too. Fifty thousand each, that’s only fair.” She said it with such righteous conviction. “I put in effort too. Hard work isn’t ranked by status or skill.” “Printing documents is a technical skill. How could your project have succeeded without the documents I printed?” I was about to refuse, but those so-called “good” colleagues in the office immediately stepped in to smooth things over. I thought about her tough background; fifty thousand seemed like a donation to a good cause. So, I nodded and agreed. Then, in another project, she unilaterally altered a proposal, causing millions in losses. She was on the hook for thirty thousand in damages. The project had nothing to do with me, but she came to me, her eyes red with tears. “Ashley, it’s only because you didn’t mentor me that I made a mistake.” “Let’s AA the responsibility. Your salary is high, so you take the thirty thousand.” “I’ll just swallow my pride and bow deeply to apologize to the client, okay?” I had never met anyone so utterly shameless. Besides, this was about my career and reputation. I flat-out refused. She immediately started a fight with me. A few colleagues in the office sided with her, saying I wasn’t being generous enough, unwilling to help a newcomer. In the midst of the argument, Chloe pushed me off the eighteenth floor. And she’d dangled the project bonus in front of them, so they outright lied, claiming I’d committed suicide due to a project error. After collecting their bonuses, they popped champagne on a beach in Bali, celebrating. They sang and danced, partying for an entire week. They’d even occasionally mock me, calling me stupid and clumsy, saying my death was for the best. Thinking of this, my jaw clenched, and my face darkened. Chloe’s “AA” system wasn’t just about splitting money or credit; it was about splitting blame, and even taking a life. “Ashley, what’s wrong?” Jessica, sitting beside me, nudged me with her elbow, pulling me back to reality. “Chloe is kindly offering to help with your reimbursement, why are you frowning? Don’t always act like such a superior senior.” Megan chimed in from the side. “Exactly! She’s trying to be nice, your expression is terrible.” It was those two again. In my last life, it was Jessica and Megan, constantly whispering in my ear about Chloe being a poor small-town girl who needed extra care. They talked me into softening my stance. Not only did I overlook those small travel expenses, but I even bought Chloe several designer gifts. Now I saw clearly: these two were just sacrificing me to curry favor with Chloe, playing the good cop. They just had to open their mouths to earn a reputation for kindness and generosity, while the idiot who paid and did all the work was me. A cold laugh echoed in my mind. Too bad. This life, I would never “AA” with Chloe again. I couldn’t wait to see if they’d still be smiling when they were forced to participate in Chloe’s “AA” game. 2. I smiled and shook my head at Chloe. “No need. You’re new, and this is your time to learn and observe. I wouldn’t want such a small task to hinder your progress.” Chloe’s sweet smile flickered, then quickly returned. “It’s no trouble at all, Ashley. Just a little favor!” “Oh, no, that won’t do.” I feigned seriousness. “Your future is paramount. I’ll handle it myself.” She started to say more, but I’d already turned away, cutting off her opportunity to speak. Last life, I’d agreed to her “help” and ended up losing all six thousand dollars I’d paid upfront. This life, I flat-out refused and decided to handle my own reimbursement. I wanted to see how she’d “AA” this money without the receipts. At lunchtime, I happily ate my meal and leisurely returned to my cubicle. Chloe, on the other hand, was noticeably anxious and distracted during lunch. Back at my desk, I focused on writing my proposal, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Chloe fidgeting beside me. She kept stealing glances my way, clearly wanting to say something but holding back. I pretended not to notice. It wasn’t until three in the afternoon that I calmly printed out the reimbursement form, pulled out the receipts, and carefully glued them on. Chloe’s eyes followed my every move, her agitation growing visibly. When I finally stood up, ready to head to accounting, she couldn’t hold it in anymore and practically lunged in front of me. “Ashley, um… could you give me the receipts?” I raised an eyebrow. “Why would I do that?” “I just calculated it carefully. We agreed to go Dutch, so this entire reimbursement should go to me.” I let out a cold laugh. All six thousand dollars? Her audacity knew no bounds. I wondered what new trick she’d pull this time. I feigned surprise. “All six thousand to you? Didn’t we stay in the hotel together? It should at least be half each. I’ll take three thousand.” “But we agreed to go AA!” Chloe immediately perked up. I nodded. “Right, AA.” She cleared her throat and began her elaborate calculation. “On the business trip, Ashley, you went back to the hotel to rest by 7 PM every day, while I didn’t get back until 11 PM. You stayed an extra four hours a day.” “Based on usage time, you should cover two-thirds of the room fee, which is four thousand dollars.” The classic calculation, word for word from my last life. I played along. “Alright, deducting four thousand, that leaves two thousand. That should be mine, right?” “No, not even that two thousand,” Chloe immediately shook her head. “I paid upfront for all the food and taxis.” “Ashley, you know, you’re ten centimeters taller than me. You take up more space in the car.” “And you eat more than I do. You should pay more for that portion of the expenses.” She meticulously counted on her fingers, clearly enjoying herself. “Food and taxis totaled two thousand. Proportionally, you owe me one thousand three hundred.” “Also, I used my ride-sharing app account, so you need to pay me a usage fee per day.” It was the same old spiel, no new material whatsoever. I watched her coldly, saying nothing. Seeing my lack of reaction, Chloe quickly added. “Originally, I even charge a service fee for booking rides. We called twenty rides over ten days, fifty dollars each, that’s a thousand in total.” “But seeing as you brought me on the business trip, I’ll give you a 30% discount, so you only owe seven hundred.” She finished, giving me a look that implied I’d just gotten an amazing deal. “So you don’t need to transfer any money to me. The reimbursement money will be just enough for me.” The air was silent for a few seconds. I raised my hand and gently clapped a few times. Chloe was stunned by my action, frozen in place. *** [Paywall] *** 3. I chuckled softly, looking at Chloe. “You’re quite good at math.” I picked up the reimbursement form, tapping it with my finger. “However, I think you might have some misunderstandings about company policy and basic common sense.” “Hotel accommodation, taxi fares, and meal expenses are all reimbursed per person according to standard rates.” “The hotel we stayed at charges per room night.” “Whether you want to sleep in it for twenty-four hours, or go out sightseeing and not be in it for a minute, that’s entirely up to you.” “Those extra four hours I spent there weren’t me occupying *your* time; it was *you* choosing to go out and forgo your right to use the room.” She opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but I waved my hand, cutting her off directly. “When we took taxis, we rode in a business class vehicle, which is very spacious.” “The back seat was roomy enough to fit three more of you. If you wanted more space, you could have totally laid down, I wouldn’t have minded.” I paused, watching her face gradually turn pale. “You’re short and eat little, and you always left a huge amount of food unfinished every time we ordered.” “I didn’t touch your portion. It all went to waste because of you.” “Feel like you lost money? Go ask the restaurant owner if they’ll refund you for leftovers.” Chloe’s face flushed then paled, clearly not expecting me to calculate things so meticulously. Her eyes darted around, and she immediately adopted a wronged tone. “Then… then there should be a service fee for me helping to book the rides, right?” “Ashley, you know I’m from a small town. My family is poor, and I have two younger brothers still in school.” “Your salary is so high, a small service fee isn’t too much to ask, is it?” Here we go again, using emotional blackmail to appeal to my pity. “First time I’ve heard of a forced service fee.” I retorted directly. “You didn’t tell me you’d be charging beforehand, otherwise, I could have used my own account.” “Besides, the hotel front desk can book cars, so your service wasn’t even necessary.” Her voice grew frantic. “But you *did* enjoy my service!” I put on a thoughtful expression. “Indeed. How about this: in the future, I’ll book taxis for you to deduct the cost.” “Do you need a taxi to go home today? Or… should I call one for you right now?” I made to pick up my phone, and Chloe’s face completely darkened. She was so angry her lips trembled, her eyes welled up, and tears began to gather. Sure enough, the office “saints,” Jessica and Megan, immediately gathered around. “Ashley, isn’t that a bit much?” Jessica frowned. “Chloe’s family isn’t well off, and you’re being so calculative.” “Exactly! Your salary is so high, and you’re so cheap.” “It’s just a little money? Is it really worth it?” “Just a little money”? Six thousand dollars! Chloe was an intern; her monthly salary wasn’t even six thousand. Jessica glared at me, patting Chloe’s back to comfort her. “It’s okay, Chloe. Next time, I’ll go AA with you. I won’t let you take this kind of unfair hit!” I looked at these two moving statues of “saints” in front of me and almost burst out laughing. Memories from my previous life told me Chloe was not easy to deal with. She would never be content with just a verbal advantage. I waited to see their spectacular “AA” drama unfold. Hopefully, their wallets would be as tough as their mouths then. Before long, Mr. Davison specifically assigned me to the Summit Corp. project. I had ten years of experience and was recognized as the company’s ace employee. As soon as the news spread, Chloe immediately scurried over to find me. “Ashley, you’re incredible! Summit Corp. is such a huge project, and the company gave it all to you!” “Ashley, can I work with you on it? I really want to learn from you.” In my past life, I thought she genuinely wanted to learn. Not only did I teach her a lot of professional knowledge, but I also shared my experience without reservation when we did planning. But she was utterly useless, her work always sloppy. The project was urgent, so I could only assign her tasks like printing and mailing documents. Who would have thought she’d end up trying to take half my bonus just for those mundane chores? I replied coldly. “I’m too busy lately. No time to mentor you.” She immediately put on a pitiful expression. “Ashley, I truly want to learn from you.” “I admit I’m a small-town girl, inexperienced, but I really want to achieve something with my own abilities.” I didn’t even look up, my eyes fixed on the computer screen. “I really don’t have the time.” “You can find someone else.” This time, I would never give her another opportunity to take advantage. She wouldn’t even get to touch a single sheet of printer paper. With that, I completely ignored her and immersed myself in my work. Chloe turned and walked away. I secretly glanced at her. I saw her expression of injustice morph into a flicker of resentment. My heart sank. As expected, she wouldn’t give up easily. 4. I hadn’t had a moment of peace when Mr. Davison walked over, a scowl on his face. “Ashley, what’s going on with you? Are you living too comfortably?” His tone was harsh, and the office instantly fell silent, several curious gazes fixed on my back. “An intern wants to learn from you, why did you refuse? You started as a junior too, how can you lack such empathy?” “It’s not easy for a young girl from a small town to have ambition. Being so cold, aren’t you being a bit too malicious?” “Are you perhaps afraid she’ll surpass you? So petty.” He barraged me with sarcasm, and I silently rolled my eyes. Plenty of people came from humble beginnings, but I’d never seen anyone as opportunistic as her. In my last life, they were able to successfully split my bonus not just because Jessica and Megan lied, but also with Mr. Davison’s help. After I was reborn, I investigated and found out that Chloe was his son’s college girlfriend. She got the internship through him. Company policy clearly stated that relatives needed to avoid conflicts of interest, so his son couldn’t get in. That slot naturally fell to his “future daughter-in-law.” No wonder he was so quick to accuse me. I couldn’t be bothered with him, but maintained basic politeness. “Mr. Davison, I’m truly too busy and don’t have time to mentor Chloe. I’m afraid I’d waste her talent.” “It’s fine. Her talent is high, she doesn’t need you to teach her; she can learn just by observing.” Mr. Davison waved his hand, cutting me off directly. “This project is quite challenging and difficult to get a handle on. Learning also requires a gradual approach. Let Chloe start with entry-level—” “No need to say more.” He waved a dismissive hand, making a snap decision. “Alright, it’s settled. Chloe will follow you and assist you. With an extra person, work can be completed faster. This is an order.” What more could I say? He was the boss, after all. I nodded. “Understood, Mr. Davison.” Chloe thus became an inescapable fixture in my project team. She would half-ass her work daily, always cutting corners on assigned tasks, not even bothering with basic formatting. Sometimes, when I asked her to organize documents, she’d misspell client names. Still, out of professionalism, I diligently worked on the Summit Corp. project. Revenge was one thing, but Summit Corp. hadn’t wronged me; I couldn’t let personal grudges interfere with work. Soon, Phase One of the project concluded successfully, exceeding all expectations. Just like in my last life, Mr. Davison announced cheerfully in the meeting. “Great news! Summit Corp. is extremely satisfied with our proposal. Not only did they approve Phase One, but they’ve also decided to increase the budget. The boss has personally authorized a hundred thousand dollar bonus for the project team!” Applause filled the conference room; everyone was excited. My internal alarm bells, however, were ringing. The familiar script was about to play out again. Sure enough, Chloe suddenly stood up to speak. “Mr. Davison, I think the ‘AA’ system is popular now, and the bonus distribution plan should be fairer.” She cleared her throat, looking utterly righteous. “Many interns also put in work and should be included in the bonus distribution. Hard work isn’t ranked by status or skill, after all.” Mr. Davison immediately loudly agreed. “Chloe has excellent ideas! We truly should consider the contributions of all participants.” Jessica and Megan instantly chimed in to support her. “Exactly! Chloe stays late every day; we all see it.” “It’s a hundred thousand dollars! What’s wrong with giving some to the interns? Ashley, you’re not that stingy, are you?” I watched these few people playing off each other and almost applauded. Same script, same lines. Here we go again. In my last life, she used this trick to successfully snatch half of my bonus. A full fifty thousand dollars had landed in Chloe’s pocket. Reborn this time, I was prepared. Under the varied gazes of everyone, I didn’t get angry. Instead, I smiled. “Well said. Chloe’s suggestion? I wholeheartedly approve.” “I also have a suggestion, which happens to be a perfect complement to Chloe’s.” I stood up and activated the computer projector.
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