During Black Friday, the intelligent system I develop helps the company run highly targeted ads and brings in 30 million dollars in revenue. But when I apply for the project bonus, the director rejects it.

"The system is just an auxiliary tool. The performance belongs to the sales department."

I hold back my frustration and pull up the system logs. "88% of the orders come from the system's targeted pushes. According to company policy, I should receive a 0.5% commission."

The director glances at me, twirling his pen. "If the sales commission doesn't go to the sales department, should it go to you? And your lousy system exceeds the API limit and racks up extra fees. You still owe us a hundred thousand dollars. We'll deduct that from your salary."

Three days before Christmas sales are set to begin, the system completely shuts down because of API restrictions.

Late at night, the director calls me.

I stare at my computer screen. "Since the system is just an auxiliary tool, why don't you start with manual targeting?"

"Excess usage was a necessary optimization to achieve the best delivery results, and the adjustment was properly filed in advance," I explained.

I placed the filing record on the director's desk.

Tristan Hayes tore it in half the moment it touched the surface. "Stop shifting blame. Your system has caused the company measurable financial damage."

He threw me out of his office. As I turned, I caught sight of Wesley Pierce, the sales manager, slipping inside with a fawning smile plastered across his face.

"Look at him," someone muttered nearby. "Every time he sees Mr. Hayes, he turns into a lapdog."

"Well, he's part of Mr. Hayes' inner circle. Any good news always goes to the sales division first."

"What do you expect? Sales bring in revenue. When it's our finance department, the question is always the same. What do you contribute? What profit have you created?"

"Speaking of contributions, the biggest one during Black Friday came from Ms. Lynn."

A few coworkers had been killing time and venting about management. When they noticed me, their curiosity lit up.

"Right, Ms. Lynn's new smart-push system nailed the targeting. Products sold out across the board. They had to open several new production lines just to keep up with shipping."

"Ms. Lynn, you're the company's star this time. You broke the Black Friday record with 30 million dollars in orders. You must be getting a huge bonus."

I gave an awkward smile. Before I could answer, a notification popped up in the company group chat.

"During Black Friday, the sales division generated 30 million dollars in product sales. Commission awarded: 150,000 dollars.

"In accordance with company policy, monthly sales exceeding ten million dollars will earn the sales division an additional 50,000 dollars."

The room filled with whispers, and sympathy flickered across my coworkers' faces.

"I thought having my proposal stolen and paraded in front of the CEO was bad enough. Turns out Ms. Lynn has it worse."

I steadied myself and returned to my desk. The technical division group chat was already in uproar.

"So as long as something is sold, the credit belongs to sales? They have no shame."

"Why does the sales division get everything? We were the ones pulling all-nighters to keep the system running, but every bonus ends up in their pocket."

"What am I supposed to do? I've been counting on that bonus to pay for my dad's medical bills."

I was about to message the coworker who needed the money when another notification appeared. It was a public reprimand by Tristan.

"The system built by Jenna Lynn, from the technical division, has incurred an additional cost of 100,000 dollars, causing financial loss to the company. This amount will be deducted from Jenna's salary as a disciplinary measure."

A quiet, humorless laugh rose from my throat.

When I joined the company, they taught us to focus on what we could give the company, not what the company could give us.

I had delivered 30 million dollars in revenue.

As for what the company could give me in return? A bill for 100,000 dollars.

Without a word, I backed up the complete system code and database.

Seeing that I hadn't responded, Tristan tagged me again.

"@Technical Division Jenna. Are you dissatisfied with the company's disciplinary decision? If so, the entire technical division can share the penalty."

I hadn't expected him to stoop so low, using my team as leverage to force my submission. And with one of my team members urgently needing money, I couldn't let him suffer because of my refusal to bow.

I replied to Tristan's message. "Noted, no objection."

Tristan was clearly pleased with himself after using me as an example. A few eager sycophants immediately chimed in, praising his decisiveness.

I opened my email and looked at the confirmation notice that my patent application had been approved.

I hoped Tristan would show the same lack of objection when he was asked to answer for the financial damage he had caused the company.

"Ms. Lynn, you absolutely have to come to tomorrow's celebration."

Wesley passed by my desk and made sure to savor the word "celebration", as if repeating his victory aloud made it shine more brightly.

His posturing didn't faze me. There was no point barking back at someone who behaved like a dog. Only after he left did everyone start complaining.

"I'm done with this. They always schedule team events on weekends."

"Who wants to spend their weekends with the same people from work?"

I offered a few absentminded consolations while checking the next day's schedule.

That weekend, I simply switched my phone to Do Not Disturb. I had no interest in watching their little office-politics pageant.

When I walked into the office on Monday, Tristan immediately launched into a passive-aggressive tirade.

"Jenna, who do you think you are? The notice went out before the end of the workday on Friday. Every employee was required to attend the celebration, and you were the only one missing. What is it? Do you have a problem with the company or a problem with me?"

I kept my tone even. "Mr. Hayes, the announcement came at the end of the day on Friday. I had already made plans for the weekend."

"And only you have plans? Everyone has families and lives, yet they all changed their schedules. Are you trying to be special?"

Wesley quickly joined in, clutching Tristan's coattails. I reached into my briefcase and laid a medical appointment slip on the desk.

"This doctor requires booking an appointment six months in advance. Not even money guarantees a slot. If I had skipped my weekend appointment, could you have secured me another for next week? It was a hospital visit. I assume that isn't unreasonable from a humanitarian viewpoint."

Wesley choked, his face flushing and paling in turns before he managed to sputter, "Still, you shouldn't have been absent. It was a night of honor for the whole company. You don't take the company seriously."

"Right, the celebration is a major company event. How could you not have planned ahead? Announcing it only one day in advance shows exactly how little the company matters to you. What kind of work attitude is that?

"And why not schedule it on a weekday? Is it because holding it on a weekend conveniently avoids the need for anyone to request leave?"

I let their accusations hang for a moment, then turned their logic back on them.

My coworkers exchanged glances of silent applause, as if I had voiced the frustration they had been swallowing for months.

Sensing the shift in the room, Tristan moved quickly to regain control.

"Jenna," he said, turning the accusation into a verdict, "your behavior shows a lack of team awareness. You insist on doing things your own way. Effective today, you're reassigned to the sales division so you can learn what teamwork actually looks like. Everett will take over as head of the technical division."

Everyone looked at me. Some were indignant, some shocked, and some suddenly enlightened.

"So that's it. He's been giving Ms. Lynn trouble just to clear the seat."

"No wonder he personally handled the final interview. That candidate really is a relative of his."

"Of course. He controls sales, but Ms. Lynn has never played nice with him. Now that the technical division can generate profits too, he's making sure his own people take it over."

The disappointment settled cold in my chest. I had been with this company since graduation.

The salary and benefits they initially promised evaporated the moment I joined, but at least the promotion path was clear. I worked step by step to become a supervisor, believing that as long as I gave everything to the company, someone would eventually recognize my efforts.

Instead, because I didn't bow to the right person, they had no problem cutting me down.

I returned to my desk and opened the smart system. I was typing lines of code when a notification popped up.

"Pre-Christmas sales will begin early."

The presale was scheduled to launch in three days.

The chairman, Oliver Grant, treated it as a major initiative and held a company-wide meeting to emphasize the need for even greater success.

He publicly commended the sales division for securing the previous orders and promised that if the presale hit 30 million dollars, everyone's year-end bonus would double.

The excitement in the room didn't erase the worry beneath it.

"Our usual monthly sales barely reach five million dollars. If it exceeds 10 million, there will be an extra bonus before."

"What's there to worry about? Ms. Lynn just got transferred to the sales division. She'll have to work twice as hard to prove her loyalty if she wants to return to the technical division."

Tristan had clearly thought the same. As soon as the meeting ended, he came straight to me.

"Jenna, you saw how determined the chairman is. I've been acting for your own good. I want you to get along with your teammates. As long as you show commitment and put the company first, you'll absolutely receive your share of the next reward."

I let out a quiet, cold laugh. "Mr. Hayes, I'm part of the sales division now. Of course, I'll work with my colleagues. As for the system, it's just a tool. I look forward to seeing this round's sales results."

"You ungrateful brat. You think the system can't run without you? Everything belongs to the company. Hand over the permission and get out!" With that, Tristan stormed off to HR. Moments later, I received an official reassignment notice.

"Jenna Lynn has been reassigned to junior sales assistant. Base pay reduced to 1,500 dollars, with commissions paid only when she closes a deal. She's further required to repay the company 100,000 dollars. Until the full amount is recovered, she will receive only 500 dollars a month for basic living expenses."

I took a screenshot in silence. Even the legal minimum wage was higher than what they intended to pay me.

I packed my belongings and prepared to leave when HR stopped me again. "Ms. Lynn, this laptop belongs to the technical division. According to policy, you can't take it with you."

I looked at the young staffer they had sent. They had deliberately chosen her, knowing I wouldn't make trouble for someone who had nothing to do with this.

"Let's go. Take me to the sales division."

…

The moment I arrived, Wesley was already waiting.

"Well, look who's here. Ms. Lynn has graced us with her presence." He raised his voice and continued, "Everyone, stop what you're doing and welcome our new member. Mr. Hayes said we should teach Ms. Lynn what team spirit really means."

"Yes, sir!"

The synchronized shout rattled my ears.

"Ms. Lynn, you can just call me 'Mr. Pierce'. You'll be training here for a while."

Wesley led me to my new desk. Dust coated the surface, and a large trash can sat beside it, giving off an unpleasant smell.

I filled a bucket with water and quietly wiped the desk clean. Wesley, disappointed that I showed no reaction, produced a new demand. "Every morning, you will clean everyone's desks and wash the team's cups. It builds camaraderie."

For the next two days, they used pre-Christmas sale preparations as an excuse to send me on errands, from hauling deliveries downstairs to buying coffee according to their list. They called it maintaining logistics.

While picking up coffee, I ran into Finn Mercer, one of the engineers who used to work under me.

"Finn, what are you doing down here?"

"Jenna, ever since you left and the new supervisor took over, the technical division has become Mr. Hayes' personal echo chamber. Push efficiency is terrible. He holds the system permissions but has no idea what he's doing.

"The system throws errors every day. I suggested integrating an optimization interface, and he claimed I was provoking him. Now, all he gives me is grunt work."

Finn's eyes shone with tears. He had been following me since he graduated and had never dealt with this kind of abuse.

"Jenna, that system was your work. If they keep messing with it, everything will collapse sooner or later."

I patted his shoulder and lifted the bag of coffee in my hand.

"It's fine, Finn. Do whatever he tells you. The less you touch, the safer you'll be. Nothing that happens will be blamed on you. As for me, my job now is buying coffee and waiting to enjoy the show."

…

On the third morning, I had barely sat down when I heard a coworker mutter loud enough for the whole room to hear.

"Some people should stop lazing around and actually run their accounts. If they can't close a single deal, they'll be left to starve."