Sam began by saying, "You saw that recruitment post from two days ago, didn't you? I sent that."

I looked Sam up and down. No matter how I looked at him, he was still the same kid.

Seeing my confusion, Sam explained the truth. He was actually the boss of a competing company. However, his family was the one that had placed him there. He was worried he could not handle the shrewd senior employees inside the company, so he wanted to find a few allies ahead of time.

I had naturally caught his attention, since I had led my team in taking several projects from his company.

That was why he had hidden his identity and come here undercover. He wanted to see what I could do and poach me at the same time.

I was almost speechless. Then, I said, "For a CEO, you're really hands-on. You even have to poach your own people in person."

Sam scratched his head in embarrassment. "I mean, my family practically kicked me out for not achieving anything, but don't worry. I still have plenty of resources. You won't get the short end of the stick."

That almost made me laugh. I would never doubt a nepobaby born with a silver spoon in his mouth when it came to the sheer amount of resources they had access to.

Still, I had just woken up from years of being lied to. I no longer dared to trust anyone so easily. So, I tested him with a sneer, "From what you're saying, your situation doesn't look good. In that case, I'm going to ask for something outrageous."

Sam's tone turned serious. "What do you want? I'll do my best to get it for you."

His solemn expression startled me, so I tested him again. "I want five percent of the shares that you own. The team I lead must also have full autonomy. Executives can't interfere with my work."

I thought he would reject me immediately. But to my surprise, he let out a sigh of relief instead, and a sly smile appeared on his face. "That's all? Dean, your ability is worth those terms. Besides, I was ready to offer you fifteen percent of the shares I control."

My chest tightened.

So… There really were people who could see what I was capable of and tell me with certainty that I was worth it.

I thought back to when I first joined this company. The team had not even gotten off the ground, and I was the one running around alone, bringing in projects and solving problems.

Meanwhile, Kyle would simply sit back and relax with tea in his hand. "Keep it up, Dean! This is all part of your job, so don't slack off! Also, I'm out of my premium tea. Remember to buy me a few more packs."

I had long since gotten used to Kyle saying things like that.

The team's afternoon snacks, his premium tea, and every other extra expense had to be paid by me first. If I refused, I had no team spirit. But once I paid, I never got the money back.

I had gone to finance more than once, but they and Kyle kept passing me back and forth.

"Those were Mr. Brown's personal requests. They aren't company expenses, so they can't be reimbursed. If you want your money back, please ask Mr. Brown."

"Those were company expenses, so of course they go through finance. Go ask them for it."

I had been played for years. In the end, it was the boss of the competing company who was now telling me that I was worth it.

Looking at the light in Sam's eyes, I laughed softly. It was aimed at myself, but it was also one of relief.

"Alright. I accept," I said.

I also wanted to see how this company could keep running without me.

Before I could finish packing my things and hand in my resignation letter, Kyle called me into his office.

He started, "Dean, I heard you've had some complaints about the company lately?"

"I don't just have some complaints about the company. I have a lot of..." But before I could finish, Kyle held my shoulder.

"I knew it. You're always loyal to the company. Don't listen to the rumors out there. If something's bothering you, don't bottle it up," Kyle said to me after cutting me off.

A mocking smile appeared on my lips. Would saying anything change a thing? I then said, "Why don't we start with a promotion first, then? I think the position of departmental head suits me. Also, when are you giving me a raise?"

Kyle's smile remained, as if he had prepared an answer just for this. "I know things are getting hard for you, but there are so many young people in the company. We have to give them a chance to prove themselves, right? There's no rush on your promotion or raise. You're a senior employee. Do you really think I would mistreat you?"

Just another empty promise.

I crossed my arms and said, "Fine. Then I'll hand my projects over to them. I won't handle them anymore."

Kyle's smile finally faltered. "That won't do. You're the person I value most in this company. From now on, you're the sales manager. You can't only think about yourself in the future. You need to think about the team's performance, too."

I was a little confused. Since when did the company even have a sales manager position?

I did not dwell on it and asked my next question. "Then what about my salary increment?"

Kyle's smile completely vanished now.

"Dean, now you're just asking for too much. You must treat the company like your own home. We can discuss your raise slowly after this."

I lost all of my patience. "If there's nothing else, I'm going to leave now."

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand with a malicious smile on his lips. "Why the rush? The company still has a staff meeting after this. You can't miss it."

When I arrived at the conference room, my heart sank.

The entire room was packed. Kyle had probably called in every employee in the company.

He was giving a speech onstage at the moment. "Today, we're here to award bonuses to our outstanding employees."

Bob was one of the employees chosen. He received a five-thousand-dollar bonus.

The first part of the meeting went by quickly.

When the meeting was almost at the end, Kyle returned to the stage.

I instinctively knew something was wrong. Sure enough, Kyle turned his malice on me. "Lastly, there's one major highlight left in today's meeting. Let's invite our manager, Mr. Dean Rivers, up on stage."

I was hiding in the crowd, but he personally came down from the stage and dragged me to the front by force.

"Everyone, take a good look. This is our company's famous top salesman, Dean Rivers. Today, he suddenly came to my office and demanded a promotion to manager. Otherwise, he said he wouldn't work for the company anymore. But he's our top salesman, so I had no choice but to agree." As he spoke, he pinned a gaudy flower to my chest.

"Don't be fooled by how unimpressive he looks. Who would've thought he cared so much about status? Starting today, don't call him by his name anymore. Call him Mr. Manager. Come on, repeat after me. Hello, Mr. Manager!"

"Hello, Mr. Manager!" After everyone shouted along, Kyle looked at me with a dry smile. "Come up and say a few words, won't you? Weren't you acting so indomitable in my office just now?"

He was mocking me. He wanted to isolate me inside the company.

My hands trembled, and I could barely force a smile.

Kyle seemed very satisfied when he saw me like that and called the photographer over. "Let's take a photo today to mark the occasion!"

The moment the shutter clicked, something was placed in front of me.

Kyle took the photo from the photographer and handed it to me. "What do you think of this photo, Mr. Manager?"

I said nothing as I stared at the photo that Kyle handed to me.

My face was ghostly pale inside the photo, with a ridiculous red flower pinned to my chest and a handwritten appointment letter that had been placed in front of me.

I looked like a boy playing pretend.

My lips trembled uncontrollably. This was his humiliation of me.

After that, Kyle then handed me the certificate with a smile. "Take your appointment letter, Mr. Manager."

The entire conference room went silent, as if they were waiting to see what my choice would be.

If I took that piece of paper, it meant I had completely given up myself to Kyle.

Was I really going to take it?

Indeed, I took it.

I reached out, took the appointment letter, and tore it into pieces. Then, I let the fragments scatter in the air.

The conference room erupted.

Kyle was so angry that he pointed at me with his hand trembling. "Dean, are you saying you don't plan to work here anymore? Remember, that sister of yours is still lying in a hospital bed, waiting for you to earn money for her medication!"

"Yeah, I don't plan to work here anymore. You're so smart, Mr. Brown," I said with a sneer.

Kyle's expression stiffened. Those were the same words Bob had used to flatter him. However, he quickly pulled himself together. "Then you'd better think carefully. A man in his thirties who leaves this place won't be wanted anywhere in the labor market."

"You don't need to worry about that, Mr. Brown. Someone as talented as my mentor would never get stuck in the labor market for long." A clear male voice rang out. It was Sam, and he had stood up for me.

When Mr. Brown saw that even an intern was talking back to him, his expression turned vicious. "I'm firing both of you! Get out!"

"You can't, Boss..." Someone called out.

No one expected that the first person to object to it would be Kyle's most loyal lackey, the head of logistics. He looked like he was going to cry. "You can't, Boss! He has the contact information for all our biggest clients. If you fire him, the company is finished!"

Once he said that, several other departmental heads started to panic, too.

The head of production gulped hard. "The product department hasn't developed anything on its own all these years. Dean was the one who found all those products through outside channels. Without him, we won't be able to update anything."

The head of sales looked even more desperate. "My side is even worse. All the signed contracts list Dean as the sole person in charge. Once he leaves, those contracts will count as breaches. Everything we've done in the past year will become a waste of time!"

Looking at the agitated crowd below the stage, Kyle started to break into a cold sweat. "Since so many department heads support you, I won't fire you. As for your raise, we can continue to discuss it, right?"

I sneered. "I took it slow, and it resulted in me working at this company for seven years while my salary kept dropping. I'm only making one thousand dollars now, and you still deduct fines from it."

The employees began whispering as they stirred under the stage when they heard that.

"How much are you making?"

"Three thousand dollars. It barely lasts me through the month!"

"I started earlier than you. Why is your salary so much higher than mine?"

Everyone looked at Kyle at the same time, waiting for an explanation. His face immediately went pale, then he pointed at me and snapped. " Are you trying to destroy this company? Without this job, how are you going to pay for your sister's treatment?!"

"You don't need to worry about that." I took a gilded card from my pocket and cut him off. "I've already accepted an offer from Summit Group. Starting tomorrow, we'll be opponents."