My 500,000 Prize Money Was Confiscated

At the company’s year-end party, management tried to cut costs by using junk as raffle items.

The prize box was filled with bottle caps, instant noodle wrappers, toothpaste boxes, and other trash.

Everyone was only allowed to pick one item and scan the QR code on it. Whether you won anything depended entirely on luck.

I casually picked up a bottle cap and unexpectedly won a car worth 500,000 dollars.

As soon as the vice president found out, he rejected my win and demanded that I hand over the prize. “The company spent 20 dollars to get these raffle items from a recycler. Any prizes won have to be recorded in the books as company assets. They belong to the company.”

My boss reprimanded me as well, “Have you lost your mind because you’ve been poor? Do you think you could have won without the company? You don’t know how to be grateful, and now, you’re trying to take company property. Stop causing a scene!”

I did not argue and calmly handed over the bottle cap. Then, I turned around and called one of our clients.

My boss had forgotten one thing: I was the company’s top salesperson.

If he insisted on crossing me, I would make him lose five million.

“Seth really lives up to his reputation as a money grubber. There has to be a limit to how cheap someone can be. How could he even come up with an idea like this?”

Juliet Young, my team member, looked at the bottle cap in her hand and let out a helpless sigh.

“You should’ve expected this the day he started charging for water. People like him consider it a loss if they go out and don’t pick up money others have dropped. Anyway, I’m used to it by now.”

Zeke Gibson tossed a bottle cap into the air and caught it like it was nothing.

“Come on, watch me. Maybe I’ll win another bottle!”

Three seconds later, he tossed the cap into the trash.

Juliet and I exchanged a smile before we took out our phones to scan the QR codes.

Instead of the expected “Better luck next time,” a picture of a car appeared on my screen.

[Congratulations! You have won a 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 RS worth 500,000 dollars. Please bring the redemption code to your local dealership to claim your prize.]

I stared at the screen in disbelief at first while Juliet gasped. “You won? You really won!”

“Ruby, you hit the jackpot!”

She grabbed me and shook me hard. Colleagues nearby gathered around us too.

“What? Who won?”

“Our sales manager, Ruby Jameson, won a car! It’s the latest Porsche model this year, and it’s worth 500,000 dollars!”

“Oh, my gosh! She’s so lucky!”

Cheers rose around us, and I felt happy as well.

I raised my glass and toasted everyone. “Thank you, everyone. I’ll treat you all to dinner another day.”

I finished the drink in my glass and wiped my mouth. Just then, Seth Zeller’s assistant tapped on my shoulder lightly.

“Ms. Jameson, Mr. Zeller would like to speak with you.”

I followed her to the main table, where Seth greeted me with a broad smile.

“Ruby, you’ve been with the company for three years. That makes you a senior employee here.

“After this year, the sales director position is yours for sure. You’ve earned two promotions in three years. The company’s been very good to you. Have you ever thought about how you might repay the company?”

Seth never approached anyone without a purpose. From his tone, I already had a rough idea of what he wanted.

Even so, I still thought he would not be that shameless.

“Next year, I’ll keep working hard and bring in even more profit for—”

“That’s your duty!”

Maybe he had a bit too much to drink. Seth suddenly slammed his glass on the table, and his smile vanished.

“Didn’t you just win a car? Hand it over.”

I raised an eyebrow. “To you?”

“Of course not. To the company.

“The company trained you. You should be grateful.”

Grateful? I thought that was utterly ridiculous.

“I won the prize by luck. Why should I give it to the company?

“This year, the sales department reached 150% of its target. I personally contributed to 79% of that. To put it plainly, I brought in over five million in profit for the company this year. Am I really ungrateful?”

Seth became furious and slammed his hand on the table. “Without the company, you wouldn’t be where you are today!

“Are you that proud of yourself, Ruby? Your success comes from the company’s reputation and your position as sales manager! Even a nobody in your place could achieve the same results!

“The company spent 20 dollars to get these raffle items from a recycler. Any prizes won have to be recorded in the books as company assets. They belong to the company.”

I looked at his distorted face and smiled all of a sudden.

“And what if I refuse?”