The line on the other end went quiet for a few seconds before Joe finally spoke, his voice sharp with impatience.

"Cassian, your commission is only 50 cents. How are you getting 200 grand out of that?"

"Mr. Watson, you can't do that! My mom needs that 200 grand to stay alive—"

Before I could finish, Sasha reached over and slapped the phone out of my hand. It hit the floor, and the screen shattered on impact.

She rolled her eyes and toyed with her bright red nails as she snapped, "I told you it was only 50 cents! What are you freaking out about, you broke loser? You're so annoying!

"It's not like your mom is going to make it anyway. Those 50 cents are already generous for all your years of work. And if you're really that desperate, I'll even toss in another dollar.

"You can buy her a roll or something, so she doesn't die on an empty stomach."

My voice came out hoarse and raw. "Sasha, I dare you to say that again."

She planted her hands on her hips and sneered. "I could say it a thousand times, and your mom still wouldn't make it. Do you really think being the top in sales means something?

"This company will keep running just fine without you!"

I lifted my head and said, "Every dollar you stole from me, I'm going to make you cough back up."

She froze for a second, then let out a harsh laugh. "You? Don't make me laugh."

I stared at her smug face, my chest so tight it felt like it might burst. The last five years flashed through my mind like some sick joke.

Year after year, I'd been the top salesperson. I stayed up late with students, dragging the company back from the edge of collapse.

And now, the money that was supposed to save Mom had shrunk to 50 cents and a single dollar tossed in my face like charity.

A company like this wasn't worth another second of my life.

Last week, Zane Rimmer, the CEO of our competitor, Pinnacle Tutoring, personally offered me a few million dollars a year, plus bonuses. I still turned him down.

I kept thinking about how Joe had taken a chance on me back then, and everything we'd built together.

Screw that. I'd just been way too loyal for my own good.

I spun around and walked out of the office.

"Mr. Rimmer, this is Cassian Golding. Does that offer from last time still stand—"

Before I could finish, Sasha came barreling out from the corner and cut me off. "Well, well, Cassian. No wonder you're so full of yourself! Looks like you already lined up a new sucker to take you in."

She turned and raised her voice so the whole office could hear. "You all hear that? Cassian's jumping ship! Talk about being ungrateful."

A few coworkers who had been buried in their work looked up, their faces draining of color.

"Cassian's leaving? Then what's going to happen to our department?"

"He brings in 90% of our numbers. Where are we supposed to find clients now?"

"We're screwed. We're going to starve."

Sasha shot me a vicious look and jammed a finger at me, her blood-red nail inches from my nose.

"Uncle Joe only took you in out of pity. Without him paying for your schooling, you'd be panhandling on the sidewalk by now! And if the company hadn't fronted your pay, your mom would already be dead.

"You ungrateful bastard!"

I bent down and picked up my phone. The screen was spiderwebbed with cracks, but it still lit up. A rough laugh scraped out of my throat.

"Mr. Watson came to my place and literally got on his knees, begging me to join this company. I've done more than enough for this place. I've been here for five years, and I've been the top salesperson, year after year.

"Half the company's profits come from me. Last year, when we were about to go under, I was the one who closed a three-million-dollar deal and kept this place alive. What gives you the right to call me ungrateful?"

People around us gasped.

Sasha shrieked, "You're lying! Uncle Joe would never beg some broke nobody like you!"

I stepped forward until I was towering over her. "Want me to bring Mr. Watson in here and let him say it himself? He told me that if I joined this company, he'd pay every cent of my mom's medical bills.

"While he was on his knees for me, you were still playing in the dirt."

I lifted the 50 cents and gave a short, bitter laugh. "My mom is waiting for surgery right now, and this is his idea of 'covering everything.' 50 cents."

Sasha's face flushed red. She suddenly swung for my face. "I'll shut that filthy mouth of yours!"

I caught her wrist in midair and slapped her hard across the cheek. The crack of it rang through the office.

Sasha stumbled back, clutching her face, staring at me like she couldn't believe what had just happened.

The entire office fell dead silent.

Then I heard the sharp click of dress shoes at the door. Joe walked in. The moment he saw the red handprint on Sasha's cheek, his expression darkened.

His gaze snapped to me, his voice turning cold. "What happened? Cassian, did you hit Sasha?"

Sasha hurried to his side, tears instantly welling up. "Uncle Joe! Cassian's trying to jump ship. I just called him out on it, and he hit me! And now he's even telling people you had to beg him to join the company…"

Joe's face hardened by the second. He pulled Sasha behind him and pointed straight at me.

"Cassian, I was wrong about you. You close a few deals, and suddenly you think you're above everyone? Apologize to Sasha. Now!"

I took a step forward and snorted. "Why would I apologize? Mr. Watson, you're the one who owes me an explanation. The contract says 15% commission, clear as day. So why did I end up with 50 cents?

"You gave me your word. Did you forget? My mom is waiting for surgery, and you're here skimming the money that was supposed to keep her alive!"

Joe's brows knit, then his whole face seemed to sag. He let out a tired sigh.

"Cassian, I'm not skimming the money. Your mom being sick breaks my heart, too. Everyone in this company sees your numbers. We all know how hard you've been working.

"But you have to understand, the economy's in rough shape right now. We're in education and training, and we've been hit the hardest.

"Rent shot up, top instructors are charging more by the hour, and marketing is a money pit."

He spread his hands, looking almost painfully sincere. "Sure, last month you brought in 1.5 million dollars in sales. But once we knock out all the costs and overhead, there's barely any profit left.

"The finance team already did everything they could just to scrape together that 50 cents in commission for you."

I let out a short, bitter laugh. "No profit? Mr. Watson, do you think I'm an idiot? Even when the company was at its worst last year, our net profit margin was still around 50%.

"So how is it that now, with me bringing in 1.5 million dollars in sales, the profit suddenly drops to basically zero?"

I jabbed a finger at the performance chart still hanging on the wall. "Or is it that this sky-high 'cost' only applies to my numbers? Did all those expenses just magically vanish when it came to everyone else?"

Joe's face hardened, his voice turning cold. "Cassian Golding, watch your tone! This company has always treated everyone fairly."

My fists curled so tight my nails bit into my palms. "Fine. If you keep insisting the company is bleeding money and my commission is only worth 50 cents, then answer me.

"How did Sasha's personal bank account suddenly grow by 200 thousand dollars?"

My words landed like a bombshell in the office.

"Ms. Watson got a 200 thousand dollar bonus?"

"What the hell is going on?"

Every head in the room snapped toward Sasha. She went white, staring at Joe with panicked eyes, her lips trembling.

Joe's face tightened. Panic flashed in his eyes, then he forced his voice steady and snapped,

"Cassian, what are you talking about? This is slander!"

I let out a cold, humorless laugh and pulled up the screenshot on my phone.

"Slander? You want me to throw the notification from the banking app up on the big screen so everyone can see it? The memo on that 200 grand spells it out. It literally says 'annual special bonus!'"

Joe's eyes darted away, guilt all over his face. He opened his mouth like he wanted to speak, then shut it again.

I didn't let up. "You took money that could've saved a life and handed it to your niece as a 'special bonus'? Mr. Watson, that's some world-class accounting right there!"

The panic drained from his face almost instantly. His mouth pulled into a thin, fake smile that never reached his eyes.

"Cassian, I was actually prepared to let you walk away with a little dignity. But since you insist on pushing this, don't blame me for handling it by the book."

He slowly reached into his briefcase and pulled out a document.

"You secretly contacted one of our competitors. That's a serious violation of the non-compete agreement you signed when you joined this company!"

Joe slapped the document onto the table with a sharp crack and stabbed a finger at a line buried deep in the fine print.

"Read it carefully! Any breach means you owe the company a one-time penalty of 200 grand! This is your formal notice. You're fired. And effective immediately, you will reimburse the company for the full amount!"

A non-compete? A 200 grand penalty?

I had never signed any so-called non-compete agreement with Joe. The words hit me in a row, each one landing like a punch to the chest.

He'd planned this from the start. Skimming my commission wasn't enough. He'd lined up a fine-print trap to finish me off.

A cold, sick feeling crawled up my spine. My hands and feet went numb.

Joe's face lit with smug satisfaction.

Sasha lifted her chin, too. "Cassian, you're done."

A steady voice, edged with amusement, drifted in from the doorway. "Mr. Watson, look at you, throwing your weight around."

"Mr. Rimmer!" Joe gasped, his voice cracking.

The color drained from his face as if he'd just seen a ghost.

"You want to fire Cassian? That couldn't work out better for me! I was just about to poach him as my sales director and partner."