The Cars Were Always Mine

At the company celebration dinner, everyone was drinking themselves stupid with joy, because we'd just closed a big project and every single employee had walked away with a fat cash bonus.

That was when the intern assistant suddenly pulled a stack of photos out of her bag and threw them down in front of me.

In the photos, I was driving one of the cars registered under the company's name, taking a friend of mine to the hospital to have her baby.

"What's this supposed to mean?"

I looked up at the intern assistant, Lucinda Winfield.

She jabbed a finger at the photos. "Silvia Henson, you've been using company cars for yourself. Abusing company resources. This is the proof!"

Watching Lucinda's face, all lit up with outrage, I couldn't help but blink. "And then what?"

"I'm filing a joint report with all the staff. We're reporting you to the boss for using company property for personal gain."

With that, Lucinda dug a joint complaint letter out of her bag. I gave it a glance. Name after name after name, crammed across the page.

Calmly, I looked around at the rest of them.

"So all of you think I've been helping myself to company resources?"

Some of them pretended to be drunk, some just dropped their heads. Not one of them dared to meet my eyes.

Suddenly I laughed.

These were the same people who used to complain day in and day out that the office was too far, that the daily commute was bleeding them dry. That was the only reason I'd bought those few cars and hired drivers to shuttle them to and from work, free of charge.

And now here they were, biting the hand that fed them, treating my goodwill like garbage.

...

"Silvia Henson, we're reporting you."

"Do us a favor and take this seriously."

"What are you laughing at?"

Lucinda's brows drew together, her eyes flashing with anger she didn't bother to hide.

"The cars were bought by the company, to shuttle employees to and from work."

"They are not your personal property."

"And yet you drove a company car to take a friend to the hospital."

"Do you think your family owns this company?"

She paused.

It looked like Lucinda wanted to break me in one clean blow.

She rapped hard on the table.

Her voice had gone ice-cold. "Do you have any idea how expensive gas is right now?"

"You spend all day driving the company car around wherever you please."

"And in the end you expect the company to foot the bill for your selfishness."

"There's something else. In the two months I've been here, I've noticed a very serious problem."

"Exactly which department do you even belong to?"

"You never clock in on time."

"And you're always leaving early."

"Do you really think of this company as your own home?"

Facing this long list of crimes Lucinda had laid at my feet.

I didn't explain.

Instead I turned to look at the one person who hadn't said a word this whole time, my boyfriend and boss, Jacob Simmons.

"Do you think I've been taking advantage of the company too?"

Jacob cleared his throat softly.

"Silvia, I think Lucinda has a point."

"The cars are the company's, after all."

"It doesn't look good, you keeping them for yourself all the time."

I'd thought my boyfriend would stand by me, no matter what.

Right up until I heard those words come out of his mouth.

I stared at him in disbelief.

And that was when.

Lucinda only grew smugger. "Hear that? Even the boss is unhappy with you now."

"If you know what's good for you, you'll hand over the car keys yourself."

"Pay back the gas money and the car depreciation."

"And then resign, on your own."

I turned to Lucinda with a cold smile.

"And if I refuse?"

Lucinda let out a scornful snort through her nose.

Her fingertips came down hard on the table again.

"Silvia Henson, do you think I'm joking with you?"

"If you refuse."

"I'm calling the police right now!"