Corporate Retreat or Financial Ruin?

I slumped into my chair, my heart sinking.

By the time work ended, the once lively office floor had turned eerily silent.

The moment I stepped out, conversations stopped, and people scattered like they'd been caught gossiping.

Shawn Foster, who had started the company with me, stood up and said, "Ms. Lane, I heard you refused to let the team go on the company trip. Is that true?"

I arched a brow. I'd only said no to Zoey using my corporate credit card, but somehow, they twisted it into me opposing the trip altogether.

I glanced at Zoey. Guilt flickered in her eyes as she explained, "Harry and I only wanted to lift everyone's spirits and do what's best for the company, Samantha."

The others looked at me with open hostility.

I kept my voice steady. "I never said you couldn't go on the trip."

Right then, Harry spoke up. "Then give Zoey your corporate credit card so she can book the flights."

Zoey's face brightened instantly. Thinking I'd given in, she stepped forward to take the card from my hand.

I tightened my grip around it and said calmly, "I won't let people with ulterior motives use my corporate credit card."

Harry's expression darkened. "How can you be so nasty? Zoey's doing this for everyone's sake. Why would you say she has ulterior motives? You owe her an apology!"

Whenever he lost his temper in my previous life, I'd cave in immediately, apologize, and do whatever he asked of me.

Now, however, I could hardly wait for this shameless pair to disappear from my life.

"If you think I'm so nasty, let's just get divorced. Since Zoey means that much to you, I wish you both eternal bliss!"

Harry's face hardened. He hadn't expected me to fight back.

Zoey looked at me pitifully. "Samantha, nothing is going on between us. I only see Harry as a brother. Please don't be upset. I even booked a couple's suite for you two on the trip."

The others chimed in almost instantly.

"Ms. Lane, don't be so narrow-minded. Zoey is merely trying to help the company, as well as you and Mr. Jennings."

"Every company retreat we've ever had has been so boring."

"We've been killing ourselves for these projects. Why won't you let us go on a trip to Slarqia? That's just stingy."

Their voices overlapped, each word siding with Zoey.

I listened in silence, a cold heaviness filling my chest.

Other than national holidays, I paid for every company dinner and monthly outing myself. And yet they called me stingy.

Zoey saw me getting ganged up on, and a smug glint flashed in her eyes as she fanned the flames. "Since Ms. Lane won't agree, I'll cancel the hotel bookings. We'll just keep slaving away and making money for the company!"

Her words put me in the center of the storm.

Already simmering with resentment, one employee suddenly hurled a cup of water in my face. Another flung a stack of files at me. More and more of them closed in, shoving and shouting.

Suddenly, my heel slipped, and I hit the floor hard.

Fury tore through me. "Who told you I disagreed with the trip? All I said was that she couldn't use my corporate credit card!" I shouted.

The office fell silent, and the crowd exchanged glances.

"Why can't she use it? You'd get points and discounts anyway," Shawn said, then pulled out his own card and handed it to Zoey. "Here. Use mine. It's not unlimited, like Ms. Lane's, but it'll do."

Zoey forced a smile, clearly reluctant, and took it.

I drew a deep breath, my fingers digging into my palms until they left red marks.

…

The next morning, as soon as I reached my office, I noticed the door was unlocked.

My heart skipped a beat, and I rushed to check the drawers. Thankfully, everything was still there.

To be sure, I reviewed the security footage, and sure enough, Zoey and Harry had snuck into my office after I'd left the day before.

They searched through every drawer but didn't find what they were looking for.

Relief washed over me. It was a good thing I'd taken the important documents and my corporate credit card home the day before and hidden them.