When I Don't Get the Rewards I Deserve

"Karina? What are you doing here?" I asked.

Karina Sherman walked to the side of the bed and set the fruit she was carrying on the nightstand. Her eyes were full of reproach.

"Why else would I be here? I had my men asking around forever before I found you here. Honestly, you're something else, Reuben. You really know how to disappear when you want to."

I was still trying to process the shock of seeing her when she continued, "One of my men told me they received a résumé with such an impressive technical background that it practically glowed.

"I clicked on it and thought, 'Well, look at that! Isn't this the old classmate I lost to Stacie back then?'"

She raised an eyebrow and didn't bother to hide the admiration in her tone. "You single-handedly built all the algorithms and backend for your app that's about to launch, right?

"People in the industry have had their eyes on the tech for a while now, and only Stacie would treat a unicorn developer like a disposable intern. All she does is work you to the bone and force you to pull all-nighters."

Her words were like a needle pricking right through all the grievances I had bottled up over the years. I gulped and said nothing in response.

"Don't play mute with me. I know you've suffered a lot. You're perfectly aware of my messy history with Stacie, aren't you?"

As she paused, a flicker of nostalgia crossed her eyes.

"In high school, Stacie and I fought over everything, including top grades and the campus belle title. Later, when she found out that I liked you, she started putting on that sunny, harmless act and stuck to you until she took you from me."

I jerked my head up to look at her.

Back then, Karina had never confessed to me, while out of nowhere, Stacie had suddenly claimed it was love at first sight. She had stuck to me like stubborn glue and followed me around every day.

She was like a sunflower in full light, who was always all smiles for me. Honestly, no one could say no to someone as bright as the sun, so we inevitably ended up together.

Karina smiled and continued in a surprisingly casual, unbothered tone, "After that… I backed off when I realized you had chosen her, but I couldn't stand the thought of losing to her.

"When she decided to launch a startup and build an app, I made up my mind to become top-tier in the exact field.

"Still, I never thought she'd end up luckier than me. Since you're her technical backbone, getting her company listed on the IPO was a breeze.

"Oh, and why isn't she here? Did you have a fight? A patient needs proper rest, so someone has to be taking care of you."

The light in my eyes dimmed at the mention of Stacie. I forced a crooked smile and replied in a hoarse voice, "No… I've found a lawyer, and I'm drafting the divorce papers. That's why I started looking for work."

The shock in Karina's eyes lasted only a second before it turned into a knowing smirk. She leaned in and fixed me with an intense stare.

"Well then… Isn't that a perfect coincidence?"

She reached into her bag, grabbed a business card, and handed it to me. The words "CEO of Future Tech Innovations" stood out in bold, sharp lettering.

"Instead of starting from scratch somewhere else, come work for me. I know what you're capable of, and it just so happens that I'm missing a CTO…

"You can pick your own team, earn twice your current paycheck, and receive project bonuses.

"I lost to Stacie once, Reuben. Will you give me a chance and give yourself one, too?"

Her eyes were so clear and sincere that I felt something shift inside me.

As I looked at the business card, I was reminded of Stacie's cold, lifeless message. It suddenly struck me that revenge could perhaps take a far more elegant form.