Chapter 1 · Paid Peanuts, Lost Millions

Chapter 1

"You want the 1.5 thousand?" Richard Carter tossed my performance review onto the table in front of me. "Do you think you're worth that much?"

I stared at the paper.

It was my year-end performance review. My project had ranked first in the entire department, yet he'd given me a C.

I said, "Mr. Carter, the project I led—"

"The project was a team effort," he interrupted. "What could you have accomplished on your own?"

I clenched my fists.

For three years, every promotion and raise had passed me by.

He always said I wasn't good enough.

"Fine." I stood up. "I don't want that 1.5 thousand."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I quit."

Richard laughed. "Do you think anyone out there is going to hire you?"

I didn't answer because there was a message waiting on my phone. [Ms. Shaw, NovaTech would like to offer you a director-level position with an annual salary of 150 thousand. We look forward to having you on board.]

The conference room was so quiet that I could hear the low hum of the air conditioner.

Richard's smile lingered, like he was watching a joke unfold.

"Lillian, you've been at this company for three years," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I've watched you grow from the beginning."

Again. Every time we talked about my compensation, he played the loyalty card.

"When you first joined, you knew nothing. I personally trained you from the ground up," he said.

I didn't say a word.

It was true that I knew very little three years ago, but now I had built the entire supply chain system for the company's Eastburne Region operations almost single-handedly.

"Mr. Carter, I'm serious about quitting," I said.

"Quitting?" He stopped smiling. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Lillian." His tone shifted, carrying a clear warning. "Do you know how small this industry is? If you leave on bad terms, how do you think you're going to get by in this business afterward?"

I looked at him.

This was his trump card. For three years, he'd used those same words to keep countless people from walking out the door.

"I'll figure it out," I said.

He was speechless.

"Mr. Carter, I've already sent the handover list to your email." I stood up. "I'll be giving two weeks' notice, and my last day will be the fifteenth."

"Wait." He stood up, his face darkening. "We can negotiate the 150 thousand."

"No need."

"I can raise it to 2 thousand."

I opened the door, saying nothing.

"Lillian."

I didn't look back.

As I walked out, I saw Emily, the receptionist, peeking at me.

Tomorrow, the whole company would have its own version of the story. They'd say Richard had chewed me out and I'd stormed off in a fit of anger.

Whatever.

I pulled out my phone and opened the message again.

The offer from NovaTech was for a director position in its Smart Supply Chain Division, with a 150 thousand annual salary plus a share of the project bonuses.

The message was from Claire Warren, one of the most sought-after recruiters in the industry.

She'd been trying to recruit me for three months, but I'd kept turning her down because I wanted to give Richard one last chance.

Now, there was no need.

I opened the chat and typed: [I accept the offer.]

Back at my desk, I started packing up. Three years' worth of belongings fit into two cardboard boxes.

"Lillian," someone called me.

I looked up. It was Jessica, the finance director.

She said, "Mr. Carter wanted me to talk to you. That 1.5 thousand—"

"Jessica, don't bother," I replied.

"Think about it," she whispered. "Mr. Carter can be stingy, but if you play along with him, he's still willing to pay."

I smiled.

Play along?

In my first year, he said I was a new hire, gave me a C on my performance review, and cut my year-end bonus.

In my second year, he said I didn't have enough experience, gave me a B, and paid my bonus in full.

In my third year, the project I led ranked first in the entire department, and he told me, "The credit belongs to the team." Then he gave me a C.

I'd spent three years playing by his rules. What had it gotten me?

"Jessica, thank you for looking out for me," I said.

"Fine." She sighed and walked away.

*****

At four in the afternoon, Richard called me into his office again. "Sit."

I sat down.

"Lillian, you've worked with me for three years, so I'll be straight with you." He lit a cigarette. "If you stay, I can promote you to supervisor."

Supervisor, huh?

A 600-dollar raise to my base salary, while he would still have the final say over my bonus.

"Mr. Carter, that's not necessary," I said.

"Then what is it you want?" he asked.

"What I want isn't something you can give."

"Go ahead, tell me."

"Fairness."

He froze for a second, then laughed. "Lillian, there's no such thing as absolute fairness in the workplace."

"You're right." I stood up. "That's why I'm leaving."

His face darkened.

"Mr. Carter, take your time with that cigarette. I've got handover work to finish," I said.

I walked out of his office. Behind me, I heard the ashtray hit the desk with a sharp crack.

Whatever. I no longer had to deal with him ever again.

*****

Once word of my resignation spread, my coworkers reacted in all sorts of ways.

Some were openly pleased. Some pretended to care. Some were genuinely sorry to see me go.

"Lillian, are you sure about this?" Samantha Sanders pulled me into the lounge. "Mr. Carter may be stingy, but at least this is a stable job."

I was the one who brought Samantha into the company.

Three years ago, she didn't know how to use Excel. Now, she was Richard's trusted aide, and last year, she got promoted to team leader.

"I'm sure," I said.

"Where are you going next?"

"Haven't decided yet."

I had no intention of telling her.

"Lillian, I'm not sure if I should say this." She hesitated. "Mr. Carter thinks highly of you. He simply doesn't know how to express it."

I looked at her.

Three years ago, I had taught her how to write formulas in Excel.

Two years ago, I'd covered her workload for an entire month so she could take time off and go home to get married.

Last year, she went to Richard's office and told him that I couldn't handle my project alone and needed another person on the team. The person she recommended was her cousin.

Then she got promoted to team leader.

Chapter 1

"You want the 1.5 thousand?" Richard Carter tossed my performance review onto the table in front of me. "Do you think you're worth that much?"

I stared at the paper.

It was my year-end performance review. My project had ranked first in the entire department, yet he'd given me a C.

I said, "Mr. Carter, the project I led—"

"The project was a team effort," he interrupted. "What could you have accomplished on your own?"

I clenched my fists.

For three years, every promotion and raise had passed me by.

He always said I wasn't good enough.

"Fine." I stood up. "I don't want that 1.5 thousand."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I quit."

Richard laughed. "Do you think anyone out there is going to hire you?"

The conference room was so quiet that I could hear the low hum of the air conditioner.

Richard's smile lingered, like he was watching a joke unfold.

"Lillian, you've been at this company for three years," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I've watched you grow from the beginning."

Again. Every time we talked about my compensation, he played the loyalty card.

"When you first joined, you knew nothing. I personally trained you from the ground up," he said.

I didn't say a word.

It was true that I knew very little three years ago, but now I had built the entire supply chain system for the company's Eastburne Region operations almost single-handedly.

"Mr. Carter, I'm serious about quitting," I said.

"Quitting?" He stopped smiling. "Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Lillian." His tone shifted, carrying a clear warning. "Do you know how small this industry is? If you leave on bad terms, how do you think you're going to get by in this business afterward?"

I looked at him.

This was his trump card. For three years, he'd used those same words to keep countless people from walking out the door.

"I'll figure it out," I said.

He was speechless.

"Mr. Carter, I've already sent the handover list to your email." I stood up. "I'll be giving two weeks' notice, and my last day will be the fifteenth."

"Wait." He stood up, his face darkening. "We can negotiate the 150 thousand."

"No need."

"I can raise it to 2 thousand."

I opened the door, saying nothing.

"Lillian."

I didn't look back.

As I walked out, I saw Emily, the receptionist, peeking at me.

Tomorrow, the whole company would have its own version of the story. They'd say Richard had chewed me out and I'd stormed off in a fit of anger.

Whatever.

I pulled out my phone and opened the message again.

The offer from NovaTech was for a director position in its Smart Supply Chain Division, with a 150 thousand annual salary plus a share of the project bonuses.

The message was from Claire Warren, one of the most sought-after recruiters in the industry.

She'd been trying to recruit me for three months, but I'd kept turning her down because I wanted to give Richard one last chance.

Now, there was no need.

I opened the chat and typed: [I accept the offer.]

Back at my desk, I started packing up. Three years' worth of belongings fit into two cardboard boxes.

"Lillian," someone called me.

I looked up. It was Jessica, the finance director.

She said, "Mr. Carter wanted me to talk to you. That 1.5 thousand—"

"Jessica, don't bother," I replied.

"Think about it," she whispered. "Mr. Carter can be stingy, but if you play along with him, he's still willing to pay."

I smiled.

Play along?

In my first year, he said I was a new hire, gave me a C on my performance review, and cut my year-end bonus.

In my second year, he said I didn't have enough experience, gave me a B, and paid my bonus in full.

In my third year, the project I led ranked first in the entire department, and he told me, "The credit belongs to the team." Then he gave me a C.

I'd spent three years playing by his rules. What had it gotten me?

"Jessica, thank you for looking out for me," I said.

"Fine." She sighed and walked away.

*****

At four in the afternoon, Richard called me into his office again. "Sit."

I sat down.

"Lillian, you've worked with me for three years, so I'll be straight with you." He lit a cigarette. "If you stay, I can promote you to supervisor."

Supervisor, huh?

A 600-dollar raise to my base salary, while he would still have the final say over my bonus.

"Mr. Carter, that's not necessary," I said.

"Then what is it you want?" he asked.

"What I want isn't something you can give."

"Go ahead, tell me."

"Fairness."

He froze for a second, then laughed. "Lillian, there's no such thing as absolute fairness in the workplace."

"You're right." I stood up. "That's why I'm leaving."

His face darkened.

"Mr. Carter, take your time with that cigarette. I've got handover work to finish," I said.

I walked out of his office. Behind me, I heard the ashtray hit the desk with a sharp crack.

Whatever. I no longer had to deal with him ever again.

*****

Once word of my resignation spread, my coworkers reacted in all sorts of ways.

Some were openly pleased. Some pretended to care. Some were genuinely sorry to see me go.

"Lillian, are you sure about this?" Samantha Sanders pulled me into the lounge. "Mr. Carter may be stingy, but at least this is a stable job."

I was the one who brought Samantha into the company.

Three years ago, she didn't know how to use Excel. Now, she was Richard's trusted aide, and last year, she got promoted to team leader.

"I'm sure," I said.

"Where are you going next?"

"Haven't decided yet."

I had no intention of telling her.

"Lillian, I'm not sure if I should say this." She hesitated. "Mr. Carter thinks highly of you. He simply doesn't know how to express it."

I looked at her.

Three years ago, I had taught her how to write formulas in Excel.

Two years ago, I'd covered her workload for an entire month so she could take time off and go home to get married.

Last year, she went to Richard's office and told him that I couldn't handle my project alone and needed another person on the team. The person she recommended was her cousin.

Then she got promoted to team leader.