The Prank That Cost a Billion Dollars

Synopsis

On April Fools' Day, I received a promotion email. I thought my five years of hard work had finally paid off—I was finally being promoted to Sales Director. Full of joy, I moved my belongings to the door of my new private office. But when I pushed open the door, there wasn’t even an office chair inside—just a pile of stinking garbage. That’s when I heard loud mocking laughter from my colleagues behind me. “Sasha, you actually fell for it? How pathetically shameless!” My boss also chimed in, “It’s just an April Fools’ prank. You can take a joke, right?” I became the laughingstock of the entire company, a complete fool. But they forgot—this afternoon, I was scheduled to sign a one-billion-dollar contract that would determine the company’s fate. Since my boss loved April Fools’ jokes so much, I’d give him a special April Fools’ gift of my own. “What’s wrong, Sasha? It’s just an April Fools’ prank. You can take a joke, can’t you?” My boss, Mr. Richards, looked down at me with unconcealed smugness. Faced with his mockery, the entire office area erupted in piercing laughter. “Exactly, Ms. Turner! Did you really think you could become Sales Director?” Lily from reception covered her mouth, laughing so hard she was shaking. “She should look at her own credentials—a community college graduate thinking she can become a phoenix? As if.” I didn’t lose my temper. I just stiffly