Chapter 1

With the holidays coming up, I set the year-end bonuses according to each person's rank and contribution to the company.

Once I'd double-checked everything and was about to send it out, our new intern, Muriel Fox, came to my office and said,

"Ms. Coleman, I really admire how you've always treated everyone here like family. And if we're family, then everyone should be treated the same. So whether someone's a veteran or brand new, the year-end bonus should be identical for all of us."

I took it as a joke and turned her down.

I didn't expect that, just before quitting time, Muriel would come back with the managers of HR, Sales, and Accounting, laying a petition signed by nearly every employee in the company on my desk and demanding I agree to her request.

I stayed quiet for a moment, then asked the three managers.

"So you're all demanding equal year-end bonuses too? Even if that means zero, same as an intern?"

The three managers' faces changed on the spot.

The office went silent for a beat before the HR manager spoke up first. "Ms. Coleman, I handle personnel, and in my view, whether a company can grow and thrive comes down to one key thing: how united the staff is. Equal year-end bonuses are the best way to strengthen that unity."

Then the sales manager put on a serious face. "Ms. Coleman, you built this company from nothing, one step at a time, which means you've done the sales grind yourself. You know how hard it is. The interns are part of this company too. Some of them have brought in more profit than the veterans. If we don't give them a year-end bonus, won't that break their hearts?"

The accounting manager followed right behind. "Business has been very good this year. Veterans and new interns alike have all contributed. It's just one year's bonus, Ms. Coleman. Why cling so hard to company policy? I say we treat everyone equally this year, and next year we work out a reasonable system together."

I said nothing.

Muriel slapped the petition hard against the desk and stared me down. "Ms. Coleman, what are you still hesitating about? Do you really want to go against every single employee in this company?"

I looked at her and gripped the pen in my hand.

Straight out of college, I threw myself into building this business.

Ten full years, more blood and effort than I can count, and only now has the company finally found its footing.

I treated every employee like family and gave them the best benefits I could.

Two days off a week, holidays, an afternoon coffee break, birthday parties, a gym, a rec room.

Whatever other companies had, I had. Whatever they didn't have, I had that too.

But it never once crossed my mind that the very people who'd walked through wind and rain beside me would let an intern like Muriel march them and their signatures in here to force my hand.

It hurt.

A full five minutes passed before I loosened my grip on the pen, lifted my head, and looked Muriel dead in the eye. I tapped a finger on the petition and asked, my face blank,

"And if I say no, you'll all walk out together?"

Muriel's expression shifted. She clearly hadn't expected me not to cave.

The three managers beside her panicked and rushed to speak.

"Ms. Coleman, you've got it wrong, we'd never threaten to quit."

"Right, right, we only want to build up staff unity so the company does better down the road."

"Ms. Coleman, we've been with you for years now. How could we ever be here to force your hand?"

No? Then what exactly are you doing right now?

I pulled at the corner of my mouth, picked up the petition, and headed for the door.

"Since this is what all the staff want, let's gather everyone before the day ends and talk it out."

I did say this company was a home for all its employees, that every one of them was family to me.

But now they're the ones who don't want this home, who no longer see me as family.

And when a home gets infested, you clear out the pests.