Chapter 2

Half an hour later, every employee in the company had been gathered in the first-floor lobby.

Muriel Fox stood in front of me like she owned the place and said, :

“Just now, three managers and I asked Ms. Coleman to give everyone the same year-end bonus, and she called it a mutiny. Now, whatever any of you want to say, say it. Let Ms. Coleman hear whether we're staging a mutiny or looking out for the company.”

The moment she finished, a voice went up from the crowd.

“Ms. Coleman, how could you think that? I joined this company straight out of school, and I've been here seven years now. Every single one of them I brought in over a million in profit. I really am looking out for the company.”

Once the first one spoke up, the rest fell in line.

“Ms. Coleman, you've really hurt me.”

“Ms. Coleman, you say you treat us like family. Is this how you suspect your own family?”

“Ms. Coleman, you've got this so wrong.”

……

I said nothing. I looked from one face to the next.

Some were people who had been with me for years. Others were interns who'd come in the same batch as Muriel.

The interns I understood. They wanted the bonus, so they'd thrown in with Muriel.

But the old-timers, why? I had never once treated them unfairly.

The voices didn't stop.

“Ms. Coleman, we're not pressuring you. We really are doing this for the company.”

“That's right. Think about it. If everyone's year-end bonus is the same, there's nothing to compare, no one gets jealous, and we all become one real family.”

“Ms. Coleman, whether it's us old hands or the new interns, we all work ourselves to the bone for you. You can't break everyone's heart like this.”

“……”

I looked at Muriel. The corner of her mouth curled up, her eyes full of challenge.

“You hear that, Ms. Coleman? You can't go against the will of the people!”

The three department managers beside her nodded along.

“The country has its laws, a company has its rules, but neither can go against the will of the people. Just agree to it, Ms. Coleman.”

“Ms. Coleman, forgive me for putting it bluntly, but if you don't agree today, these people may not quit, but their morale will drop for sure. And in the end, that hurts the company's bottom line.”

“Ms. Coleman, it took you ten hard years to build this company. Are you really willing to hurt it over something this small?”

I pressed my lips together hard, and just as I was about to speak, a voice cut in from below.

“Ms. Coleman, I don't agree with making the year-end bonus the same for everyone!”

I turned toward the voice. The one who'd spoken had joined the company only a year ago. His name was Carter Finch, and because he was so good at his job, in just one year he'd been promoted to department supervisor.

Muriel snapped, “Carter, I'm fighting to get benefits for every employee, and that includes you. What do you mean you don't agree? Do you want to stand against every single person here?”

Carter's face was full of contempt.

“Muriel, I've got two hands, two feet, and a brain. I can earn my own money. I don't need you fighting for anything on my behalf.”

Muriel's expression turned ugly.

Carter turned to me. “Ms. Coleman, I've always believed you do the work, you get the pay. What isn't yours to take, you don't take. If you give in this time, next time they'll be making demands about their monthly salary. That's the road to ruin.”

Hearing that gave me some comfort. There was at least one person here who got it.

But Carter had turned the whole room against him, and in an instant every employee was tearing into him.

Muriel said to me, “Ms. Coleman, I suggest you fire Carter right now. An employee who can't unite with his coworkers has no place in this company.”

Before I could say a word, she went on, “And I propose the company set up a new department to handle year-end bonuses, with me as its manager.”

I laughed. She couldn't help showing her true colors now.

“Quiet!”

I clapped my hands, and facing every pair of eyes on me, I said calmly, “Since you all agree the year-end bonus should be the same for everyone, then starting this year, your bonuses will be exactly the same as Muriel's.”

“Because Muriel is an intern, she gets no year-end bonus. So neither do you.”

“Oh, except Carter!”

The moment the words left my mouth, every face in the room but Carter's went pale.