Fined for snacking during overtime

?
I ate a snack bar because I was starving from working overtime, and my manager slapped me with a $600,000 fine!
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She pointed a finger right at my face, absolutely fuming. Ethan, don't think you're hot stuff just because you closed that deal!
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This is a workplace, not your kitchen! Eat your food at home!
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"Company policy explicitly forbids snacking! You knew this and did it anyway, so your offense is even worse!"
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"Your $600,000 commission for that contract? Canceled!"
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I just looked at her, cool as a cucumber, and said, "Whatever."
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I figured, why bother? I was already giving up, and that’s when she really lost it.
***
Olivia was absolutely furious with my attitude. "Ethan, write a public apology, you'll deliver it at the all-staff meeting!"
?
I looked at her face, crimson from anger, and clenched my fists. Then, calmly, I said, "Fine by me!"
?
My colleagues all stared at me, disbelief written on their faces.
?
Olivia spun around, high heels clicking, and went up to the 23rd floor. I stayed at my desk.
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A little while later, a notice popped up in the company-wide SnapChat group.
?
"Sales Department's Ethan has repeatedly violated company policies. After careful consideration, it has been decided to deduct this month's commission, totaling $600,000, and she is required to present a public apology at today's all-staff meeting at 2 PM as a warning to others!"
?
My colleagues looked at me in shock. Zachary, at the desk opposite mine, sent me a private SnapChat: "Olivia's having a total meltdown, don't argue with her. Just suck it up, that's $600,000!"
?
I just smiled. Sucking it up wouldn't do any good; she wanted to kick me to the curb after I’d served my purpose.
?
She'd been eyeing my position for ages.
?
When Mr. Gold, the old chairman, headhunted me, he promised I wouldn't have to clock in or out, I'd have complete freedom, and could eat or drink as I pleased, as long as I delivered results.
?
I practically ran half the sales department on my own.
?
This Monarch Corp. contract, worth billions, I handled the renewal myself, and wrapped it up in just a week.
?
Olivia probably thought my job was too easy and was just green with envy!
?
I SnapChatted back to Zachary: "Just wait. This afternoon isn't just my public shaming; someone's also going to try and take my place."
?
Zachary looked shocked, but I ignored him, calmly sitting at my desk, organizing and printing all my client files.
?
Then I formatted all the data on my work phone. After doing both, I started writing my apology.
?
Olivia came down at one point, saw me writing, and couldn't help but flash a smug smile.
?
At 2 PM, she arrived with some people. The all-staff meeting in the 23rd-floor conference room, with over a hundred people, was packed.
?
Olivia's voice was sharp and clear. "I'll reiterate: a company is a company. Don't think it's your home. Despite countless warnings, some people just don't listen!"
?
"Don't think you're so special just because the chairman personally hired you. Anyone can close a deal just by schmoozing and having a fancy dinner!"
?
"Ethan, get up here and deliver your apology. Let everyone see how you messed up!"
?
I stood up and walked to the front, under a mix of confused and secretly gloating stares.
?
"Manager Olivia is right. I shouldn't have eaten that snack bar in the office. From today forward, I will strictly adhere to company discipline and never cross the line again!"
?
"Manager Olivia, I'm not much for words. If you don't want me to eat, I won't eat. Being a salesperson isn't such a big deal anyway."
?
"Good to know! Given your repeated offenses, the senior management has decided to revoke your position as Sales Director, effective today, and demote you to a regular sales associate."
?
"This is our new Director, Ian. He's an MBA from abroad and will lead us to new heights!"
?
A smattering of applause broke out. Olivia pulled a smarmy-looking guy forward. Zachary and I exchanged glances; he was completely floored.
?
Finally, Olivia added, "Ethan, organize all your client files and hand them over. They'll be reallocated!"
?
I readily agreed, printed everything out, and handed it over immediately.
?
These clients? If you can handle them, go right ahead!
?
Seeing my cooperation, Olivia seemed a little suspicious. She checked everything carefully, ensuring nothing was missing, and finally let it go.
?
Ian, meanwhile, was strutting around like he owned the place. He came straight from the 23rd floor to my desk and tapped on it. "Ethan, hurry up, pack all your things right now. Otherwise, if anything goes missing, you'll be held responsible."


?
I understood perfectly.
?
As Sales Director, my desk was in the same area as everyone else, but I had a whole row to myself, with an open view, allowing me to see everyone opposite me.
?
Now, it was different. He was eager to push me out, and my new spot was directly opposite him, by the window.
?
Even with air conditioning in summer, we weren't allowed to close the blinds. The scorching sun blared through the glass, not only reflecting off the computer screen but also making it unbearably hot.
?
But none of that mattered. I quietly packed my things and was about to move my computer to the new spot when he stopped me. "Hold on. We need to check everything on your computer carefully. What if you're taking client data with you?"
?
"Fine, check it!"
?
I opened my computer and let him search through everything.
?
Mr. Gold himself had personally headhunted me. At the time, he’d told me, "Ethan, you have absolute authority in this company!"
?
Mr. Gold's health had declined in recent years, and he’d gone abroad for treatment. Everything they were doing now struck me as utterly ridiculous.
?
I knew exactly what Olivia was thinking: kicking me to the curb to cut costs. But unfortunately, costs aren't that easy to cut.
?
Ian found nothing suspicious and could only wave me off.
?
Zachary sent me a message: "Don't worry, Ethan. We're all rooting for you!"
?
I sent back a smiling emoji. What good was their support? I didn't believe for a second that the senior management on the 23rd floor was unaware of what Olivia was doing to me. They were tacitly approving it.
?
That meant Mr. Gold, far across the ocean, must also know. If that was the case, there was no point in arguing with them.
?
I clocked out at the end of the day, just as usual. I didn’t know what their previous expectations were, but from now on, I'd strictly follow company procedures. That couldn't be a problem, right?
?
According to my old routine, I'd usually meet clients for tea and chats after work. But not anymore.
?
I drove straight home, lay on my long-missed bed, and watched the sunset, feeling fantastic.
?
Normally, I'd always be out entertaining clients, with endless social obligations. Now, I finally had time to myself. I opened my phone, searched for theater tickets, and booked one for myself.
?
My favorite theater actor had performed hundreds of shows, but I’d never been to a single one. Now, I finally had the time.
?
Soon after, I was added to a new sales group.
?
Ian was the group admin.
?
"Attention All Staff: From now on, all sales personnel must write daily sales logs. You need to report who you met, what was discussed, and if there's any potential interest, for my review."
?
"You must secure 5 potential clients each month. If you fail to meet this, your end-of-month evaluation will be reduced by 20%."
?
Zachary messaged me privately: "Look at him! Says he came back from overseas, but he's using all these outdated methods on us?"
?
"Has he ever even worked in sales? Potential clients aren't that easy to find! Five a month? The entire company only closes deals based on old clients these days!"
?
"The economy's rough now, it's not that simple. And the big clients aren't ones *we* can handle. For small clients, this city only has so many people. He really doesn't want to give us any breathing room."
?
Seeing Zachary's rant, I just comforted him, "Take it easy. Just do whatever your boss tells you to."
?
"Ethan, are you really just going to let him push you around? I wouldn't stand for it! If it were me, I'd have quit ages ago! I can't take this crap!"
?
Zachary was always outspoken. I smiled at his messages but didn't reply.
?
I wasn't in a hurry. They'd find out soon enough.


?
The next day at work, I submitted my annual leave request. I'd been with the company for eight years and hadn't taken a single day of annual leave.
?
When I submitted the request, Ian looked at me. "What's the meaning of this, Ethan? I just started, and you want to take time off? Are you deliberately trying to go against me?"
?
"Director Ian, you're overreacting. Under your leadership, I'm sure we'll turn things around. I haven't had a break in so many years, I just can't take it anymore. I plan to take some annual leave to truly relax and recover. My body can't handle it."
?
He sized me up, his eyes full of disdain. "Right, I suppose you do have to service all those big clients. People over thirty certainly can't keep up."
?
His words had a hidden meaning, I knew. He was implying I'd used improper methods to land those clients.
?
Once people form a prejudice, it's hard to change their minds.
?
But for now, I wouldn't explain myself further. Ian still signed it.
?
"Remember the end-of-month evaluation! If you don't meet it, your base salary will be docked!"
?
"Fail for three consecutive months, and you'll be packing your bags and out the door!"
?
"Understood. Don't worry, I'm not leaving."
?
Because the ones leaving would have to be them!
?
After completing the paperwork, I packed my things and started my vacation. First stop: the state capital. Today was the day of the show I'd been waiting for; I couldn't miss it.
?
Two hours later, as soon as I got off the high-speed train, Zachary sent me a message: "Ethan, the Luminar Group contract is finalized, and Olivia says the credit for this achievement will go to Ian."
?
"By the end of the year, they're going to push for Ian to be the head of the sales department. That way, Olivia herself can get another promotion!"
?
"The nerve! Are you just going to let them get away with it?"
?
"Not yet. They can't handle it. Just wait!"
?
I sent that message and smiled. Renewing the Luminar contract wasn't something you could just achieve by wining and dining.
?
I ignored it, put my phone on silent, and sat in the auditorium, looking at the stage just a meter away. I felt incredibly excited.
?
My emotions ebbed and flowed with the play, laughing at times, crying at others.
?
Two hours later, I walked out of the auditorium, pulled out my phone, and saw over a hundred missed calls and countless SnapChat messages.
?
The most recent one was from Olivia, sent just moments ago.
?
"Ethan, Mr. Grant from Luminar Group says there's a problem with the contract, and they're backing out! The direct loss is over $3 billion! You can expect to be fired!"
?
I scoffed, and simply replied, "The contract was handed over to Ian. If he can't handle it, am I supposed to take the blame?"
?
"Manager Olivia, if you want to fire me, remember to give me my severance."
?
After sending it, I shoved my phone back into my pocket. Even Zachary couldn't reach me.
?
I wandered around, eating and shopping, and the constant stream of messages on my phone gave me a pretty good idea of what was happening.
?
After I left, Ian decided to "build rapport" with the major client and went to Luminar Group, bringing gifts.
?
He ran into Mr. Grant, who, upon learning he was the new director, asked a few technical questions. Ian couldn't answer a single one. Mr. Grant felt the company was unprofessional and insisted on an on-site visit.
?
I'd personally taken him to that site 800 times. Ian had never been there. When they arrived, they happened to find a machine broken.
?
Ian told an engineer to come fix it.
?
But no one could fix the new machine. Whenever there was a problem, I was the one who called in my contacts to repair it.
?
Ian used this as an excuse, claiming I had deliberately sabotaged the machine.
?
Mr. Grant immediately declared that our company was a fraud and he wouldn't renew the contract.
?
Not only had Ian botched the contract, costing the company $3 billion, but Mr. Grant also ridiculed Ian, and it even reached Mr. Gold, the old chairman.
?
Just then, Zachary called. "Ethan, you need to come back! They're about to call the police, saying you committed malicious fraud!"

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