The High Price of Loyalty

Melanie handed over all the company's sales operations to Jeffrey's management.

As for herself, she continued doing what she had always done: checking employees' attendance logs and making sure everyone clocked in. Then, she spent the rest of her time flooding social media with photos of her and Jeffrey, flaunting their relationship at every opportunity.

She had probably long forgotten how she had gone from living in that tiny 300-square-foot dump to her current 2000-square-foot luxury penthouse. She had forgotten how she could drop ridiculous amounts of money without blinking on useless designer items that just sat around looking pretty.

I built all this–one drink at a time, one contract after another, painstakingly accumulated over the years.

...

I gave myself a week off. During that week, my phone practically exploded with calls. Headhunters and CEOs from major companies were all reaching out, offering incredibly tempting positions just to get me on board.

Among them was Melanie's biggest rival and the true industry leader, Everise Group.

Fiona Edwards, Everise Group's CEO, personally called me three times. The offer she made was impossible to refuse.

"Kieran, come to Everise Group, and I'll give you fifty percent of the company's shares. You won't be my employee; you'll be my partner. The two of us will run Everise Group, together."

I accepted Fiona's invitation. However, what I did not expect was that on my very first day at Everise Group, Melanie showed up at the company entrance with Jeffrey in tow, ready for a fight.

Fiona had gathered all the company executives in the lobby, lined up to give me a grand welcome ceremony. Before anyone could even deliver the welcome speech, Melanie's shrill voice cut through the air.

"Kieran! You ungrateful, two-faced snake! Wasn't mooching off me enough for you? You joined my rival company just to humiliate me, didn't you? You're trying to steal my business, aren't you?"

She pointed at my face, yelling like a madwoman who had completely lost control.

Jeffrey stood beside her, adding fuel to the fire with his usual smug tone. "Kieran, leave some room to breathe, man. Don't burn every bridge. You're making yourself look pathetic."