The Reimbursement

"Alex! What exactly are you playing at? Every other sales team has already submitted their files. Yours is the only one missing! You said you needed to follow the process, and I agreed to all of it.

"But we're running out of time! I need a definite timeline from you today! If tax filing gets delayed because of your team, it won't just be me in trouble. You won't walk away unscathed either!"

I wore an expression of helplessness but said nothing.

At that moment, a colleague from the next cubicle could not hold back anymore and spoke up quietly.

"Alex isn't wrong, though. Isn't this exactly what Seymour from Finance has been doing? It's been over a month now. Alex still has a pile of reimbursements stuck in limbo. What now? Finance gets to 'be professional', but Sales can't follow our own rules?"

Harold heard that and immediately understood what was going on.

Without another word, he turned and walked out.

Less than two minutes later, he came back, dragging Seymour by the arm and shoving him right in front of me.

"Seymour! What exactly are you doing? Who authorized you to withhold your colleague's reimbursements? I'm telling you right now. You're not going back to your desk today. You'll stand here in Sales and apologize to Alex until he forgives you!"

Then he turned to me with a smile.

"Alex, don't worry. I'll process your reimbursement personally. The funds will hit your account within ten minutes."

What I did not expect was that even with the department head stepping in face-to-face like this, Seymour still looked resentful and utterly indifferent.

The moment Harold left the Sales office, Seymour turned on me and exploded.

"So, Alex, I've been too nice to you, huh? You've actually got the nerve to use public business to settle private scores? Trying to trip me up with this disgusting stunt?"

My face remained calm, my voice even.

"Not at all. I'm not trying to trip you up. I'm just following company regulations. Oh, maybe you aren't familiar with the Sales Department guidelines. Hold on, I'll read them to you one by one."

My unapologetic composure drove him insane.

His eyes reddened as he lunged at me, trying to grab me.

Luckily, I was taller and quicker. Two steps and I was well out of reach.

That only made him angrier. He spat out threats without thinking.

"You just wait! Don't think this ends just because that old bastard of a department head reimbursed you this month! I'm the cashier accountant. From now on, consider it my loss if you can get even a single cent reimbursed from this company!"

At that point, I was already considering resignation.

He was not wrong.

Today, I could leverage the situation once and force Finance to process my reimbursement.

But someone as petty as Seymour?

If he pulled this stunt every month, would I ever have a peaceful day again?

Just as I was seriously contemplating quitting and maybe throwing a punch before I left, the Sales Department door was kicked open.

Harold stormed in, his hair practically standing on end with fury.

He pointed at Seymour and roared, "Seymour! So this is how you've been handling things behind my back?"