Her tone carried a hint of impatience.
“Fine, fine, I know you worked the hardest. But we’re all colleagues — isn’t helping each other what teamwork is about? You’re being way too petty! You have no sense of team spirit!”
Petty. Small-minded. No team spirit.
Each word made my heart sink lower.
“Claire.”
“So you’re saying Jason’s success is more important to you than mine?”
Claire froze. “That’s not what I meant! Why do you always twist my words? I’m saying we should think about the bigger picture. Jason—”
“That’s enough.”
I didn’t want to hear another word.
All my desire to argue evaporated instantly.
“If you like that proposal so much, keep it. I’ll deal with the promotion review myself.”
Claire completely misread my tone, relief flashing in her eyes.
“Ethan, you finally came around...”
“That’s more like it. I knew you weren’t unreasonable. Don’t worry, Jason will remember how much you helped him this time.”
“Okay, okay, I’m going to check how Jason’s part of the project is going. You should hurry and see if there’s another project you can grab...”
She seemed afraid I’d change my mind and didn’t dare linger for another second.
I took a deep breath. The cold screen in front of me still showed my carefully crafted business proposal — and those blinding signatures: Claire and Jason.
My phone rang again. Claire’s name flashed across the screen.
I picked up, keeping my voice as even as possible. “Hello.”
“Ethan...”
Her voice came softly through the receiver. “How’s the new proposal coming along? Any ideas yet?”
“Drop the fake concern, Claire. I’ve been sitting for less than ten minutes.”
“Oh, right.”
She paused, completely ignoring my sarcasm. “That’s perfect then — hold off on that and help Jason and me with something first.”
A cold laugh rose in my chest, though my face stayed expressionless. “What is it?”
“You know, the project from before.”
She spoke naturally, as if it really had become “their” project.
“Even though we’ve submitted the proposal, we still need five printed, bound copies for the review meeting.”
“Jason and I are swamped and can’t spare a minute. You haven’t found a new project yet, so can you go downstairs to the print shop and get them done for us?”
Printing. Binding. Running errands.
The proposal I spent three sleepless nights finishing — taken, signed by someone else — and now I was supposed to be their unpaid errand boy.