This past year, I’d secured ten multi-million-dollar projects for the company, with countless smaller ones as well—yet my bonus was reduced to nothing.
Ignoring the pain in my head, I dialed Ethan’s number.
He hung up on me three times before finally answering, his voice dripping with irritation.
“What do you want? Are you insane?”
I cut straight to the point. Even if I was leaving, I wouldn’t abandon what was rightfully mine.
“Ethan, where is my annual bonus?”
“By my calculations, I should be receiving at least a million dollars. Why is it zero?”
He remained indifferent.
“Your bonus has already been converted into a Hawaii trip as an apology gift for Sophia.”
“You pushed her earlier. Did you really think a simple ‘sorry’ would be enough?
Because of you, she sprained her ankle and can hardly walk. This is your chance to atone.”
A bitter smile tugged at my lips—at myself, and at Ethan’s hypocrisy.
“Have you forgotten the profits from those projects I brought in?
How can you squander the fruits of my labor like this?”
Before he could respond, Sophia’s voice came through the line.
“Lily, don’t be so unreasonable. You pushed me, left me in pain for days, and now you’re fussing over a little vacation money?
Mr. Cole has spoiled you too much. You’ve forgotten that his money belongs to him—he can spend it however he wants.”
“Besides, it’s not like it’s all for me. Ethan and I already planned to bring back seashells from Hawaii as a gift for you.”
My nails dug deep into my palm. Faced with such shamelessness, I realized my years of effort had been wasted.
“Ethan, have you forgotten the sacrifices I made to secure those projects?
The nights I worked overtime without eating? The endless rounds of drinks until my stomach bled?
Or the fact that because of this exhausting lifestyle, we lost our child?”
At the mention of the baby, a tear slipped down my cheek.
During one frantic project deadline, after forty-eight sleepless hours, I lost the child who had been my greatest hope.
It was a pain I would carry for life.
There was silence on the other end before Ethan’s impatient voice finally came.
“Old news. Why bring that up? A child can be replaced. But this trip to Hawaii with Sophia? That only happens once.”
I never imagined he could say something so heartless. My grief deepened—not only for myself, but for the child we had lost.