The Company Demanded Everything From Me, So I Let It Burn Chapter 08

The Company Demanded Everything From Me, So I Let It Burn Chapter 08

“What?!”

Evan was the first to react.

“That’s impossible! You’re a nobody here. Why would the board ever give you five percent of the company? Stop trying to scare us!”

Evan was new. Of course he had no idea what I’d done for Vantage.

My luck had always been absurd. Contracts I touched seemed to fall into place, and even the company’s newest equipment prototypes ran smoothly whenever I was involved.

That was why Vantage had insisted on sending me to negotiations all over the country, big and

small. I was paid like an average employee while carrying some of the company’s heaviest work.

Three years earlier, when Vantage had been on the brink of bankruptcy, my final bid number had

saved the company. The board gave me a three-year restricted equity grant both to reward what I’d

done and to make sure I stayed.

Vanessa and the longtime employees with her went grim. They knew exactly how much I’d

contributed.

Иooked at Vanessa.

“Why don’t you tell him? Did I earn that five percent or not?”

Vanessa froze. She didn’t answer.

I gave her a knowing smile.

“So the thing you just threatened me with is the thing I care about least. And you can save yourself

the trouble of blacklisting me. I checked what five percent of Vantage is worth now. It’s even more

than I expected. I can live comfortably for the rest of my life.”

“Actually, I should thank all of you. Evan most of all. If he hadn’t tried to confiscate my lottery winnings, I might never have woken up. Even after my shares vested, I probably would’ve kept grinding away here as an ordinary employee.”

Their expressions turned even uglier.

Just then, the ten-minute extension ran out, and the moderator came back for our answer.

That was when Vanessa truly panicked. Her entire manner changed, and for the first time her voe

sounded earnest.

“Ethan, I was wrong. I’m sorry. Please don’t hold what happened against me.”

“You know how much the Sterling contract matters to Vantage. If we lose it, everyone here is going

to answer for it. If you’re angry, be angry at me. Say whatever you want. I’ll take it.”

The others finally seemed to understand that we could really lose the contract and that there would

be no easy way to explain it. One by one, they started apologizing.

“Ethan, if we crossed a line before, we’re sorry. Please let it go. This isn’t the time to gamble with

something this important.”

“Yeah. Most of it was Evan’s idea anyway. He told us to freeze you out and give you a hard time. We

didn’t mean for it to go this far. Come on, give us a break.”

Vanessa’s eyes suddenly lit with an idea.

“Help us win this contract, and I’ll fire Evan the second we get back. He’ll never work at Vantage

again.”

The others rushed to agree.

Eyan stared at them, stunned.

“Why am I getting fired? Ms. Grant, you promised me Director of Finance! How can you let this

loser talk you into this?”

“Shut up!” Vanessa shouted, and slapped him across the face.

“You’re the idiot who started this mess!”

“None of this would be happening if it weren’t for you!”

The others piled on immediately, blaming Evan with the same careless certainty they’d once used against me.

I’d seen through them long ago. Watching them turn on each other, I shook my head and walked

away.

This time, Vanessa didn’t dare block me or threaten me.

“Ethan!”

She gritted her teeth, then dropped to her knees in front of everyone.

“Ethan, I’m begging you. Mr. Hayes made it clear I had to land this contract. If I don’t, I could lose my job.”

“We’ve been together for years. You know how hard I worked to get here. Can you really watch everything I built fall apart?”

“I promise. Win the contract, and we’ll go straight to the courthouse and get married. Okay?”