Lowball My Bonus, Lose Your Lifeline

Carter Stevens blinked, apparently not understanding what I meant. He pulled off his headphones as a look of pure annoyance flashed across his face.

"What's that supposed to mean, Kate? Mr. Ribeiro told you to show me the ropes."

"Show you the ropes?" I scoffed coldly, sat back down, and turned on my computer. "You make 5,000 dollars a month, whereas I only make 2,000 dollars. Mr. Ribeiro really knows how to get his money's worth by asking me to take you under my wing."

Carter's expression changed instantly. He clearly hadn't expected me to know his salary. He glanced around nervously, then lowered his voice.

"Kate, you can't look at it that way. I have a master's degree, and as a man, I'll have to shoulder more responsibilities down the road.

"You may be the top sales rep now, but you're not getting any younger, and you'll be retiring in a few years. The company is investing in me for the long haul.

"Besides, didn't Mr. Ribeiro give you a year-end bonus? You should learn to be content."

Content? A 500-dollar bonus wouldn't even be enough to give a beggar and call it charity.

I ignored him while my fingers continued to fly across the keyboard. I was organizing my client files—not for the company, but for myself.

Just then, my boss, Rupert Ribeiro, walked out of his office. He was holding an insulated thermos in his hand, looking rosy-cheeked and pleased with himself.

Seeing the stack of paperwork on Carter's desk and glancing over at my screen, where I was still typing, his brows furrowed.

"Kate, what's going on? Have you finished reviewing Carter's contract? He's meeting the client tomorrow. Why are you dragging your feet over something this simple?"

I stopped typing and looked up at him.

"Mr. Ribeiro, that's Carter's client, so it's only natural that he's the one reviewing it. And I have several key accounts to maintain right now. I don't have the time."

Rupert's expression darkened, and he slammed his thermos onto the desk with a heavy thud.

"What do you mean, 'his' and 'yours'? We're all a team here! Carter just joined us and is still learning the ropes. As a senior employee, what's wrong with lending him a helping hand?

"You have no sense of the bigger picture. No wonder you're still just a supervisor even after working here for ten years."

Carter chimed in from the side, putting on an aggrieved expression.

"That's right, Mr. Ribeiro. I asked Kate nicely to help me, and she turned around and mocked me for making more money than her."