My Former Boss Called Me to Work Overtime After I'd Quit

When I brought up the fact that I'd resigned before the holiday, Ryan Walker, the head of HR, brushed it off casually."Oh, that. I saw your resignation letter. Ms. Hayes did too. But you know how busy everyone was before the holidays. We never got a chance to sit down and really discuss it. Now that the holidays are over, why don't we talk it through properly?""Talk about what?" I asked.My resignation had already gone through. As far as I was concerned, there was nothing left to discuss."Your terms, of course!" Ryan replied immediately. "Ms. Hayes said she'll give you a 75-a-month raise. The economy's rough right now. You think other companies are just handing out raises like this on a silver platter? Do the math. That's like 900 more a year."I couldn't help doing some math of my own.The people in my department who clocked out on the second every day and never saw a project through from start to finish had reportedly received year-end bonuses of $1,500 each.Last year, I brought

This year, I was going to live differently.I walked through the doors of Newfield Group, my former company's client.The receptionist already recognized me. She smiled when she saw me."Evan! You're here. Mr. Cole is waiting for you in his office."Marcus Cole's office was at the end of the hall, and the door was open.He was looking at something on his computer. When he heard me knock, he looked up and smiled."Evan, you're here. Have a seat."I sat down across from him."There's something I'd like to discuss with you," he said, getting straight to the point.I sat up a little straighter. "Of course.""You remember that project from before the holidays? The $1.2 million contract with your former company."Of course I remembered it.It was the project I'd spent countless sleepless nights on, revising over and over, only for Kevin to walk onto the stage and accept the award for it.Marcus continued, "The project is ready for final acceptance. I was originally going to send someone else

"Pfft."A quiet laugh came from beside me.Kevin covered his mouth, laughing so hard his eyes were watering."Evan, you... you really went all out with this one."He looked up at me with an expression that said he'd figured everything out."For a second, I actually thought you'd joined the client company. You scared the hell out of me!" He patted his chest and let out a long breath before turning to Hannah."Look at that, Ms. Hayes! Evan's messing with you!"Hannah stared at him blankly, still trying to process what was happening.Kevin was already doubled over with laughter, pointing at my badge."Where'd you even get this fake badge, Evan? It looks so cheap! And isn't that photo from last year's company party? You didn't even update it! Project Director? Hahaha!"He laughed so hard he had to brace himself against a nearby cubicle, his whole body shaking."Evan, this is next level. First you pretend to quit, then you block everyone, and now you show up with a fake badge to complete t

"This is all your fault!"Hannah's face had turned an angry shade of red."It's all because you didn't keep your mouth shut! If you hadn't kept going on about some fake badge, none of these would've happened!"She jabbed a finger in Kevin's face and tore into him."Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you talk to Mr. Young like that? Have you lost your damned mind?"Kevin clutched his cheek, sobbing so hard he could barely get the words out."Ms. Hayes, I... I didn't mean to... I really didn't know...""You didn't know? Then why the hell were you running your mouth?"Hannah was practically spitting with rage."And quit calling him Evan like you're his buddy! After everything Mr. Young taught you, this is how you repay him? You ungrateful little backstabber!"She was about to continue when Ryan finally snapped out of it.He rushed over to me and bent nearly double, his voice urgent."Mr. Young, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said any of that. I was completely out of line. Please,

I thought back to my first day at my old company seven years ago. The sun had been shining just as brightly then.Back then, I'd been grateful just to have a job. I'd told myself I would work hard and earn every dollar they paid me.My phone buzzed again.It was a message from Hannah."Evan Young, just you wait. I won't forget this. You think you've won? Just you fucking wait."I stared at the message, took a screenshot, and saved it.Then I opened my chat with Marcus and sent it to him.A minute later, he replied with a thumbs-up.Two minutes after that, another message came through."Legal has already started the process. We're collecting every cent of the liquidated damages.""Got it," I replied.Then I blocked Hannah's number.I thought about what Marcus had said the day before."Without you, they're nothing."I wouldn't have believed it before.Now I did.Not long afterward, I heard that Hannah's company had gone into bankruptcy and liquidation.Her husband also discovered that sh