No More Free Rides

I hung up, and the smile on Administrative Manager Wade Cooper's face froze instantly.

"Ms. Smith, those two vans you just mentioned… what's going on with that?"

I folded the disciplinary notice neatly and slipped it into my bag, keeping my tone calm.

"It's nothing. Since the company has decided that I've been engaging in unauthorized operations, I won't be driving my own car anymore.

"As for the 'unofficial vehicles' I personally paid to rent, I'll cancel those too. Wouldn't want them affecting the company's reputation."

Wade frowned.

"Wait. Are you saying those two vans that pick up and drop off employees every day… you rented them yourself? Weren't those a company benefit?"

"A company benefit?" I let out a soft laugh, my gaze drifting toward the people peeking in from outside the door.

"Mr. Cooper, you've worked in Finance for more than a day or two. In the past three years, has there ever been a single entry in the books for 'employee shuttle rental expenses'?"

Wade froze.

He had never seen such an expense.

However, like everyone else, he had simply assumed it was a standard company perk, or maybe part of some administrative budget that was not publicly disclosed. After all, those two brand-new shuttle vans had shown up like clockwork every day, waiting at the subway station and outside the office building. Rain or shine, they had been running for three full years.

"About that… Ms. Smith, that doesn't seem possible. Renting vehicles like that isn't cheap."

"It isn't," I said lightly. "Six thousand a month for one van. Twelve thousand for two. Toss in driver salaries and fuel subsidies, and it comes to a little over twenty thousand a month."

I picked up a pen from the desk and spun it lazily between my fingers. "Over three years, that's a total of seven hundred and twenty thousand.

"And that doesn't even include my personal car, the one Selena Rogers reported. The gas and wear and tear from giving people rides along my route? I paid for all of that myself."

The office fell completely silent.

Just moments ago, Selena had been loudly accusing me in the break room of "profiting off coworkers." She stood at the doorway holding her coffee, her expression stiff and uneasy.

I stood up and smoothed out my blazer.

"Since the complaint clearly states that I've been 'misusing my personal vehicle and engaging in unauthorized operations,' it's only fair that I make some adjustments.

"Starting this afternoon, the shuttle service will be fully canceled. From now on, everyone can figure out their own commute."

Without sparing Selena another glance, I pushed the door open and walked out.

Behind me, I could hear Wade frantically flipping through financial records, along with Selena's slightly panicked voice trying to explain, "She… she has to be bluffing. Who would spend that much money just to give coworkers a ride?"