Chapter 1

I was munching on a bagel and scrolling through the screen when the mock civil service exam results came out.

One post caught my eye. It read: [The day I got into the tax bureau, my boss approved my resignation in seconds, and my final paycheck, bonus included, hit my account that same day. Keep in mind that the company had delayed wages more than once before.]

The comments were pure satisfaction: [That's the vibe!]

I smiled, letting myself imagine that someday it could be me, but notifications kept popping up at the top of my phone screen. Even on a lazy weekend, the boss would come up with random demands out of nowhere.

It was beyond annoying. One minute, Michael Wright wanted me to organize client files; the next, he was pushing for a new pitch deck.

The double weekends I'd been promised when I joined had quietly become flexible work from home. The company had just laid off staff in the name of cost-cutting, yet the workload never shrank.

With fewer people, I was now doing the work of three. Since my mother still needed her expensive medications every month, I couldn't resign.

I relied on this lousy paycheck and had no choice but to keep grinding away like a workhorse, putting up with it all.

The mock exam scores dropped at 11 o'clock. "Wow! I improved again! Over 80 on the aptitude test!"

Excitement surged through me as I chomped down on the bagel, but then I slapped my forehead in realization. My mom's meds were due, and so was the rent.

I tried to make the payment, but the transaction failed. That was when it hit me that my paycheck, which should have arrived on the 15th, still hadn't arrived by the 25th.

The next day, I marched straight to the finance office, where Sarah Thompson brushed me off without looking up. "You picked up those coupons last week, didn't you? The ones for "Spend 2,000, save 1,000". You got ten of them, adding up to $10,000. Your salary is $8,000, and that extra $2,000 is a perk."

I froze. "Wasn't that supposed to be a benefit?"

She rolled her eyes and jabbed at the microscopic print at the bottom. I had to squint hard to make it out.

"This coupon offsets the monthly salary. Acceptance implies agreement. Final interpretation rights belong to Hida Enterprises," she explained.

Who would notice print that small? I slapped the stack down. "I don't want these. I need cash for rent and my mother's medication."

She pulled out a sign-in log. "You signed for them last week. This month's salary is in the form of coupons."

I laughed, bitter and incredulous. "What kind of shady clause is this? And these coupons only work at some sketchy supermarket where a $19.99 shampoo costs $49.99. So, after busting my ass for a month, I end up subsidizing the capitalist?"

A sharp voice cut in. "Finished your work yet? I didn't hire you to chat."

That irritable tone was unmistakable. It belonged to Michael Wright, who was a pro at gaslighting employees. I quickly explained the whole situation to him, but he just nodded as if it was perfectly reasonable.

"That's company policy. Plus, we gave you an extra $2,000. Show some gratitude instead of causing trouble," he said. "You spend your salary on stuff anyway. We're just making it convenient."

My hands shook with rage, but the thought of my mom's illness held me back. Forcing a smile, I tried to negotiate calmly. "My mom needs ongoing treatment and meds. I really can't manage without cash."

He nodded thoughtfully. "I get it, Lisa. You're a key player here, we'll definitely have your back."

My heart lifted with hope as he instructed Sarah, "Bring it out."

A stack of crisp bills appeared. I started to thank him, but then Sarah produced a loan agreement.

"We understand your struggles," Michael said smoothly. "So, we'll lend you $8,000 at 10% monthly interest."

He tapped the form. "Sign here, and the money is yours."

I was exasperated. I had been doing the work of three people, working late nights and on weekends, and now I was supposed to owe the company?