All Chapters of Canceled House Bonus? Fine, I'm Done Standing Out: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

"Don't be discouraged," Mr. Hurst said. "Although the company has abolished that particular reward, it still has its employees' interests at heart. Here's the 500-dollar bonus that the company is happy to issue as a form of recognition for outstanding employees. The company is still looking out for its staff."Without responding, I stared at the reward slip that had fallen to the floor. This was Mr. Hurst's usual tactic. He would use company policy to keep me down and shut me up by dangling 500 dollars in front of me, expecting me to take it and let the matter drop.Just like that, he wanted to erase all of the hard work I'd poured into the job for the past three years.I'd worked day and night, negotiating with clients and pulling in orders. I'd never left work early or arrived late either. This whole time, I'd consistently exceeded the performance targets set by the higher-ups, just so I could get that thousand-square-foot apartment.I even ended up with a stomach ulcer because o

The reimbursement form I had seen on Wendy's desk flashed through my mind. Without hesitation, I emailed Mr. Anderson, informing him that we didn't have the inventory needed to fulfill his order.Just like that, I declined the order.Then, in the company's internal tracking system for orders, I filled in the reason for my refusal to take Mr. Anderson's order.After finishing all that, I let out a faint sigh of relief and carried my mug to the break room to pour myself some coffee.As I approached, I overheard some of my colleagues whispering."Mr. Hurst is just using Jonah as an example. He's worked hard for three years straight, achieving the most sales every month, and he still gets almost nothing. As for people like us? Forget it! We might work until retirement and never see a single raise or any added benefits.""You guys heard what Jonah and Mr. Hurst said in his office, right? Jonah brought up the policy about the apartment reward, and Mr. Hurst shut him down, claiming the

Mr. Hurst snatched the keyboard off my desk and glanced at the wall clock. He hissed urgently at me, "Jonah, I can apply for a 5,000-dollar bonus for you under the employee rewards system. Just get that order back at once."Hearing this, I let go of the mouse and sneered. "Mr. Hurst, didn't you just tell me that the employee rewards system has been abolished? Which policy are you referring to for this bonus now? Are you just making empty promises?"Mr. Hurst was in a panic right now. The hour hand on the clock kept inching closer to six. He was running out of time.Sweat poured down his forehead."I'm warning you! This order doesn't only affect you. It affects the whole company. As one of the more senior employees here, you shouldn't only think of yourself. You have to consider your colleagues, too."If our year-end sales targets aren't met, everyone's bonus will be affected, not just mine. Think about it. How are you going to face everyone in this company in the future if you're

Even after three minutes had passed, the door remained firmly shut. I kept counting until the 208th second before it finally opened.When I saw Keith Moore, Ms. Ross' assistant, stepping out with a serious expression, I smirked.The judge was in session."Ms. Ross would like to see you, Mr. Carter."Nodding, I picked up my voice recorder and the documents I'd compiled for my bonus application before heading into the office.It was my second time standing in Mr. Hurst's office today. I stood in the same spot I had stood that morning. The sunlight behind me still cast a streak across my back. The only difference was seeing Ms. Ross, not Mr. Hurst, seated before me now."Jonah, it's not very wise to threaten your superior over a sum of money. Considering your substantial contributions to the company, I am willing to approve a 50-thousand-dollar bonus in recognition of your excellent performance," Ms. Ross said.She was choosing to just smooth things over for the sake of the company

Once Ms. Ross reviewed the information on the tablet, her expression finally changed. At last, her brows were creased, and her face looked a little grim.Before Mr. Hurst could even attempt an explanation, she said sharply, "How dare you deceive your superiors and mislead your subordinates, Mr. Hurst? Does your uncle, the vice president, know about this?"Just two questions were all it took to break him down.He stared wide-eyed at the tablet Ms. Ross held out to him, which displayed a bonus application for the thousand-square-foot apartment I wanted.However, it wasn't being claimed under my name, but a name I hadn't even heard of before. Yet the supporting documents and records were all the ones that belonged to me.Mr. Hurst truly operated as if he ruled the company with an iron fist. Did he think he could do whatever he wanted just because his uncle was the vice president? He even seized employee benefits and took them for himself without bothering to cover his tracks.Now, f