Chapter 1

For our New Year's company retreat, my intern, Lacey Brooks, changed our itinerary without my approval.

She swapped our modest upstate cabin trip for a seven-day luxury getaway in Cabo.

"Manager Cole, a change of scenery always sparks chemistry," she whispered, pretending to be drunk and stumbling into my arms. "Leave your door unlocked tonight. Let's have an in-depth strategy session."

She slipped her room key into my pocket.

To avoid any scandal, I didn't go back to the resort, but the police dragged me out of a cheap motel at midnight for dodging a massive hotel bill.

That was when I discovered our allocated budget had been blown out of the water.

Lacey had upgraded to the presidential suite, ordered high-end seafood feasts, and even charged designer handbags to the corporate card!

When I tracked them down, the interns were still packing up leftover Alaskan king crab and grabbing bottles of unopened vintage Macallan.

"Oh, Garrett, you're just in time," Lacey said with an unapologetic smirk. "Be a sweetheart and settle the bill."

"Kids make mistakes, adults pay for them. You make plenty of money anyway, so just consider it the price of keeping me happy."

I stared at the $700,000 invoice and swiped the card in silence.

The next morning, I posted an itemized payment request in the company-wide chat, pinned to the top.

"Per internal audit, this retreat violates corporate policy. All expenses will be split equally among the seven attendees."

"That comes out to $100,000 per person, due immediately. If you need a payment extension, submit a written petition directly to executive management."

1.

Right before New Year's Eve, Lacey stole my office keys while I was out meeting a major client.

She started a live stream titled: "Gen-Z Putting Corporate Bosses in Their Place."

In front of hundreds of viewers, she announced she was moving our retreat to Cabo.

"Girls, tomorrow I'm showing everyone how real luxury looks," she bragged to the camera.

"And to make it even better, I'm going to get my elite boss wasted and have my way with him."

"Watching powerful men bend the knee is so hot. I'll record the whole thing so he can never boss me around again."

Her chat went wild, begging her for tutorials on how to train a sugar daddy.

A few people in the office were hesitant.

Our junior accountant, Mia, held the approval form with a worried look.

"Lacey, are you sure about this? What if it blows up?"

"Corporate policy caps our retreat budget at $10,000. That won't even cover the flights. If we go over budget and finance rejects the claim, I'm worried…"

Lacey scoffed, her lips curling in contempt.

"What's there to worry about? What I say goes."

"Everyone knows Manager Cole is wrapped around my finger. Forget tens of thousands, even if it costs millions, he'll pay with a smile the moment I bat my lashes."

Seeing her supreme confidence, Mia swallowed her doubts and didn't dare speak up again.

I watched the entire incident unfold through the security feed. When I returned to my desk, I found a pair of worn sheer stockings next to a sticky note.

"A special gift for you, Manager. Take good care of me next year."

A crimson lipstick mark stained the bottom of the note.

This wasn't the first time Lacey had used cheap seduction tactics on me.

I had zero interest in her, both because of her terrible work ethic and her rotten personality.

Once the client dinner ended, I avoided the luxury hotel entirely and checked into a cheap motel down the road.

I tossed the room key she shoved into my pocket straight into a trash can.

I thought she would take the hint, but the next morning, local officers banged on my door.

They dragged me out of bed and hauled me over to the resort to settle the unpaid tab.

"Your current unpaid balance is $700,000. The card on file was declined, so you need to settle this immediately."

The air in the private dining suite smelled of rich food, with half-eaten plates scattered everywhere.

Before stepping in, I assumed the hotel staff was trying to scam us.

Then I saw the leftover Alaskan king crab, half-empty bottles of top-shelf liquor, and designer shopping bags littering the floor.

The truth hit me like a slap in the face.

"Guys, Garrett is here to save the day! Bring him the receipt!"

Seeing me walk in, Lacey didn't show an ounce of shame. She casually ordered the waiter to box up five more bottles of vintage scotch.

"Garrett, this kind of money is pocket change for you, right?" she purred.

"We give and take. You keep me happy, and I'll give you a little taste. Don't act like it's unfair. You're an older guy; if it weren't for your wallet, I wouldn't even look your way."

The other interns burst into drunken laughter.

One wasted male intern clapped my shoulder with a grin.

"Manager Cole is a real gentleman, dropping thousands just to make his girl smile!"

"Go all out, everyone! Pick the most expensive stuff, Manager Cole is footing the bill!"

Fury burned straight to my brain.

Without saying a word, I watched the drunken mob stumble out, laughing, and silently settled the massive bill.

"Issue official invoices for every single purchase. Print the complete itemized breakdown and stamp it with the resort's seal."

The concierge looked surprised by my request, but complied immediately.

Our vacation ended abruptly. The moment we got back to the office, I tagged every single attendee in the company-wide chat.

"Following an internal audit, the Cabo trip cannot be classified as a company retreat. All incurred expenses must be covered by the participants."

"The upfront cost of $700,000 was temporarily covered. Split equally, each person owes $100,000, payable to the finance department by the end of today."

"The itemized receipts are uploaded to the group files. Please review your balance."

The chat instantly erupted.

The interns, who thought they had hit the jackpot with a free luxury trip, finally woke up from their delusion.

"Manager Cole, why make such a big deal out of this?"

"You have plenty of cash. You spend it anyway, so why not share some with us?"

Lacey tried stirring the pot again.

This time, I didn't hold back.

"Are you a professional beggar? Why on earth would I spend my hard-earned money on you?"

"This is a corporate office, not a charity drive. I am not obligated to support your lavish lifestyle."

"You can try to avoid paying, but once the deadline passes, our legal team will file a lawsuit to recover every cent."

Lacey was struck speechless.

Minutes later, she posted a dramatic selfie crying on her social media feed.

"Creepy older men need to disappear! He couldn't get into my pants, so now he wants a refund! Asking for a hundred grand, what a cheapskate!"

Her little clique flooded the post with likes and vile comments.

Reading the filth in her comment section, I let out a cold laugh.

I was fully prepared for the storm ahead.