Chapter 3

3

When I walked into the office the next morning, Xavier was sitting at my desk. He didn't even try to hide his smugness.

The boss saw me and put on his professional face. "Lucas, since you asked Xavier to handle your deals, it makes sense for him to use your workstation. Consider it a formal handover."

I shrugged. "Whatever works for you."

A few minutes later, a high-profile client walked through the doors. He headed straight for my usual desk.

Xavier jumped up, flashing a bright, fake smile. He started his pitch, and it seemed to be going well.

Mr. Harrison stood nearby, glancing at me with a sneer. "See, Lucas? You aren't the only one who can close. Xavier is doing just fine."

Soon, Xavier was getting the client to sign the paperwork. The office erupted in applause.

"Incredible!" someone shouted. "The new Star of the North!"

Xavier beamed. He looked at me and then at the group. "Drinks are on me today! Order whatever you want from the cafe downstairs!"

Everyone started shouting their orders, intentionally leaving me out of the conversation.

Suddenly, the client heard the noise and looked around. "Wow, you guys have great energy. You all must really respect Lucas."

The boss's smile faltered. "Oh, we have great teamwork. Xavier is actually handling all of Lucas's accounts now."

"Xavier?" the client asked.

"Yes, the young man who just helped you."

The client's face fell. He pulled the contract back. "In that case, I'm not signing. I only came here to do business with Lucas."

Mr. Harrison froze. "But it's the same company. The service is the same."

Xavier rushed over. "Sir, is there something I did wrong? I can fix it!"

The client sighed. "It's not about you. I was specifically told that this deal is for Lucas only. If he's not the one handling it, the deal is off."

The office went silent. A few people looked at each other, confused.

The boss's face turned a nasty shade of purple. Xavier looked like he wanted to disappear into the floor.

One colleague whispered awkwardly, "So... are we still getting those drinks?"

I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing.