Chapter 1

I worked my heart out as the CFO for a whole year, counting down the days until my year-end bonus.

When the day finally came, the company gave me exactly one cent.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Associate CFO, who had barely started, walked away with a five-hundred-thousand-dollar bonus.

My boss had the nerve to tell me, "Mona, you young people need to learn patience. This penny is the company's way of testing your character."

I told him it wasn't a problem at all. Then, I spent the next three months quiet quitting and doing the absolute bare minimum.

Three months later, I passed the state auditor exam with flying colors.

I quit on the spot and immediately reported the company for tax evasion.

The IRS hit them so hard they had to cough up fifty million in back taxes.

My boss was losing his mind, calling me and begging me to come back for ten times my old salary.

I just laughed and told him, "I'm sorry, sir. As a government official, I'm strictly prohibited from moonlighting."

01

The lights at the annual gala were blinding, but my face was deathly pale.

The boss had just announced that my bonus as the CFO was a single penny, while the Associate CFO, Blake Sterling, got five hundred thousand.

Over the past year, I had led my team to tighten every budget and cut costs wherever possible.

I poured my soul into saving the company money.

I spent my weekends networking and hunting for new investors, eventually securing a massive capital injection.

I hadn't taken a single day off, and my reward was one cent.

Blake, on the other hand, was a rookie who had been with us for exactly one month.

The moment the boss finished speaking, the room erupted.

One of my coworkers, known for being blunt, stood up immediately.

"Sir, is this a mistake? Mona has been running herself ragged for this company. I've seen her pass out at her desk from exhaustion multiple times. How can she only get a penny?"

Other colleagues nodded and started whispering among themselves.

The boss let out a disdainful snort.

"There's no mistake! That penny is a gift because she's usually diligent. But when it comes to real talent, she can't hold a candle to Mr. Sterling."

Blake walked over, draped in designer clothes and wearing gold-rimmed glasses. He had a fake, slimy smirk on his face.

"Mona, don't take it so hard. You're getting older, and your skills are falling behind. You only have an undergraduate degree. You should be grateful the boss even lets you work here."

Blake was the boss's nephew.

He had just finished a master's degree abroad, and his uncle had rushed to install him as the Associate CFO.

Everyone knew it was pure nepotism, but we all stayed quiet to protect our jobs.

I never expected this kid to start coming for my head so soon.

I felt the blood rushing to my face.

"Blake, besides dressing yourself up like a peacock every morning, have you done a single day of actual work since you got here?"

The boss turned red with rage instantly.

"Mona! You're just bitter because you're incompetent. How dare you yell!"

"Mr. Sterling just saved this company fifty million in taxes. What have you done? Tell me, what's your great contribution?"

"The fact that I haven't fired you yet is an act of charity. Do you have anything else to complain about?"

A week ago, Blake had tried to use a shell company scheme to get a tax break. I had flatly refused to sign off on it.

If the IRS caught that, it wouldn't just be back taxes. The penalties would be triple the amount, a risk the company couldn't survive.

But the boss didn't care. He stripped me of my authority and gave it all to Blake.

I clenched my teeth and forced a smile. "Fine. Fine. Fine."

I turned around and walked out of the gala without another word.

As I reached the door, I heard someone calling my name.

"Mona! Wait!"

I looked back. It was Gwen Stone, my apprentice.

I looked at her coldly.

"What? Are you here to play the good guy now? you're the one who audits the bonuses. Why didn't you tell me?"

Gwen's face turned bright red, and she started stammering.

"Mona, I didn't have a choice. The boss told me specifically not to say a word. If I told you, I would have lost my job."

I sighed.

There was no point in taking my anger out on a girl just trying to survive.

I ignored her and drove home in silence.