The moment she saw me, she burst out laughing. Then she strolled over and patted my shoulder like we were old friends.
"Oh, Bella. Aren't we a little old for petty grudges? That group collection was a total mix-up! You're the heart of this company—and my sister. You really think I'd do you dirty like that?"
Same old Blair. Acting like we were family, feeding me pretty promises.
But I was done swallowing her lies.
Ten years ago, Blair and I were college roommates. She was the trust-fund princess; I was the broke scholarship kid buried in textbooks.
After graduation, she wanted to start a company. Her money, my expertise.
A decade of grinding later, we'd built a mid-sized firm with hundreds of employees. But the equity stake she'd promised me? The profit-sharing? None of it ever materialized.
This time, she'd dangled a hundred-thousand-dollar bonus to string me along for another year.
Not anymore.
I cut straight to the point. "So you're saying you'll honor the bonus after all? Though honestly, a hundred thousand doesn't quite cut it. Word is you gave eighty thousand to people who barely showed up. I'm your core technical lead. I want five hundred thousand. Non-negotiable."