The Three-Million-Dollar Betrayal

This was my third month and two days of late nights; the final version of the "Skyward Splendor" landmark design was finally nailed down. My fingertips tingled slightly from holding the mouse so long while saving the file. My phone rang — it was Jasmine Thomas, her voice buzzing with excitement. "Charles, we landed the bid! A 400 million contract! The celebration banquet's tonight; you have to come!" I smiled and agreed, then after hanging up, I pulled the note out of the drawer. On it was what Jasmine wrote last month: "Once we land the project, the three million is yours. I give you my word." That little note held my greatest hope for the last three months. The celebration banquet that evening was held on the top floor of the Neptune Grand Hotel, the crystal chandeliers shining brilliantly. Jasmine wore a red evening gown, standing on stage with a microphone, the large screen behind her cycling through images of the Skyward Splendor design. "Tonight, I want to especially thank one person." Jasmine's gaze swept across the room and finally settled on Liam in the corner. Liam had only been with the company for half a month and couldn't even understand the basic architectural structural drawings. Last week, he even marked the position of the load-bearing wall incorrectly. My heart sank—an ominous feeling washed over me. "Thank you, Liam Hill!" Jasmine held up the bonus check. "He's the one who optimized the core design in the final phase and made the plan flawless. This three-million bonus goes to him!" The whole room burst into applause. Liam smiled as he stepped on stage, took the check, and threw me a look loaded with silent challenge. I froze in my seat, almost letting the wine glass slip from my hand. The three-million-dollar bonus—the result of me staying up late for three months—was just casually handed over to someone else by her. My heart felt like it was being crushed by a fist, aching so much I could barely breathe. Jasmine stepped down from the stage and came to my side, lowering her voice. "Charles, Liam is my childhood friend. His family has helped me a lot. Don't read too much into it." I looked at her, my voice trembling. "Jasmine, are you seriously saying you can just give away three months of my hard work like that?" She avoided my gaze. "Today's the celebration banquet. Don't kill the mood." I watched her turn and walk toward Liam's back, and for the first time, the woman I'd loved for three years felt completely unfamiliar.