According to company policy, anyone who achieves the feat of being the top salesperson for three years in a row will receive a thousand-square-foot apartment as a bonus.

To achieve this goal, I work day and night, chasing every order I can find. But once I finally meet the criteria, I'm told that the policy has been abolished.

Saul Hurst, my direct superior, brushes me off with a bonus of 500 dollars instead. Smirking at me, he says, "Being good at sales is all well and good, but you still need to improve your understanding of the company's rules and values.

"Young people need to stay humble and know their place. Don't keep trying to show off. It isn't good to constantly hog the spotlight."

I don't lose my temper. Instead, I manage to stay unusually calm as I took the "massive bonus" I got in exchange for three years of hard work.

Two days later, our company headquarters conducts its annual sales evaluation.

When one of our clients offers me a sales deal worth eight million dollars, I turn it down on the spot. After all, I believe that part of what it means to be professional is to do as my superior says.

Since I'm supposed to stay humble and know my place, I've chosen to keep a low profile and not do anything that puts me under the spotlight.

Besides, even if our branch fails to meet the total sales target, I'm not the one who's going to be held accountable for that.

After seeing the sales rankings for November come out, I let out a quiet sigh of relief.

With that, I'd officially been the top salesperson for three consecutive years. By both tenure and performance, I'd already met the criteria in the employee incentive policy to claim the reward, which was a thousand-square-foot apartment.

Taking a deep breath, I quickly pulled out the performance confirmation reports and monthly sales rankings I'd meticulously organized earlier. With the November sales ranking sheet in hand as well, I walked briskly into the office of my direct superior, the branch manager, Saul Hurst.

The moment I stepped inside, my heart started pounding with excitement. I carefully placed the documents on his desk and said, "Mr. Hurst, I'm here to apply for the apartment reward. Here are all my performance reports and sales rankings for the past three years. Please review them."

I made sure to speak in a calm, steady voice, doing my best to keep my composure.

However, Mr. Hurst was busy flipping through a document, his eyes narrowed. Almost four minutes passed before he finally looked up at me.

After a nod, he lowered his head and continued flipping through even more documents, letting out the occasional sigh.

I stood there awkwardly, looking like a statue as I blocked the sunlight that streamed in from the window behind me.

Seeing him so engrossed in work, I clenched my sweaty palms and spoke up again.

"Mr. Hurst, I'm here to apply for the apartment reward. I've brought the necessary documents to support my claim."

My calm voice sank into the heavy atmosphere like a stone thrown into a lake. The intense silence swallowed it whole.

Mr. Hurst rubbed his forehead. Keeping his eyes fixed on the document in front of him, he finally snapped impatiently, "Who are you?"

"Jonah Carter, one of the salespeople, Mr. Hurst," I dutifully replied.

At that, Mr. Hurst finally set the document down. After putting on the gold-rimmed glasses he'd tossed onto the desk, he squinted and sized me up from head to toe.

"Jonah Carter, the top salesperson who has dominated the company's sales rankings for several years."

Frowning, he went through the documents I'd brought to him. With every page he flipped, his brow furrowed even more.

Finally, he put the documents to the side and picked up the coffee mug beside him. His gaze became cold and distant, unlike his usual approachable demeanor.

"This policy has been abolished," he declared.

Eyeing me mockingly, he sipped his coffee and smacked his lips before asking, "Didn't you hear me? In the latest employee handbook update, this reward policy has already been removed."

My ears were ringing. I gripped the edge of my pants tightly.

Biting my lip, I opened the employee handbook on my phone and calmly countered, "But the information on the internal network hasn't been updated to reflect this, nor is there any proof that the policy has been voided. I'm simply claiming the benefits I'm entitled to based on what's listed in the system."

Mr. Hurst didn't take me seriously at all. He set down the coffee mug and nonchalantly dismissed me.

"The company made the change last month. The internal system just hasn't been updated yet."

With that, he deftly shifted the responsibility for updating employee policies onto the company, absolving himself of all liability.

He even gave me a pitying look before reaching into the drawer. He pulled out a bonus slip and wrote out a 500-dollar bonus for me before addressing me with the tone of someone wiser and more experienced.

"Don't be discouraged," Mr. Hurst said. "Although the company has abolished that particular reward, it still has its employees' interests at heart. Here's the 500-dollar bonus that the company is happy to issue as a form of recognition for outstanding employees. The company is still looking out for its staff."

Without responding, I stared at the reward slip that had fallen to the floor. This was Mr. Hurst's usual tactic. He would use company policy to keep me down and shut me up by dangling 500 dollars in front of me, expecting me to take it and let the matter drop.

Just like that, he wanted to erase all of the hard work I'd poured into the job for the past three years.

I'd worked day and night, negotiating with clients and pulling in orders. I'd never left work early or arrived late either. This whole time, I'd consistently exceeded the performance targets set by the higher-ups, just so I could get that thousand-square-foot apartment.

I even ended up with a stomach ulcer because of my grueling working life.

Now that I'd fully met the criteria to receive that reward, the motivation that had carried me for three years vanished before my very eyes, turning into a slip for a 500-dollar bonus instead.

A sharp pain shot through my abdomen. I pressed my hand against it. Gritting my teeth, I bent down to pick up the reward slip for my "massive" bonus.

Seeing that I hadn't said anything, Mr. Hurst eyed me mockingly.

"The decision was made rather suddenly. Don't hold it against the company. The industry has been tough the past couple of years, so the company is making strategic adjustments. You're a reasonable employee. I'm sure you know how important it is to understand the company's position as well," he said.

"You're a young man. Young people need to stay humble and know their place. Focus on gaining experience, and don't be so impatient. It's just a temporary setback. As long as you work hard, I believe the company will recognize your efforts."

He smiled, his gaze flickering with a hint of smug delight. His slick expression boasted the satisfaction of someone who had just put an overeager young employee in his place.

His words cut through me like a blade, repeatedly reminding me that all my effort over the past three years had been for nothing.

I felt like a clown who'd been made a joke, blindly working my ass off for a reward policy that no longer existed. All I got in return was a flippant dismissal and nothing else to show for it.

As I looked at Mr. Hurst's arrogant, derisive expression, I asked a burning question.

"If this policy was abolished last month, why didn't we receive any official notice, whether through the group chat or company email? Even if the system is slow to update, shouldn't you have notified all employees immediately? Isn't that the standard procedure for all announcements and policy updates?"

Mr. Hurst snorted at me, as if I'd just told him a joke.

"It was a very busy month last month. I haven't had the time to send out the official notice. After all, so few employees ever qualify for that reward anyway. It's perfectly understandable that the notice wasn't sent out right away. I'm sure you understand, right, Mr. Top Salesperson?"

The amusement in his voice made me clench my hands. My attempt to stick up for myself was nothing but a feeble, futile struggle in his eyes. It didn't achieve anything, other than to entertain him.

When dealing with power and authority, my arguments meant nothing.

Mr. Hurst glanced at the reward slip that I'd placed back onto his desk and smirked patronizingly.

"Being good at sales is all well and good, but you still need to improve your understanding of the company's rules and values. Young people need to stay humble and know their place. Don't keep trying to show off. It isn't good to constantly hog the spotlight.

"Take the 500 dollars. And when you go back to your desk, give my words some careful consideration."

After saying that, he immediately called up the finance department and said scornfully, "Jonah Carter, our top salesperson, will be heading over to the finance department to claim a bonus later. Make sure you process it right away for him."

He pointed at the reward slip for 500 dollars on his desk before gesturing for me to leave.

Every time he called me the top salesperson, it felt like I was hit in the chest with a hammer. It made it all the more clear how pathetic I was.

Clenching my jaw, I took my "generous" bonus and left his office, heading to the finance department with a grim expression.

When I arrived, however, I saw a reimbursement form that should no longer be in use.

"Oh, if it isn't Jonah, our top salesperson!" Wendy Jones, who worked for the finance department, greeted me warmly. "Mr. Hurst has informed me to process your bonus right away."

She cheerfully took the slip from me and started processing it.

I stayed silent, my eyes fixed on the reimbursement form she'd just set down on her desk. The signature and the reason for reimbursement on it corresponded exactly to the same policy item I had been trying to claim.

Confused, I deliberately glanced at the application date. It read November 23rd, which was yesterday.

Wendy quickly finished processing the paperwork and handed it to me to sign. I picked up the pen and shifted my gaze away from the reimbursement form.

It wasn't that the policy had been abolished after all. Mr. Hurst simply never intended to honor it.

Not long after, a notification popped up on my phone, informing me that 500 dollars had been deposited into my account. It was listed as a bonus from the company, which felt like a slap in the face.

Noticing my reaction, Wendy sighed.

"Jonah, you've been here three years. You know what Mr. Hurst is like. Trying to get some kind of benefit from him is as hard as squeezing water from a rock.

"You're the top salesperson, so he had to give you a little something just to keep up appearances. Had it been anyone else, they wouldn't have even gotten 50 dollars from him.

"I know you were aiming for that apartment, but as long as Mr. Hurst refuses to sign off on your application, there's no chance you'll ever get it. Just keep up the good work and wait out the year. Maybe once Mr. Hurst gets transferred, you might have a chance to get what you want."

Wendy quietly confided that she'd overheard Mr. Hurst talking to his superior. As long as he could guarantee that the year-end sales targets were met without any issues, he'd get a promotion and be transferred back to headquarters.

Gripping the pen tightly, I thanked her before leaving her office.

Back at my desk, I began sorting through my work and reviewing my schedule for the next few days.

Just then, Mr. Hurst stepped out of his office with a serious expression and reminded everyone, "In two days, someone from HQ will come to assess the branch's year-end sales performance. Make sure all your reports are ready, and finalize any pending orders. Don't drop the ball at a critical moment like this!"

Then, he deliberately singled me out.

"Jonah, as the top salesperson, you need to run a thorough check of everything and make sure it's all recorded. Don't miss a single order."

He was casually giving me an order as if nothing had happened.

At my silence, he took the initiative to say, "After HQ evaluates our year-end sales, I'll apply for an additional bonus for those who have performed exceptionally, just to give you guys a little encouragement.

"But remember, everyone, you need to keep your feet on the ground and stay humble. Aside from improving your ability as a salesperson, you also need to familiarize yourself with the company's policies and values.

"Don't assume that just because you've done well, you can demand benefits from the company. That just shows poor character and a lack of perspective. I won't single anyone out here, but let this be a warning."

When he finished, the surrounding employees started whispering among themselves. Though no one said it outright, everyone was clearly gossiping about me.

Yet, the occasional curious glance that seemed to land on me by chance from time to time felt like a burning fire that threatened to reduce me to a pile of ashes.

I clenched the mouse in my hand, my face cold as ice. I kept my eyes fixed on the computer screen, ignoring everyone's reactions.

Just then, a notification popped up. It was an email from Frederick Anderson, a client I'd been negotiating with for a while now.

Mr. Anderson had persistently voiced his skepticism over our product quality, repeatedly deferring things whenever I pressed him for a decision. Yet after all the back-and-forth, he'd ended up deciding to place an order with us after all.

I opened the email.

"I'm willing to place an order worth eight million dollars, but you need to guarantee that the inventory will be delivered to me within three days."

I checked the inventory at the company's nearest warehouse. There was under a million dollars' worth of the product Mr. Anderson wanted. Needing to grab stock from other warehouses would make the three-day delivery window nearly impossible to meet.

No one else in the company could fulfill this order. But I could. I had the ability to ensure that the inventory would be delivered on time.

I'd already mapped out the fastest logistics flow and optimal delivery routes. With careful planning and sufficient cooperation from the staff, this shipment could definitely be delivered within the required timeframe.

Over the years, my mind had practically transformed into the city's transport network. I could confidently say I was more reliable than any GPS in that respect.

But just as I was about to accept the 8-million-dollar order, Mr. Hurst's voice echoed in my mind. I recalled the lecture he gave me in his office.

It wasn't good to constantly hog the spotlight. It was important to be humble and know one's place.