The Reclaimed Rose (Annalise and Steven)

Otis was well aware that his relationship with Annalise was in shambles and that fixing things wouldn't be easy. But the kind of money Jessica was talking about made his heart race.

His company could have risen several levels if he had his hands on it. And if he set it aside for his children, they'd never have to worry about a thing. The temptation was undeniable.

"You might be onto something," he said. "I'll think about it."

Though Jessica and Annalise didn't get along, there was no denying that Jessica's plan worked in Otis' favor.

Jessica knew he was hooked. A satisfied grin spread across her face. With her in the picture, there was no way Annalise would get to live comfortably!

...noveldrama

Once Eric wrapped up his tasks, he made his way to the office. I caught sight of him as he walked in but quickly looked away. He often came by to discuss business with Zane, so I was used to seeing him around.

"Mr. Huxham!" Eric greeted Zane with a smile before turning to me. "It's payday. Want to come with me to hand out pay slips to the comics department?"

I didn't usually get to see how payroll was handled, so I stood up right away. "Sure!"

Eric led me to the comics department and began handing out the pay slips.

"Everyone's commission is about the same," he explained. "On top of your regular salaries, each of you will receive a bonus between 400 thousand and 500 thousand dollars."

Everyone gasped in shock. "Seriously? That much?"

Eric chuckled. "Don't get too excited just yet. After taxes, you'll probably only take home about half of that."

Even so, the excitement didn't fade. Even half was still hundreds of thousands, which was an amount that could add up to millions over the course of a year.

It was far more than most people earned in several years. And compared to other jobs, theirs was pretty comfortable!

Eric continued, "And here's the best part-this probably won't even be your biggest payout."

The room buzzed with excitement.

One of the female staff members couldn't help but ask, "Does that mean next month's payout will be even bigger?"

"Exactly!" Eric said, clearly just as pleased. This month's sales were significantly higher than last month's. It's been a steady climb.

And so far, sales have been growing month after month.

"We've proven wrong every time we think we've hit the peak. The best part? We're gearing up to launch new products soon. Of course, the market might slow down once it's more saturated in a few years.

"But for now, and at least for the next couple of years, you won't have to worry about your earnings. And when year-end bonuses roll around, they should be pretty substantial, too."

Eric wasn't exactly sure why, but he

loved the mood that came with

handing out paychecks. The

excitement in the air was

contagious, fueled by the cheers and laughter of the employees.

Someone suddenly suggested, "Why don't we all go out to celebrate?"

All eyes turned to me. Without much hesitation, I declined. "I still have to pick up Willow this evening."

With playful insistence, the others chimed in, "Just bring her along!"

I wasn't sure if Willow would be interested, and with Zane attending a dinner party tonight, I had planned to bring her home and spend some quality time with her.

But seeing the eager looks on their faces, I hesitated for a moment before relenting. "Alright, I'll check with Willow when I pick her up. If she's up for it, we'll join you."

"Deal!"