Chapter 3

The Trailblazers, my sales team, were fiercely loyal.

Sarah Chen, David Miller, Maria Rodriguez – they were the engine room of Innovatech' s revenue, and they respected me. They also weren' t stupid.

The company Slack channels started buzzing with subtle digs.

"Wow, some people get all the perks. Wonder what KPIs Liam hit for that Taycan?" David posted in the general sales channel, followed by a thinking face emoji.

Maria chimed in: "Must be those 'fresh perspectives' really paying off. Inspiring!"

Even a few non-sales employees, emboldened, added their own sarcastic comments.

Liam, predictably, played the victim, posting vague complaints on his own social media about "jealousy" and "toxic work environments."

Jess was incandescent with rage. Not at the unfairness, but at the public embarrassment for Liam.

An email landed in everyone' s inbox late that afternoon. Subject: "Misuse of Company Resources and Communication Platforms."

It was from Jess.

"Effective immediately," the memo read, "any employee found misusing company time for non-work-related social media activity or internal communications deemed unprofessional or disruptive will face immediate salary review and forfeiture of all quarterly bonuses."

My stomach clenched. I knew what was coming.

An hour later, HR circulated a follow-up: a list of employees who were being "formally warned and penalized" under the new policy.

Every single name on that list was a member of my team, the Trailblazers.

Sarah, David, Maria, and three others.

The employees who had openly congratulated Liam on his Porsche in the original Instagram comments? Untouched.

Jess was targeting me through them. It was a clear message: fall in line, or your people will suffer.

This wasn't just about a car or a boy toy anymore. This was about her abusing her power to protect her affair and punish anyone who threatened her narrative.

My team was outraged.

"This is unbelievable, Mike!" Sarah fumed, her face flushed as she stormed over to my desk, David and Maria right behind her. "We should all just quit! Let' s see how Innovatech runs without its entire top sales team!"

David nodded grimly. "She can't do this. It's blatant retaliation."

I looked at their angry, loyal faces. They were right. But walking out in a huff wasn' t the answer. We needed a plan.

"You're right," I said, my voice calm, a cold resolve settling in. "But we're not just going to quit. We're going to do better."

I picked up my phone. NextGen Dynamics had been headhunting me for over a year. Their Head of Sales, a sharp woman named Carol Jenkins, had made it clear they valued my track record and leadership.

I dialed her number.

"Carol," I said when she answered. "Mike Thompson. About that offer you made me... I' m interested. But I have a condition. It' s not just me. I have a team, the best damn sales team in Austin. And we come as a package."

I laid out what my team deserved: significant raises, better stock options, signing bonuses. I knew their worth.

Carol listened, asked a few pointed questions, then a slow smile spread across her voice.

"Mike," she said. "I like your style. Send me their profiles. Let's make this happen."

I told the Trailblazers. The anger on their faces was replaced by shock, then dawning excitement.

This wasn't just an escape. It was an upgrade.