My Cheap Car Ruined Him

The company was rolling out new vehicle allowances, and Patrice from HR was collecting our car details.

When she saw the Kia Forte Id filled out, she actually laughed. For a long time.

Jax, sweetie, why do you need a mileage allowance? she said, still chuckling.

I frowned, confused. She leaned in conspiratorially.

You can just run a few Uber shifts on your way to and from the office, right?

I thought she was kidding. She wasn't. The allowance was denied.

I cornered Bryce Sullivan, the Vice President whod once been my manager, to appeal. He didnt even look up from his desk.

Look at this, Jax, he said, shaking his head. You bought this car barely a year ago and youve already put fifty thousand miles on it.

Do you think Im running that many sales calls? Dont be insulting. Youre definitely driving for hire. Why should the company subsidize your side hustle?

The whispers spread like wildfire through the office group chat.

Riley says hes out running deals, but hes really out collecting fares.

Hey, Jax, whats the surge pricing for a ride home? LOL.

I didnt bother to respond. I just smiled, logged into the system, and with a quiet click, I hit Delete on the million-dollar account Id been nursing for six months. For good measure, I cleared the hundred-plus prospective clients Id cultivated over the quarter.

After all, what difference does it make if the company tanks? Im just an Uber driver.

It was the seventeenth time I went to Bryce to plead my case for the car allowance.

I laid a neat stack of expense reports on his working desk.

Bryce, these are my validated trips from last month. Can we finally process my allowance?

He leaned back in his leather chair, picking up a receipt and flipping it over with an air of mild annoyance.

When he didnt speak, I felt the familiar urge to justify myself, a pathetic reflex I hated.

That one, I rushed to explain, pointing. Thats the trip to the motor plant. You asked me to go overnight, remember? I drove over eleven hundred miles straight.

He gave a noncommittal grunt and picked up another one.

Thats the one where I handled the emergency warranty issue at the vehicle factory. The client was furious. I know I didnt file the pre-approval, but I called you the minute it was resolved!

He scoffed and grabbed a third.

And this one is

He cut me off, his voice ice-cold. Enough, Jax. All these receipts, all these 'validated' trips, only add up to about two-and-a-half thousand miles. But your vehicle information shows four thousand miles this month.

He stared me down. Were adults here. Do we need to spell it out? We dont penalize you for driving for Uber on your own timethats your choicebut youre not getting an allowance for it.

I bit back a groan. Bryce, I have a commute. I also drive to appointments you send me on the flythe ones that dont get a trip report. But I havent been driving for hire.

He swept the receipts off the desk onto the floor. Denied.

A surge of genuine panic made me forget the papers scattered around his Italian loafers.

Bryce! Its been a year! A whole year of collecting evidence for you. Its clear Im not doing ride-share! The new interns drive better cars and they have an allowance, but Im still waiting!

He looked at me with open contempt. You compare yourself to them? They drive a Mercedes. You drive a Kia.

Besides, the math doesnt add up. How can I verify youre not hustling on the side? And honestly, its a twelve-hundred-dollar-a-year allowance. Why the theatrics? Go close two more deals, and youd cover it. Stop wasting my time.

His dismissiveness was the final insult.

I slammed my hand on his desk.

Bryce! Have some decency! You steal my accounts, you gut my bonuses, and now youre nickel-and-diming me over the car allowance! What, are you scared of me?

Bryce started to laugh, holding his stomach.

Im just enforcing policy. And you think Im scared of you?

He flung the office door open, grabbed my arm, and dragged me into the hallway. He pointed to the rows of cubicles.

Hey, everyone! Jax Riley here says Ive been stealing his business and skimming his bonuses!

Then he turned back to me, jabbing his finger into my chest, speaking loud enough for the entire floor to hear.

Jax. Now they all know. What are you going to do about it?

You drive a Kia Forte. You are not getting an allowance.

Heres some free advice: Go run those ride-share shifts and earn the allowance yourself. Itll save you the effort of begging me. Now, grab your paperwork and get out of my office!

My face was burning. I could hear the immediate chatter.

Hes making a scene over twelve hundred bucks? Wow, he must be desperate.

I heard hes doing six thousand miles a month. Hes definitely hurting for cash.

Probably maxed out his credit cards. No wonder hes so intense about a few dollars.

I didnt yell. I didnt swing. I bent down, silently gathered the shredded receipts, and walked back to my desk.

I didnt want the allowance. I wanted respect. I wanted fairness.

Since they wouldnt give it to me, Id take it back myself. I tossed the torn-up receipts into the trash bin and opened my work log.

Jackson Riley, Sales Performance:

Year 2020; Clients Secured: 27; Revenue (USD): 0-0.28 million; Stolen by Bryce Sullivan: 15 clients ($750K);

Year 2021; Clients Secured: 27; Revenue (USD): $5.26 million; Stolen by Bryce Sullivan: 38 clients ($3.22M);

Year 2022; Clients Secured: 121; Revenue (USD): 0-00.18 million; Stolen by Bryce Sullivan: 81 clients ($6.96M);

By this year, I had secured 167 clients and $31.21 million in revenue. The company credited me with less than 20% of it.

Bryce was a junior VP when I started. By taking my accountsmy blood, sweat, and mileshed ridden a career rocket. He went from a used Toyota to a flashy Mustang GT.

My sales figures were the lifeblood of that department, but I was stuck in neutral. No promotions, no awards, just the same stagnant salary. Id bought the Kia only because driving was essential, but even that modest purchase was a target for their scorn.

He didn't just take my clients, my bonuses, and my reputation. He had to take the last twelve hundred dollars too. It was twelve thousand dollars over the years. Not life-changing money, but it was my last sliver of dignity, and he was grinding it into the floor.

Enough.

I compiled years of evidencethe stolen accounts, the skimmed bonuses, the allowance denialsand bundled it into one explosive file. I addressed it to the company's internal Ethics and Compliance department.

I hit 'Send.' There was no going back.

I glanced up. Sam, the new intern, was standing right behind me. I kept my expression neutral.

Still no car allowance, Jax? Sam asked, the feigned sympathy in his voice failing to hide the smirk. Its wild how the company treats a top producer like you.

I ignored him and walked away.

That afternoon, I got a call.

Mr. Riley, the company takes these allegations very seriously. We will have an internal investigation and a result shortly.

Bryce, you forced my hand. Im simply reclaiming what is mine.

The next day, the office was buzzing. Everyone was watching me. When I reached my cubicle, my personal effects were already packed into a box.

No one would tell me who did it. Sam, the intern, only said that Bryce was waiting for me in his office.

I sneered. My report had worked. Bryce was retaliating. I headed straight for the confrontation.

Patrice from HR was already there. Bryce stood up immediately, his face tight with feigned fury.

Jax Riley! You have the audacity to show your face here? You actually reported me?

I looked him straight in the eye, fearless. Why wouldnt I? Im not the one whos been stealing from this company for years. I have proof, Bryce. Youre done. I will get back everything you took.

Bryce smiled a cold, triumphant smile. He slammed a thick file on the desk.

This is your evidence, correct?

My stomach dropped. Compliance had handed my report right back to him. The game was rigged.

Bryce threw his head back and laughed, a maniacal, victorious sound.

I truly admire your idiocy, Jax. Did you honestly think anyone would side with a nobody like you? Youre just a low-level sales guy. I could crush you like an ant. You think the board is going to sacrifice me, their golden boy, for you, a loser?

I lunged, grabbing his silk tie.

How did you get here, Bryce? You climbed over my back! I wasnt competing with you! All I asked for was what was mine! Just approve the stupid allowance! Why did you have to push me this far?

He shoved me back and smoothed his tie.

Why? Because youre a machine, Jax. An efficient, hungry machine. Keep you hungry, you keep running. Feed you, and you get ideas. You think youre irreplaceable? Any person with a tenth of your drive could do your job if they had this platform. Even Sam.

I turned, and Sam was standing in the doorway, wearing a sickly, satisfied smirk.

Bryce tapped his knuckles on the desk.

Did you think I was blind to your little moves? I was waiting for your complaint, Jax. This isnt a self-defense, its a self-destruct.

He started pulling documents from the file.

This is a record of your private chats with clients. Youve been offering kickbacks! You have the nerve to bypass company policy? How much of the companys revenue have you pocketed, Jax? Confess!

My face went pale. I stumbled backward.

No! Thats fabricated! I never offered kickbacks! Youre framing me! You bastard, you used the lowest trick in the book!

Bryce remained calm, totally assured.

I knew youd be stubborn.

He pulled out his phone and played an audio clipa conversation between me and Sam.

Jax, your numbers are incredible. Whats the secret?

Listen, Sam, the sales game is about playing both sides. You promise the client a discount to lock in the deal, then you negotiate with the company. The back-and-forththats how you land the accounts.

I wheeled around, looking at Sam, who gave me that uncanny, knowing smile.

Dont look at me, Jax. Im just following your advice. Playing both sides.

I was furious, pointing a shaking finger at him.

You altered that! Thats not what I said! You spliced my words!

Bryce cut me off. Spare me the outrage, Jax. We know who you are. Now look at these.

He pulled out several phone screenshots from the file. They were logs from a major ride-share application, showing I had been driving on the platform since 2025.

He pointed a victorious finger at me.

The rest of itthe kickbacks, the liesI could almost believe were an overzealous salesman being aggressive. But the Uber driving? That was the icing on the cake. A Kia Forte and a side gig. It suits you, Jax. Denying your allowance was the right call after all!

I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted blood. I had never, ever driven for a ride-share service. It was all a complete fabrication. Bryce was framing me.

But the silence from Patrice and the snide whispers outside the office told me everything.

He actually was an Uber driver! I knew it! All that talk about being brokehe must be drowning in debt!

And he accused Bryce of stealing? I heard Bryce was just cleaning up Jaxs mess, reassigning clients that Jax had barely touched. What a fraud.

Desperate, I turned to Patrice for a shred of integrity.

She looked at me coldly. Jax, Im just here to deliver the companys decision. We were initially only going to issue a verbal reprimand for your accusations against a VP. But given the clear evidence of your other activities, which violate company policy and damage our reputation

Bryce interrupted, cutting her off with a false show of mercy.

Patrice, its fine. Jax brought us a lot of business. Lets call it even. Just fire him. No need to pursue legal action for the theft or the fraud.

I glared at him, fire in my eyes.

Its a frame job, you rat! Dont play the hero! I never did any of that! You want to take me to court? Lets see who is cleared then!

Patrice frowned. Jax, youre making this difficult. Bryce and the company are letting you walk away clean, and youre insulting them?

I threw my head back and laugheda bitter, hollow sound.

Walking away clean? My performance tops the department every year! Seventy percent of our revenue came from my accounts! And my salary? Its been stuck at minimum for years! My bonuses are gutted, and Im always the lowest paid! Why? You approved everyones car allowance except mine for a year! You call that not difficult?

Bryce sneered. You think sales are just about bringing in the contract? Theres client maintenance, back-office workthe others do that. Stop complaining about fairness.

I pointed at him. You dare say that? Who drove eleven hundred miles last month to save a contract? Who puts thousands of miles on their car every month? They sit in the office watching TikTok and drinking coffee, and they all have allowances, but I

Bryce slammed his hand down. You bring up the allowance one more time, and I swear Ill bury you! We have undeniable proof you run a side gig! Keep pushing, and I will sue you for everything youre worth!

I didnt flinch. Bring it on, Bryce. Lets see whose reputation is ruined in court!

Bryce exploded. Patrice! Fire him! Now! Then instruct Legal to file the complaint! The evidence is rock solid!

Patrice hesitated. Bryce, lets all just calm down.

Suddenly, I felt a calm wash over me. I stood up straight.

You know what? Fine. I quit. Lets just call it a day.

Bryce lunged, eager to press his advantage.

You think you can just walk away? Not a chance! I will sue you! That audio, that evidenceits all real. Sam downloaded it from your phone. I was going to be generous, but youve lost your chance. Well see you in court!

I looked at Sam, whose face was a mask of smug satisfaction. I left the office in a daze.

My belongings were tossed onto the curb outside the building. My former colleagues were already lining up to watch the drama.

Bryce gave him an out, and he still pushed it. This is what happens to arrogant people.

Hes going to be sued for a million dollars. Hell be driving that Kia for Uber for the rest of his life to pay it off.

A few days later, sitting in my rented apartment, the court summons arrived. Bryce was actually suing me.

Then my phone rang. It was Sam.

Its done. All the evidence is in their hands.

A slow, satisfied smile spread across my face. Bryce had taken the bait.

Excellent, I said, sitting up. Initiate the next phase.

Yes. All of it had been my plan.