I Drew the Worst Fortune on Our Halloween Team Trip to the Temple

Before Halloween, our intern, Brooke Hayes, suggested visiting a temple for our team outing. I calculated the distance and wanted to turn her down. “The company’s budget is five thousand dollars. Why don’t we just have a nice dinner somewhere nearby?” Brooke argued with me, visibly worked up. “Who cares about dinner? Do you have any idea that temple is offering a limited-edition fortune stick? Anyone who draws the best fortune will have good luck all year!” “We should try it too! Maybe it’ll bring the company some luck with sales!” Looking at my excited coworkers, I agreed. After carefully working through the numbers, I finally managed to fit transportation and admission into our budget. I was planning to use the remaining money to buy everyone lunch. But after we all drew our fortune sticks, the vendor produced a bill. “Eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars per blessing stick. How would you like to pay?” My coworkers froze, staring at the bamboo sticks in their hands in disbelief. Brooke looked at me as if the answer were obvious and urged me impatiently. “Claire, what are you waiting for? Pay him.” I wanted to throw the suddenly scorching piece of bamboo straight back onto his stall. “You couldn’t charge me eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars for a gram of gold. Is this little stick plated in gold or covered in diamonds?” The vendor quickly cut me off. “Don’t make ignorant comments! These are limited-edition fortune sticks blessed by an eminent monk. That’s the price!” My coworkers erupted. “Why didn’t you tell us that first? I thought they’d cost a few bucks, maybe a few dozen at most!” “This is a total rip-off! Can’t we just give them back?” Seeing everyone try to return their sticks, the vendor’s face darkened. “You can’t be serious. These sticks were blessed by an eminent monk. The moment you drew them, they became connected to your fate!” “Reject that blessing, and your good fortune could turn against you!” The threat in his voice was unmistakable. It actually scared my coworkers into staying put. But how could interns earning two or three thousand dollars a month afford an eight-hundred-and-eighty-eight-dollar fortune stick? Brooke tugged anxiously at my sleeve. “Claire, I asked around. These blessing sticks really work!” “Doesn’t the company reimburse team outings? The company can definitely afford this. Just pay!” At eight hundred and eighty-eight dollars each, the total came to nearly fifty thousand! Every eye turned to me. Swallowing my anger, I took out the budget sheet. “Brooke, the company approved five thousand dollars. The charter bus and admission cost three thousand. I used the rest to book a vegetarian lunch for everyone at the foot of the mountain.” “Eight-hundred-and-eighty-eight-dollar fortune sticks aren’t covered.” “What?” Brooke froze. Then, unbelievably, her eyes filled with wounded tears. “But what are we going to do with these sticks? This is all my fault. I should’ve asked the price before bringing everyone here…” “I just thought, with Halloween coming up, we could wish everyone good luck and give next year’s sales a little boost…” “I’ll find a way to pay for them. Please don’t blame Claire…” Watching her sob, my coworkers immediately softened. “Come on, you’re an intern. Where would you get that kind of money?” “Claire, can’t you just put it on the company account for now? We can sort it out when we get back…” “Exactly, Claire. Make an exception. Look how upset she is.” Before I could explain that these were company rules, our director, Paul Foster, stepped forward. “I’ll pay.” He scanned the vendor’s payment code, then frowned at me. “Claire Bennett, Brooke is still a young woman. She meant well. There’s no need to be so aggressive.” My fists clenched around the budget sheet. The company had given us five thousand dollars. I’d stayed up half the night making the numbers work. How did that make me aggressive? I was about to explain when Paul turned toward the trail down the mountain. “Enough. It’s paid for. Stop spoiling the mood. Let’s have lunch.” Everyone crowded around him, praising his generosity. After our vegetarian meal, we were about to head back when Brooke suddenly slapped her forehead and pulled her unopened fortune stick out of her bag. People around her gasped. Then I heard her squeal with delight. “Look! I got the best fortune!”Everyone swarmed around her. “Oh my God, Brooke! You’re so lucky!” “The best fortune! Brooke is our company’s lucky charm!” “Next year’s sales are in the bag!” With everyone showering her with praise, Brooke could barely contain her smile. She stared straight at me, a malicious little grin spreading across her face. “Claire hasn’t opened hers either. Maybe she got the best fortune too?” Everyone turned to me. I didn’t believe in any of this, but I didn’t want to spoil their fun. I tore off the seal. At the end of the stick were the words: Worst Fortune. “Oh my God, Claire! You got the worst one!” “The vendor said that fortune means bad luck follows you everywhere. Nothing goes right all year. You lose money and attract disasters. Only people born unlucky draw that one!” Seeing my expression darken, Brooke immediately put on an apologetic face. “Claire, I was just talking. Please don’t take it personally.” She claimed to feel bad, but the moment we returned to the office, she spread the news about my terrible fortune. Meanwhile, she worked constantly to maintain her image as our office lucky charm. There wasn’t a single document on Brooke’s desk. It was covered in lucky cat figurines and good-luck bracelets, with her fortune stick displayed in the most prominent spot. That wasn’t all. She also began finding ways to take over my work. When I was assigned a project, Brooke would snatch up the files first. “Claire, let me handle it. I’m the lucky charm. Maybe I can keep your bad luck away!” When I needed to meet a client, Brooke planted herself in my car and refused to leave. “Claire, with my good fortune along for the ride, the client will actually sign.” “Get out.” My face hardened. That evening’s contract was crucial, and the client didn’t like unnecessary people sitting in. Having failed to get her way, Brooke huffed and climbed out. Then she started making little comments about me to our coworkers. “Claire seems a little off lately. That last proposal got rejected even after she revised it three times.” “Do you think her bad fortune is affecting her? Good thing I’m here to balance it out. Otherwise, our department’s sales would definitely drop.” “Do you think Claire’s bad luck might drag down our bonuses too?” Thanks to her tireless efforts, quite a few coworkers started believing her. Their eyes grew wary whenever they looked at me. People I’d once been close to began keeping their distance. Everyone crowded around Brooke instead, hoping some of her luck would rub off. I ignored all of it. One of the company’s biggest deals had reached a critical stage. I was working late every night, barely finding time to drink water. Who had time to care about the nonsense Brooke was spreading behind my back?As our annual bonus season approached, everyone started looking forward to their payout. I was no exception. I’d exceeded the targets on all five million-dollar projects the company had assigned me that year. Under our compensation policy, my annual bonus should have been at least six hundred thousand dollars. But while my coworkers whispered about their bonuses, there was still no sign of a deposit in my account. My heart sank. Something was wrong. I picked up my phone and sent Diane in Finance a message on SnapChat. “Diane, have the annual bonuses gone out yet?” “They’ve all been paid.” What? I quickly typed back, “Then why haven’t I received mine?” Diane replied: “Brooke collected your bonus. Didn’t you know?” Blood rushed to my head. My hand trembled around my phone. “Diane, aren’t bonuses supposed to go to the person who earned them? What right did Brooke have to take mine?” Apparently deciding this was too complicated for messages, Diane called me. “Brooke said those two projects you managed only succeeded because her fortune brought you good luck.” “She said she’s the company’s lucky charm, so all the credit belongs to her. That means your bonus should go to her too.” “Mr. Martin approved it. I thought you already knew.” I couldn’t take it anymore. I shot out of my chair and headed straight for Brooke. She was sitting at her desk, holding a brand-new designer handbag. “I worked so hard this year! I deserve a little reward!” Another intern looked at her enviously. “Brooke, you’re incredible! You just started here, and you already got an annual bonus!” “You really are a lucky charm! Your luck is unbelievable!” “Brooke, how much did you actually get?” Brooke gave a falsely modest smile. “Oh, not that much. A little over six hundred thousand.” “After all, without my good luck, those million-dollar projects probably would’ve fallen apart.” I stopped where I stood. It felt as though an invisible hand had closed around my heart. That six hundred thousand represented my hard work, countless sleepless nights, and endless client meetings. And she’d simply walked away with it because she’d said, “I’m the lucky charm. All the credit is mine”? I stared at Brooke. As if sensing my gaze, she turned. When she saw me standing there, her smug smile grew wider. “Claire, why are you standing there without saying anything?” “Come over! I’m using my bonus to buy everyone bubble tea. Don’t be shy!” The people around her turned to look at me. Some seemed sympathetic. Some were waiting for a show. Others looked positively delighted by my misfortune. I took a deep breath, forcing down the anger churning inside me. Then I walked to Brooke’s desk and looked down at her. “Brooke, did you take my bonus?” She tilted her face up, wearing a smile that was both innocent and smug. “Claire, didn’t Mr. Martin tell you?” “He gave it to me as a reward for working hard and helping the company land those million-dollar projects.” “Working hard?” I gave a cold laugh. “Brooke, look me in the eye and tell me what you actually did on those two projects.” “I…” Her eyes flickered before she became even more self-righteous. “I organized your materials! And I booked meeting rooms for you!” “Most importantly, my good luck kept your bad luck under control! Doesn’t that count?” “The materials you organized were full of mistakes. I had to stay up all night redoing them.” “And booking a meeting room means asking reception. That’s your big contribution?” “As for keeping my bad luck under control…” I laughed in disbelief and pointed at the bamboo stick on her desk. “Brooke, do you honestly think the company lands deals because of that stupid stick?” Her face turned red, then white. Humiliated and furious, she jumped to her feet. “Claire Bennett! You’re going too far!” “Even Mr. Martin recognizes my contribution! You’re just jealous I drew the best fortune and got the bonus!” “Stop twisting the facts!” I slammed my hand on her desk and pointed at her, emphasizing every word. “This company landed those contracts because I worked day and night preparing documents and meeting clients. It had nothing to do with your fortune stick!” “And I’m getting every cent of my bonus back.”