Suddenly, I Am Rich

Marcus was quiet for a moment. He didn’t rush the answer. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at Gray across the short distance between them.

”Well,” Marcus said, his voice was low but certain, ”the first thing is you keep gathering everything. Even the smallest anomalies. Consistency in patterns is what gets someone caught, not just one big mistake.”

Gray nodded slowly, listening. He was still slumped back in his chair, but his gaze had sharpened as he listened to his words.

”You also document everything,” Marcus continued. ”Transaction times, dates, even the vendors he works with. If something smells off, we’ll trace it. You build a report that HR and legal can’t ignore even if it’s just policy violations.”

Gray exhaled through his nose, processing it all.

”Right...”

”But,” Marcus said with his tone shifting a little, ”if you come up dry... If you can’t find anything solid that was worth looking at...”

Gray looked at him then. ”...What happens?”

Marcus held his gaze.

”Then you make one.”

Gray blinked.

”...You mean fake it?”

”No,” Marcus replied calmly. ”I mean you create an opportunity. Give him enough room and pressure that he walks into a mistake himself.”

Gray sat up a little straighter now, eyes narrowing slightly.

”You put something in front of him that looks like a loophole,” Marcus went on. ”Like an easy win. Something that’s tempting enough to push him into crossing a line.”

”Like a test?” Gray muttered under his breath.

”Exactly,” Marcus nodded once. ”Let him believe he’s in control. If he bites? Then we catch it. If he doesn’t? Then that means your perception of him is wrong. You can also just fire him and say that we’re changing the whole management.”

Gray sat in silence for a moment. He didn’t speak, he didn’t even blink. He just stared at the table in front of him, tapping a finger against the wood frame of it.

The idea... it sat with him.

Gray leaned forward again as he exhaled through his nose.

”Create an opportunity...” he repeated quietly.

Marcus didn’t interrupt him as he thought of it. He just sat still, letting Gray think. Letting the suggestion sink in.

Gray wasn’t someone reckless. He didn’t like playing dirty—at least, not unless the situation called for it. But this?

This wasn’t just about some petty workplace drama.

This was about the future of the branch he’d just taken over. The people who worked under it. The store Jonathan left in his care. It was about accountability.

About respect.

About control.

”I don’t want to fire a man without proof,” Gray said finally. His voice was quiet but deliberate. ”Even if I’m ninety-nine percent sure he’s doing something shady, I don’t want to walk in and kick him out just because I can.”

He looked up at Marcus then.

”Because if I do that... then what’s the difference between me and every other asshole boss?”

Marcus nodded once, slowly.

”I understand.” He looked amused at how Gray answered. For a moment, he forgot that Gray was just new to this.

”I want it clean,” Gray continued. ”Not for show. But because if I’m going to run this place right, I need to know I’m not guessing things. I want people to trust the system. Even if they don’t like me, they need to know I’m fair.”

His fingers paused on the table. His shoulders were tight, but his gaze didn’t waver.

”That said...”

He hesitated.

”...if Will really is the kind of person I think he is—if he’s been draining funds, stealing company’s resources and covering his tracks like it’s nothing...” His voice dropped lower.

”Then yeah. I want him gone.”

Gray’s expression hardened.

”But if not, then I’d apologize for my actions.” He glanced back at Marcus.

”Still, maybe you’re right. If I can’t finy any proof then I guess that’s the only way.” Gray sighed and abruptly nodded.

”I’ll make sure he digs his own grave if ever.”

Marcus didn’t say anything but his respect for Gray deepened visibly in that moment.

”Aright...” Gray let out another sigh and the smile on his face returned. ”I’ll review the next round of reports tonight. Let’s keep this quiet between the two of us for now.”

Marcus stood with him.

”I understood, Sir.”

”Alright, you may go.”

Marcus gave a final nod before turning for the door. The door clicked softly behind him as he left.

Just like that, Gray was alone again.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a deep breath. His eyes wandered to the ceiling for a second, then to the folder that was still sitting on the corner of his desk.

For the next few hours, Gray buried himself in work. He went through weekly sales figures, reviewed maintenance receipts, checked employee shifts, and cross-referenced vendor invoices.

By the time he looked up again, it was already five.

Gray stretched his arms over his head and stood. His back cracked, and he rolled his neck out, sighing. He gathered the reports he needed to take home, shut his laptop, and slung his blazer over his shoulder.

”Time to go,” he muttered as he turned off everything in his office before leaving.

On their floor, the halls were quieter now. The offices next to him was mostly empty except for a few staff still wrapping up. Gray gave them a small nod as he passed, then took the elevator down to the lobby where Daniel was already waiting with the car.

The ride back to the apartment was quiet. The sky outside had started to dim.

He didn’t even realize that they were already in the destanation because his mind was filled with thoughts.

”We’re here, Sir.”

”Oh, thanks Daniel.”

Daniel parked as usual, and Gray went out with his bag slung over his shoulder.

”See you tomorrow.”

”Have a good night, Sir.”

Gray gave a short wave and headed toward the elevator. But just as he reached the door, his phone buzzed in his pocket.