Betrayal at the Counter

ou sold, the bigger your bonus. Naturally, this

ions and minimal expenses. Their current accounts often hold sig

roducts when the queue wasn't too long, ensu

lient for 30 minutes or more, leaving the rest of the queue-mostly elderly customers-furious ab

our manager often dragged me out of

one day. "Could you avoid pitchin

can I do? Big clients, big d

on her efforts. It wasn't long before she turned nearly

all the sales, so I joined the fra

enough. Complaints flooded into headquarters,

complaints. They meant re

rvice type, much like larger branches. One counter for stand

ng to assign us a financial advisor, sett

d. "I've closed the most deal

, I've sold a fair share of p

ons. If you're at the investment counter and a tricky case comes up, it might hold

u're our branch's backbone. Stick to what you

outshine her at the

former classmates' parents-flock to Jenna's counter. Jenna, with her charm an

he policies were often illiquid, and early withdrawals carried hefty penal

into committing their life savings with promises

pproached me, un

ady who came in today-she said her kid w

out. She never approached me

opy attached to her insurance paperwork. Sure enough, it was h

a mocking smile. "Anothe

and asked, "Your classmate's fami

coolly. "Didn't you already

tioned her son's in his thirties and still single. Sounds

She wanted me to

at they'd be incompatible-our strained relationship

" I said flatly, s

na stopped speakin

ial advisor, Luke Bishop. Luke was in his thirties, u

quickly gained a reputation at the branch for hi

was naturally bold, and together,

etimes close the door to the financial office, lea

r. She barely acknowledged my existence

of them loved to plan group outings, deli

vite Julia?" Luke

with her husband," Jenna quipped lou

red at Jenna. "Plenty of pla

st, giggling as they

longer. I gathered my th

r words at me. "Remember, everyone-vote for me in the year-end

f agreement. "Of course, Jenna!

after you're officially

, "Drinks are on me. Then it's

worshipping their leader, already c

here-a woman who had given over t