The Night I Took It Back

My best friend, Ricky Watson, yanked the oxygen tube from my nose as he grinned down at me maliciously. "I guess there's no point pretending anymore. Remember those leaked files that cost you the promotion? I'm the one who planted them in that storage box under your bed." Then, he slipped an arm around my wife, Andrea Gates, looking even more pleased with himself. "And that son you've spent the last 10 years raising?" His grin widened. "He's mine." Andrea slowly turned the gold bracelet around her wrist and looked at me with open contempt. "I would've taken the kid and left you for Ricky years ago if you hadn't been so subservient to my needs and given me all your paycheck every month." Her gaze swept over me. "A loser like you isn't even fit to shine his shoes." I stared at the two of them as rage burned through me. Alas, I couldn't even force out a curse due to the lack of oxygen. Years earlier, I had been in line for a promotion to Chief Engineer. However, that was also when someone accused me of leaking confidential company documents. That single accusation destroyed my life. It went on my record, cost me my promotion, and ended my engineering career almost overnight. Still, I did whatever it took to support my wife and the son I believed was mine for the next 10 years. During the day, I would haul rebar and equipment across construction sites. When night fell, I would stay up taking freelance drafting and design jobs just to earn a little more to support my little family. I worked myself to the bone. I wasn't even 40 when my heart finally gave out. Meanwhile, Ricky stepped straight into the position that should have been mine. He used the project proposal I had created to climb up the corporate ladder year after year until he became one of the most respected engineering directors in the industry. I thought that was how my life would end, miserable and wrathful. However, that was when I opened my eyes again. I was back on the night before my Chief Engineer promotion interview. Chapter 1 I Knew What Was Coming "Mike, I brought us some whiskey. Let's have a few drinks tonight." Ricky Watson's falsely cheerful voice came through the door, and my stomach immediately started twisting in revulsion. I could still remember what was going to happen tonight. This was where my life went to hell. In my previous life, Ricky had waited until I was too drunk to execute his rotten scheme. Once I was out cold, he slipped copies of three forged confidential company documents into a file box under my bed. The next morning, he returned with members of the corporate audit committee. Then, he casually suggested that they check my project drafts, just for protocol reasons. They found the forged documents almost immediately. My career was over right then and there. Nothing I said mattered; no one believed I had been framed. The Chief Engineer position I had spent years working toward went up in a puff of smoke overnight, and the accusation followed me long after I left the company. Word spread throughout the industry that I had leaked proprietary documents. My name was blacklisted, my reputation was destroyed, and the engineering career I had devoted my life to was over. Ricky stepped neatly into the position I had lost. Then, he took even more from me. He slept with my fiancée, Andrea Gates, and eventually got me to spend 10 years raising his son as my own. I never discovered the truth until I was lying in an ICU bed, my body ruined after years of working myself to exhaustion. Ricky brought Andrea and the boy to see me as I lay on my deathbed. They were not there to say goodbye. They had come to humiliate me one last time. "Mike, your whole life has been one big joke." Ricky stood beside my hospital bed with a smug grin. "Your Chief Engineer position became mine. Your woman became mine. Even the son you raised for 10 years was actually mine." Andrea leaned comfortably against him as if that were where she had always belonged. The disgust in her eyes hurt even more than Ricky's smile. "I would've taken my son and gone to Ricky years ago if you hadn't oh-so willingly given me your paycheck every month," she sneered. "A loser like you isn't even good enough to shine his shoes." The pounding on the door dragged me back to the present. "Mike! You home? Open up!" Ricky sounded impatient now. I stared at the door as my hands slowly balled into fists. For a moment there, all I wanted was to grab a knife and yank that door wide open just so I could end everything right there. However, I quickly forced myself to calm down. After all, I now knew Ricky's plans. I knew what he'd do tonight, what would happen tomorrow, and how far his betrayal would go. This time, I wouldn't walk blindly into the trap he set for me. Instead, I would ensure he returned everything he took from me, with interest. I crossed the room and opened my desk drawer. Then, I took out an old backup phone, switched on the voice recorder, and slipped it face down beneath a messy pile of papers and stationery. Before I headed for the door, I glanced toward the top of the closet. There was a tiny security camera hidden there. I had installed it only a few days earlier after hearing about the rampant break-ins in the neighborhood. In my previous life, a power outage had knocked the camera offline that night, leaving me without a single piece of evidence to prove what Ricky had done. This time, the small red indicator light continued blinking steadily in the darkness. I checked the room one last time. Everything was ready. Only then did I walk to the front door and pull it open. Ricky stood outside with two bottles of expensive bourbon in one hand and several containers of takeout in the other. Chapter 2 Caught in His Own Trap Ricky greeted me with an eager smile, but I could see how his eyes kept drifting past my shoulder and scanning the apartment. "Mike! There you are. I was starting to think you weren't home." Before I could answer, he squeezed past me as if the place belonged to him and carried the whiskey and takeout straight to the table. "I figured we could celebrate tonight. Your final promotion review is tomorrow, and you've already come in first in both the technical evaluation and the project presentation. At this point, that Chief Engineer position is basically yours for the taking." He grinned as he unpacked the food. Then, he uncorked the bottle of whiskey and poured me a generous glass. "I'm happy for you, man. Seriously. That's why I picked up some good whiskey and dinner. We might as well celebrate early." The sharp smell of alcohol quickly filled the room. I put on a pleasantly surprised expression. "Ricky, you really didn't have to do all this. Nothing's official yet." "Come on. I know what you're capable of." Right on cue, he sighed and let his expression fall. "I only came in second on the technical evaluation, and I messed up part of my presentation. I'm pretty much out of the running." I almost laughed at his face. 'Out of the running? Please, we both know that you think that's never going to happen. After all, you're planning to knock me out of the running tonight.' Instead, I clapped him on the shoulder and gave him the same reassuring smile I had given him in my previous life. "Don't talk like that. Besides, it's not like I'm going to forget the guy who's had my back all these years if I do get the promotion." Ricky's eyes immediately brightened. "That's what I wanted to hear." He picked up my glass and held it toward me. "Come on. Drink up. You'll be walking out of that office as Chief Engineer tomorrow." I accepted the drink without hesitation. "To good luck." Then, I tipped my head back and made it look as though I had drained the entire glass. In reality, I raised my arm just enough to block Ricky's view and let most of the alcohol run down the inside of my shirt. Still, what mattered was that the glass was empty when I lowered it. The satisfaction that flashed through Ricky's eyes was impossible to miss. "Damn, Mike. Since when can you drink like that? Eat something before you give yourself an ulcer." He pushed one of the takeout containers toward me before immediately reaching for the bottle and filling my glass again. I played along with him for the next 30 minutes. I laughed at his jokes, listened while he flattered me, and pretended to finish another three or four drinks. However, I found a way to get rid of most of the liquor without him noticing every single time. Some soaked into a carefully placed towel, some disappeared into my sleeve, and the rest ended up on the clothes I'd hidden beneath the table. At the same time, I made sure Ricky saw exactly what he wanted to see. I'd drunk enough to keep my cheeks flushed. Then, I made sure to droop my eyelids as I started slurring my words. "Ricky... I'm done." I let my upper body collapse across the table with a heavy thud. "Can't drink anymore..." Then, I went completely limp. The room stayed silent for several seconds. That was when Ricky started nudging my shoulder. "Mike?" I didn't move. Instead, I made sure to answer him with a low, uneven snore. Another moment passed before the friendly mask on Ricky's face finally disappeared. Ricky gave a short, contemptuous laugh as he kicked the leg of my chair. "What a piece of shit. You really think you deserve to stay ahead of me forever?" The tenor of his voice had changed completely, stripped of every trace of warmth. "You've been top dog long enough, Mike. It's my turn now. Once you're disqualified tomorrow, I'll move up from second place." A smug laugh followed his statement as he declared, "That Chief Engineer position is mine." I stayed facedown on the table and listened to every word. Meanwhile, the backup phone beneath the pile of papers was recording every single word he was saying, his resentment, his motive, his plan. Every word was being captured clearly. A moment later, Ricky moved away from the table and stopped beside my bed. I heard the frame shift as he lifted the platform and pulled out the storage box where I kept my old project documents. Ricky waited for a few seconds to confirm I was still unconscious before reaching into his jacket and pulling out three printed documents. The covers prominently showed the words "Core Project Proposal: Strictly Confidential." Then, he smoothly slipped all three sets beneath the legitimate files at the bottom of the box without even a sliver of hesitation in his movements. Chapter 3 Caught on Camera Ricky then covered the forged documents with several old folders, carefully restoring everything until the storage box looked untouched. Once he was satisfied, he dusted off his hands and let out a quiet scoff. "Get some sleep, Mike. It's your big day tomorrow." He walked back to the table and looked down at me, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'll come by tomorrow and see you off." Then, he grabbed his jacket and left, slamming the door behind him. I didn't move a muscle until I heard his footsteps disappear completely down the hallway. I waited until the coast was clear before pushing myself up the table. The drunken look on my face was nowhere to be seen. Then, I went straight to the bathroom, splashed cold water over myself, and cleaned off as much of the whiskey as I could. Once I had changed into a fresh set of clothes, I pulled on a pair of disposable gloves and returned to the bedroom. The three forged documents were still exactly where Ricky had hidden them. I lifted them carefully by the edges, making sure not to touch the surfaces any more than necessary. If things had gone the way I expected them to, his fingerprints would still be all over them. I then sealed the documents inside a clean plastic bag before dragging a chair over to the closet to take down the hidden camera. Finally, I inserted the memory card into my laptop and opened the footage. As I watched the recording play, I knew I had him. The recording captured everything: Ricky walking in with that fake smile, him trying to get me drunk, the moment his expression shifted once he thought I was out cold, and his own words about taking the Chief Engineer position from me. Most importantly, the footage also clearly showed him pulling the forged documents from inside his jacket and hiding them beneath my files. The backup phone had recorded his confession just as clearly. The two recordings I had of his misdeeds were more than enough to crucify him. Still, I copied everything onto three separate USB drives and stored them in different places. Only then did I finally allow myself to smile. My phone lit up. Andrea had sent me a message. "Mike, I'll accompany you for the final review tomorrow. I'll bring breakfast too. I'm getting you your favorite coffee and breakfast sandwich! Get some sleep tonight. You need to look your best. Love you." My gaze hovered on the final two words, "Love you," and I felt a twist in my stomach. She had acted exactly the same way in my previous life. Andrea had stayed by my side throughout the entire review process, pretending to be a supportive fiancée while knowingly allowing Ricky to quietly destroy my career behind my back. I deleted the conversation without replying. I thought, 'It's showtime tomorrow. But since you want a front-row seat so badly, I'll make sure you get one, Andrea.' ... Someone knocked on my apartment door at exactly 8 a.m. the following day. When I opened it, I found a few people standing in the hallway. The man at the front looked to be in his 50s. "Mike Randall?" he asked. "We're from the Corporate Review and Compliance Committee. We're here to complete the final stage of your Chief Engineer assessment, including the routine background review." I recognized him immediately. This man was Daniel Brooks, the head of the review committee. A younger woman in a crisp white blouse, holding a laptop and a folder, was standing right behind him. Her name was Sharon Forbes. I remembered her as well. In my previous life, Sharon eventually became the youngest director in the company's Internal Compliance department. Years later, she was also the one who uncovered Ricky's corruption. My mind couldn't help but wander as I saw her standing at my door, but I quickly shoved those memories aside and stepped back. "Mr. Brooks, Ms. Forbes. Please come in. I'm sorry the place is a little cramped." After they entered, I poured each of them a glass of water and set the drinks on the table. Daniel glanced around the apartment before giving me a reassuring nod. "Relax, Mike. This is protocol. We just need to verify your technical background and go over a few details from the projects you've worked on." Sharon opened her laptop and began asking questions. I answered each one calmly, explaining the difficult points and technical details with ease. After all, I had already spent one lifetime studying these projects. Before long, the somewhat tense atmosphere in the room began to fade as the conversation between us became surprisingly casual. Chapter 4 Nothing to Find The interview was almost over. Daniel had just begun wrapping up the interview with some final questions when hurried footsteps sounded in the hallway. A second later, the apartment door flew open. Ricky rushed inside with two company security officers behind him. "Stop the review! You can't promote him!" His voice carried far enough down the hallway that several neighbors immediately opened their doors to see what was happening. Ricky noticed the attention. If anything, he seemed to revel in the growing audience. He strode toward Daniel. "I'm filing a formal complaint against Mike Randall." The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Ricky pointed at me. "He's been leaking confidential company information to a competitor. Someone like that has no business becoming Chief Engineer or holding any senior position in the company." Whispers immediately broke out among the neighbors gathered outside my door. "Leaking company secrets? Mike? He always seemed like such a decent guy." "Really? If that's true, he could be in serious trouble." "Tsk, tsk. So, he was willing to play dirty just to get promoted?" Ricky turned toward me, and the anger on his face disappeared almost instantly. His expression softened, and his eyes even reddened slightly. Frankly, he genuinely looked as if his decision to expose me for "wrongdoing" was somehow painful for him. "Mike... you know I've always treated you like family." He paused and swallowed. "I didn't want to believe it either, but… someone saw you meeting with people from a competing firm, and confidential project material has gone missing from the company. "You're my best friend, Mike. I can't just stand by and watch you keep making the wrong choices. More importantly, I can't let someone who's leaking confidential information move into senior management and put the entire project at risk." Every word came out with exactly the right amount of concern and righteous conviction. Daniel's expression darkened. An accusation involving leaked confidential information was serious under any circumstances. The fact that it was made in the middle of a senior-level promotion review made it even worse. He fixed Ricky with a cold stare. "That's a serious allegation. Do you have anything to support it?" "Absolutely." Ricky's answer was prompt and rang with confidence. "He has confidential company documents hidden somewhere in this apartment." He gestured around the room. "You can search the place right now. I'm willing to take full responsibility for making a false report if I'm wrong." Sharon quietly closed her laptop and turned toward me. "Mike, is there anything you want to say before we proceed?" I remained where I was, keeping my expression calm. "I didn't leak anything, and I have nothing to hide." Then, I looked Daniel in the eye and said firmly, "If a formal accusation has already been made, I'd rather settle it now. Go ahead and search the place." He studied me for several seconds before turning to the two security officers. "Proceed. If any unauthorized confidential material is found here, Mr. Randall's candidacy will be suspended immediately pending investigation." The officers began searching the apartment. Ricky stayed near the doorway with his arms folded; his eyes drifted toward the storage box beneath my bed. 10 minutes passed in tense silence. The officers searched the entire apartment but found no trace of the confidential documents. Finally, one of them stepped back and shook his head. "Mr. Brooks, we didn't find anything." For the first time since Ricky entered the apartment, the mask of surety he wore cracked. "No. That's impossible!" he exclaimed in disbelief. Chapter 5 One Slip Too Many Ricky stood frozen for several seconds before suddenly pulling out his phone. "Wait. I have a picture." He tapped the screen a few times before holding it out for everyone to see. The picture had been taken two nights earlier. It showed a man with a build similar to mine standing in a dimly lit alley, wearing a jacket almost identical to one I owned. The angle hid most of his face, but the photo clearly showed him accepting several large envelopes from a blond-haired man. I stared at the screen and forced a look of disbelief onto my face. 'How is that possible? I've never even been there.' Sharon leaned closer to examine the photo, her brows slowly drawing together as she scrutinized it closely. "This is too blurry to identify anyone with certainty. His face isn't even visible in the picture." Ricky gave a humorless laugh. "You can verify the photo however you want. The picture is real." Then, he pointed at the blond-haired man. "As for this guy, the police are already investigating him for trafficking stolen corporate information." He handed the phone to Daniel, who studied the image carefully for several moments before looking at me again. "Mike, given the seriousness of this allegation, I think we need to conduct a more thorough search of the apartment." I hesitated just long enough to make it noticeable. "I understand, but could we do it tomorrow? I still have some personal belongings I haven't had a chance to put away." "Tomorrow?" Ricky immediately cut in. "You mean after you've had all night to move whatever you're hiding?" His voice sharpened as he looked around the room. "If there's really nothing here, then there shouldn't be a problem searching now." The committee members exchanged glances. After a brief discussion, Daniel turned back to me. "For the sake of fairness, and for the sake of clearing your name if this accusation is false, we'd like to complete a full search today." He paused before adding, "That may require opening secured storage areas or moving furniture, and there could be minor property damage. Do you consent to this?" The apartment fell silent. Everyone was watching me, waiting for my response. Ricky looked especially pleased with himself, as if he could already see how this was going to end. I lowered my gaze and let several seconds pass before closing my eyes and exhaling slowly. "Fine. I consent." The security officers pulled on gloves and resumed the search. This time, they left almost nothing untouched. They removed cushions, checked behind furniture, opened sealed storage compartments, inspected loose floor panels, and examined the ceiling access points. I stood quietly to the side and watched them go through my things. Ricky eventually drifted closer while everyone else was occupied. He lowered his voice so only I could hear him. "You want to hear a joke? I had a dream while you were passed out drunk last night." A faint smile appeared on his face. "In it, they found out you'd been selling company secrets. You went to prison, and I got the Chief Engineer position since I came in second after you." Then, he leaned a little closer. "And Andrea? She realized you were finished and climbed straight into my bed." My pulse jumped. For one brief second, a disturbing possibility flashed through my mind. 'Could it be… Did he get a second chance, too?' I kept my expression flat. "You sound awfully sure they're going to find something." Ricky covered his mouth as if he were trying not to laugh. "Why wouldn't I be? After all, you're the one who 'hid' it." Then, he gave me a slow, triumphant smirk. "Face it, Mike. That promotion is going to be mine. Andrea, too." I looked at him and almost laughed at his face. A moment later, one of the security officers suddenly stopped searching. Ricky spun around before Daniel could even ask what had happened. "Well?" The question came out far too quickly. "You found it, right?" Daniel did not answer immediately. Instead, he stared at Ricky for a good long while. Then, he raised his voice so everyone in the apartment could hear.