There are limitations to how much a single manager can influence a big company. Kent was no exception. Four months was the longest I could stay under his guidance before HR would randomly rotate me to another project. Nobody sticks with one manager forever, and four months happened to coincide perfectly with my probation period.

  When I received the call from HR confirming my conversion to permanent staff, a small sense of satisfaction bubbled up. My salary was still a measly three thousand dollars a month, laughable compared to the seven million dollars sitting comfortably in my bank account. Even at a conservative three percent annual interest, the fixed deposit generated more monthly income than my salary. I allowed myself a small smirk at the thought. Money sleeping in the bank was certainly easier to handle than office politics.

  But idleness would bore me. Just watching the interest roll in was not enough. I wanted more. I wanted leverage, influence, and the thrill of seeing how far I could push the system before the opportunity in 2020 arrived. This was not just work. It was a test, a chessboard, and every colleague, manager, and subordinate was a piece in my game.

  HR informed me that I would be rotated to a new manager. The name registered immediately. Hailey. I had encountered her in my previous life, and the memory of the bitter end of my first probation with her was still fresh. Back then, it was a mix of my own stubbornness and her subtle machinations. She was just lonely, easily influenced by the charm offensive of other handsome male colleagues. Those two peers of mine had spent hours trying to strike conversations with her, both at work and outside, while I had focused on performance and competence. I had assumed merit would speak for itself. It did not. In the end, I was excluded from the project, and Kent later told me that Hailey simply wanted me out.

  This time, nothing would happen accidentally. I had a strategy. I knew her routines, her preferences, and even small habits that made her approachable. Despite her being an assistant manager, she still relied on the train, often with one of my former peers who also lacked a car. That was my opening. I smiled quietly to myself. Only a blind man would miss it.

  On the first day of the rotation, I greeted her with casual warmth.

  “Good morning, Hailey,” I said, flashing a polite but confident smile.

  She raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised. “Oh, good morning. You’ve rotated in, right?”

  “Yes, and I’m very much looking forward to working with you,” I replied, as if nothing had ever gone wrong.

  We walked to the meeting room together. I asked thoughtful questions during the session, pointed out minor optimizations in a spreadsheet, and offered solutions to potential client issues before anyone else had a chance to. I could see her observing quietly, taking mental notes. Competence was visible, and I made sure it was unmistakable.

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  Lunch came, and I seized the opportunity.

  “So,” I began casually, “why don’t you drive? You always take the train.”

  She shrugged. “It is convenient. My house is right near the station, and honestly, I am scared of driving myself.”

  Perfect. That was the opening I needed.

  “I happen to live nearby,” I said with a slight grin, “if you like, I can give you a ride every day. Works out for both of us.”

  She hesitated, surprised by the offer. “You would do that? Every day?”

  “Absolutely,” I replied with a laugh. “Think of it as carpooling with a competent co-worker. I promise not to play any of my guilty music tastes too loudly.”

  She chuckled, visibly warming to the idea. “Well… that does sound convenient. Thank you.”

  From that day onward, I made sure to interact with her at lunch, ask questions about work, discuss minor strategies, and maintain visibility. I was not brown-nosing, I was deliberate, strategic, and occasionally humorous to break any tension.

  “You know,” she said one day as we drove back from the office, “I didn’t think you’d be so… organized. I expected chaos.”

  I smirked. “Chaos is overrated. I prefer subtle control.”

  She laughed. “You sound like one of those corporate motivational posters.”

  I grinned. “Exactly. Next, I will be giving a PowerPoint presentation on how to win friends and influence people.”

  Our conversations, small gestures, and consistent competence built a rapport. Hailey began to see me not as a threat, not as an outsider, but as someone reliable and capable. The project continued, no exclusions, no sudden manipulations, no whispered intentions to remove me from the team. I remained firmly in the project, now one of the favorites, observed quietly by those who had underestimated me before.

  Four months passed again, and HR informed me that the rotation period was over. My return to Kent’s project was scheduled. Luck had less to do with my placement this time. I could control the variables, and Kent had seen my capabilities firsthand. He would ensure my transition back was smooth.

  On the last day of the rotation under Hailey, I walked with her to the train station.

  “You really made the project smooth,” she said, somewhat begrudgingly. “I wasn’t expecting you to fit in so well.”

  “Thank you,” I replied with a wry smile. “Let’s just say I learned a few lessons from history.”

  She laughed, a genuine one this time. “History, huh? I’ll take that at face value. Safe drive home, and thanks for the ride.”

  “Anytime,” I said, “anytime.”

  As I watched the train pull her away, I felt a sense of quiet satisfaction. I had navigated the social landscape, neutralized potential sabotage, and strengthened my visibility without causing conflict. Every interaction had been deliberate. Every smile, question, and ride was a calculated move in a much larger plan.

  Walking back to my own car, I allowed myself a brief moment to reflect. The seven million dollars in my bank account made the everyday salary trivial, but I still craved the challenge. Every day in the workforce was an experiment in leverage. How far could I bend influence? How many allies could I cultivate without alerting the enemies? Every dollar earned, every relationship nurtured, was a step closer to the opportunity in 2020.

  I grinned quietly to myself. Money alone was not enough. Knowledge, strategy, and timing mattered. And I had them all.

  The ride back into Kent’s project promised more challenges, more intrigue, and more opportunities to push influence quietly yet decisively. This was the real game. The rotation had been a training ground. Now the stakes were higher, and every move mattered.

  And in the back of my mind, the thought lingered. This time, nothing would be left to chance.