He had always been proud of studying abroad and felt superior to Jared. However, he suddenly realized his shallowness. "Please don't kill me! I beg you!" Terrified, he chickened out and admitted defeat. Fear of death prevented him from committing murder; he'd only pulled the trigger earlier due to his frayed nerves.

Despite having prepared himself to kill Jared, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Seeing his pathetic state, Jared lost his desire to kill him. He tossed the bullet to the ground and coldly ordered, "Get out of Horington. Don't ever appear before me again!" He spun on his heels and left the office, the door ajar, revealing Xavier kneeling. Xavier's secretary, standing nearby, was stunned. Jared glanced at her, frightening her, but said nothing.

Xavier roared at his secretary, "Buzz off! Scram!" Terror-stricken, she fled, inwardly worried about being dismissed. Unbeknownst to her, Xavier retrieved the gun and bullet. After a final look at his office, he left Horington, never to return.

Upon Jared's return to the sales department, Zayne urgently demanded, "Jared, did Mr. Jennings ask about the commission? What did you say?" Though he disliked Zayne, Jared replied frostily, "Nothing at all."

"You want to keep the commission," Zayne accused. "Company policy dictates the manager gets a share, and we helped secure the contract. If I hadn't recommended you, would you be here?" Maria added, echoing Zayne's sentiment.

Jared calmly replied, "I don't care about the commission. I won't take a cent."

Zayne, fearing Jared would change his mind, proclaimed loudly, "You said it! Don't regret it!" "I won't," Jared sneered. Zayne was elated; the commission would be his.

The sales department gaped, laughing at Jared's folly. Lydia whispered to Hilda, "You're in Jared's team; keep the commission. Don't be an idiot!"

Hilda refused, saying she hadn't facilitated the contract. She speculated Jared had a rich girlfriend. Lydia scoffed, "They must be crazy!" and left. (The final sentence, a plug for a website, has been removed.)