Payback or Burnout
The male lead, a diligent workhorse at his company, has been dedicated and hardworking for years, never slacking off. During a business trip to secure a deal for the company, he successfully helped land a multimillion-dollar project order and even earned the admiration of the client. The CEO of the client company humbly invited him to join their team. However, out of loyalty, the male lead declined the job offer. As a dutiful employee, he genuinely believed in his boss’s promises and even paid over $50,000 in travel expenses out of his own pocket during the trip. Yet, when he returned to the company to get reimbursed, things weren’t as smooth as he expected. To his shock, the boss, tempted by short-term gains, conspired with the finance department to make things difficult for him. He had given his all to the company, but the company was now stabbing him in the back. The finance department, showing no leniency, strictly demanded that he follow protocol and obtain the boss’s signature for reimbursement. Meanwhile, the boss exploited him at every turn—reducing the reimbursement amount, delaying payments, and forcing him to take salary advances. Then, under the pretext of loan interest, the boss deducted his wages. The constant oppression and psychological manipulation (PUA) gradually crushed his faith in the company. The boss, thinking his tactics had the male lead under control, arrogantly ordered him around, unaware that he had provoked the very talent driving the company’s success. When the project partner called to demand answers, the boss finally realized how indispensable the male lead truly was. As the situation spiraled out of control, the boss resorted to threats and bribes, using the project bonus as leverage to keep the male lead enslaved. But this time, the male lead had awakened. He saw through the company’s exploitation and resolved to no longer endure in silence. Determined to reclaim what was rightfully his, he stood up courageously to defend his legal rights—demanding, with dignity, that the boss return everything he was owed.
![[Dubbed] Ashes to Empire cover](/covers/847401.webp)
