Sylvia said, "Eric, you used to work for others before, but things have changed. Now, you and your partner own a company.

"I know you and Andy have a good relationship, but remember, the most important rule in a partnership is to protect your partner's interests. Basically, it's about money. You'll realize this soon enough. For now, you shouldn't be the one giving away the money."

Silently, Eric gazed at Sylvia. He hadn't thought as deeply about this as she had. Setting aside Williams Corp. and looking at Sonnex Corp.'s situation, the success of securing the project was mainly due to Eric.

While Andy might not mind if Eric wanted to donate 20,000 dollars to his hometown for road repairs, their company operated as a partnership. Giving such a significant amount would definitely affect Andy's interests.

"Don't look at me like that," Sylvia said. "If you feel uneasy about it, we could each contribute 10,000 dollars. I'll lend the money for you, and you can give it back to me once you'