if you don't leave and you don't get fired then you will get the retention bonus. thats the whole point of a retention bonus, its in the contract. and don't think of it as a payout, it's techinically not real money....
125k investment imho weighs easily on the fact that you get a job (aslong as your performance is good). then after the 7 years you only have had to pay around 80k out of money you don't even see. when you consider accommodation, food and the type course on top of a CPL/MECIR it's not too bad compared to other avenues of getting a licence and finding a job....
just my opinion.