Unpaid work and no contract

[#1]

Hello fellow freelancers, I was recently hired for project management position, contract sent and accepted. After few weeks, the client praised me for great work and asked me to hire new customer service and another project manager however he didn't send the contract  for these 2 people. He let them work for a week and promised to send the payment and settle the contract by end of week. That week past and on Monday the next week, my colleague asked for contract and pay for the previous week but promised again by end of the week which did not agree by my colleague and insist to get paid and send the contract first. The client refused and did not proceed to hire those 2 people. After several weeks of follow up with the client for the payment of their work, they just ended my contract also without any word. Please advise to get the pay for the 2 people. I paid the 1 person thinking I could get the pay from client.

[#2]

There is no way to get paid on Upwork without a contract unless the client just voluntarily decides to pay.