My Greedy Boss Demanded My $5 Million Lottery Win, So I Fired Him

I won a five-million-dollar lottery on my business trip. But my boss demanded I hand over every single penny to the company. Otherwise, he threatened to sue me for embezzling corporate funds. To make things worse, my apprentice stabbed me in the back. She started spreading rumors that I was selling my body to our clients. "Charlotte, don’t be so greedy," she sneered. "Hand the money over, and I won't report your little 'dirty secrets' to headquarters." I didn’t want to waste my breath on them. But the dirty rumors eventually reached the ears of the Chairman of our parent company. I looked at my phone and sighed as I read the text message from him: *【I gave you that trashy subsidiary branch just to practice your business skills, and you actually took them seriously?】* *Smack!* An official company policy update, printed on formal letterhead, was slammed hard onto the conference table right in front of me. Richard Miller, the general manager of our branch, had a fat face that was now flushed a deep, ugly red. He was practically shaking with sheer greed and excitement. He pointed at the bold text on the paper, spitting as he yelled right in my face. "Charlotte Vance! Read it and weep! This is the new policy the company just issued: 'Supplementary Regulations on the Management of Incidental Income During Business Trips'!" I pulled a tissue from my bag and slowly, calmly, wiped the splattered saliva off the back of my hand. I didn't even look up at him. "Mr. Miller, you just printed this out, didn't you? The ink is still wet." Exposed, Richard didn't even look embarrassed. Instead, he slammed his fist on the table in a fit of rage. "Does it matter when it was printed? What matters is company policy! You bought a lottery ticket during your business trip and won five million dollars. That counts as derivative income generated while using company time and resources!" The conference room was packed. Everyone’s eyes were locked on me. Some were jealous, some were gloating, but most were just enjoying the drama. Only half an hour ago, word had somehow gotten out to Richard that the lottery ticket I casually bought on my trip had hit the jackpot. Before I could even sit down at my desk, Richard had called this emergency all-hands meeting. He had only one goal: to rob me. "According to company policy, this five million dollars must be fully turned over to the company's financial department! It will be used as our team-building fund and corporate reserve!" Richard’s small, beady eyes narrowed into thin slits, gleaming with malice. "Of course, the company won’t treat you unfairly. Since you had good luck this time, we have decided to award you a fifty-dollar 'Luck Bonus' and a certificate of appreciation." Fifty dollars? In exchange for five million? I almost laughed out loud. The sheer audacity was mind-blowing. I leaned back in my chair, crossed my arms, and watched him put on his little show. "And what if I say no, Richard?" The air in the room instantly froze. The fat on Richard’s face twitched. He clearly didn't expect me—the quiet, hard-working corporate slave—to publicly defy him. He sneered, loosening his tight tie. "Say no? Charlotte, you better think carefully. You are currently the backbone of our sales team with a bright future ahead. Are you really going to ruin your career over a little cash? Can you even handle the consequences?" A threat. A blatant threat. I raised an eyebrow, my voice remaining completely calm. "What consequences? Firing me?" "Firing you would be letting you off easy!" Richard stood up abruptly, leaning his hands on the table and towering over me to intimidate me. "If you dare to keep this company property for yourself, I will have our legal team sue you! We’ll charge you with corporate theft! Not only will you lose the money, but you’ll also spend the next few years rotting in a federal prison!" A collective gasp echoed through the room. A few colleagues who usually got along with me quickly lowered their heads, terrified of getting caught in the crossfire. Only my apprentice, Chloe Brooks, sat right next to Richard. She was looking at him with pure adoration, her pen flying across her notepad as she took notes. Seeing that I remained silent, Richard assumed I was terrified. His tone softened a bit, though the greed in his eyes didn't fade at all. "Charlotte, you need to learn to be content. You're just a girl from out of town trying to make it in this big city. It’s not easy. Five million dollars is too much for a girl like you to handle. It's a curse. Give it to the company. We'll share it, and you'll get the credit. Isn't that a win-win?" The good cop, bad cop routine. He was really playing all his cards. I stood up, smoothing out the hem of my blazer. "Richard, being legally illiterate isn't your fault, but coming out here to show off your stupidity is just embarrassing." "I bought that lottery ticket with my own money, during my personal time. It has absolutely nothing to do with this company. Forget five million—even if it were five dollars, it would still be mine." With that, I grabbed my phone from the table and turned to leave. "I am not giving you a single cent." Behind me, Richard’s furious roar echoed through the hall. "Charlotte Vance! Don't you dare walk out that door! If you leave, don't bother coming to work tomorrow! And don't think I don't know what kind of dirty work you did on your business trip! Why do you think those clients only want to work with you? Do you think we're stupid?!" I paused. Spreading dirty sexual rumors about me now? Perfect. Since you want to play dirty, I’ll play along. I just hope you can still laugh when this is over.The next morning, the moment I walked through the office doors, I felt the shift in the air. The receptionist avoided my eyes, looking at me as if I were some kind of toxic waste. As I walked past the breakroom, the whispered gossip inside instantly ceased, followed by a burst of mean-spirited laughter. When I reached my cubicle, I found my computer tower was gone. My desk was piled high with messy files and half-eaten takeout containers. The business proposal I had stayed up all night to finish was now soaked in greasy soup. Even the little cactus I had nurtured for three years had been ripped out by its roots and thrown into the trash. "Oh, look, our newly-made millionaire is here," Chloe Brooks sneered, leaning against the divider with a Starbucks cup in her hand. She was wearing a brand-new Chanel tweed skirt suit. I had bought that for her last month as a reward for passing her probation period, paying for it out of my own pocket. Seeing it on her now was just disgusting. I glanced at my ruined desk, forcing myself to remain calm. "Who did this?" Chloe blew on her hot coffee, her face a picture of innocence. "Oh, Charlotte... Richard said that since you refuse to contribute to the company, the company has no obligation to provide you with resources. Your computer has been reassigned. As for this trash..." She pointed at the greasy takeout boxes. "The janitor is off today. Richard said you should clean up the office. After all, you just got five million dollars. Doing some manual labor is the least you can do to give back to society." A few quiet chuckles erupted around us. The very people who used to follow me around, calling me "sister" and asking for advice, were now watching me like I was a circus monkey. I looked at Chloe's heavily made-up face and felt a sudden wave of amusement. I guess the saying is true: *No good deed goes unpunished.* I had mentored this girl for six months, holding her hand through every deal and even sharing my core client list with her. And this was the viper I had warmed in my bosom. "Chloe, did you forget that we are supposed to sign the annual contract renewal with Apex Group this Monday?" I asked quietly, ignoring her attitude. Apex Group was our branch’s largest client, accounting for seventy percent of our annual revenue. And their CEO, Mr. Henderson, only dealt with me. Chloe rolled her eyes and let out a disdainful laugh. "Charlotte, do you really think you're that special? You just had drinks with Mr. Henderson a few times. Do you honestly think he values your 'talent'?" She raised her voice, making sure the entire office could hear her. "Everyone knows the truth. That five million dollars of yours is probably just hush money from some old sugar daddy. Calling it a lottery win is just your way of money laundering! You're so dirty!" The breakroom erupted into a frenzy. "Oh my god, seriously? No wonder her sales numbers were always so high." "She always acted so innocent and pure, but she was just sleeping her way to the top..." "You can never judge a book by its cover. I wouldn't want that dirty money even if it were handed to me!" Vile rumors washed over me like a wave. Chloe looked at me triumphantly, as if she had successfully crushed me under her heel. She casually picked up the renewal proposal from my desk—the one I had spent three sleepless nights working on. "Since it’s already dirty, there's no point in keeping something obtained through sleeping around. It's just polluting the environment." Before I could say a word, she shoved the proposal straight into the paper shredder. With a harsh, grinding noise, the multi-million-dollar contract proposal was reduced to worthless paper confetti. I watched the whole thing in silence. There was no anger. No screaming. Just the cold, dead calm of watching a tragedy about to unfold. Chloe thought that by destroying my proposal, she was cutting off my escape route. She didn't realize she had just cut the throat of this entire branch. "Fine," I said, pulling out my chair and sitting down. Since they didn't want me to work, I might as well enjoy the break. "Chloe, remember what you said today. I just hope you can keep that same energy during Monday's signing." Chloe sniffed disdainfully and walked away, swaying her hips. "The world doesn't revolve around you, Charlotte! I don't believe for a second that with my charm, I can't handle one old man!"Monday morning, 9:00 AM. The branch's main conference room was decorated with banners, flowers, and platters of fresh fruit. Richard had dressed up in a flashy burgundy suit, his hair slicked back with so much gel it shone. Today was the mass-signing event with our three biggest clients: Apex Group, Oceanic Trade, and Keystone Tech. If these three contracts were signed, the branch would meet its annual target ahead of schedule. Richard would get his promotion, a massive bonus, and a transfer back to headquarters. Right now, he was standing at the door, rubbing his hands together with a sycophantic smile as he welcomed the client representatives. "Ah! Mr. Henderson! Mr. Davis! Mr. Bennett! Welcome, welcome! It is an absolute honor to have you all here!" However, the moment the three executives stepped into the room, they didn't reach out to shake his hand. Instead, they looked around. "Mr. Miller, where is Charlotte?" Mr. Henderson of Apex Group frowned, his tone laced with displeasure. "Charlotte was the one handling our contract renewal. I still have a few details I need to confirm with her." Richard’s smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before he recovered. "Oh, Charlotte... she... she wasn't feeling well today and took sick leave. I will be personally hosting today's signing ceremony, and my brilliant assistant, Chloe, will be at your service." With that, he gently pushed Chloe forward. Chloe was wearing a tight, low-cut dress today, her face plastered with a sweet, sickening smile. "Hello, Mr. Henderson. I'm Chloe. You can call me Coco. I've taken over all of Charlotte's responsibilities. Please let me know if you need anything at all." As she spoke, she leaned in slightly, trying to use her cleavage to grab Mr. Henderson's attention. But who was Mr. Henderson? He was a seasoned shark in the business world. He had seen every trick in the book. He didn't even spare Chloe a glance. His face darkened instantly. "Sick leave? I saw her post on Snapchat yesterday showing she was working on a business trip. Mr. Miller, are you playing games with me?" The other two executives chimed in immediately. "Yes, Charlotte is the only one who knows the exact terms of our contracts. If you replace her with a rookie, who's going to take responsibility if something goes wrong?" "Get Charlotte in here, or we aren't signing anything." The atmosphere in the room turned incredibly awkward. Cold sweat began to bead on Richard's forehead. He hadn't expected these clients to be so stubborn. They actually refused to sign without Charlotte. He shot Chloe a frantic look, signaling her to do something. Chloe grit her teeth, picked up a cup of tea, and offered it to Mr. Henderson. "Mr. Henderson, please don't be angry. Charlotte... she was actually suspended by the company due to some serious moral misconduct. You have no idea what she's really like behind closed doors..." *Slam!* Mr. Henderson slammed his hand on the table, sending the teacup flying. The hot tea splashed all over Chloe's expensive dress. "Shut up! I know exactly what kind of person Charlotte is! Slandering your own colleague in front of clients? Is this your company's 'culture'?" Mr. Henderson stood up, grabbed his briefcase, and prepared to leave. "Mr. Miller, since your company lacks any shred of sincerity, we won't be renewing our contract. We will be re-evaluating our partnership with your firm." Seeing this, the other two executives stood up to leave as well. Now, Richard was in a complete panic. If these three major deals fell through, forget about a promotion—he’d be fired on the spot. Without even wiping the sweat from his face, he rushed out of the conference room and ran straight to the open office area. I was sitting at my cluttered desk, casually filing my nails. "Charlotte Vance! Get your ass in here right now!" Richard’s roar echoed through the entire office. I slowly spun my chair around. "Oh, Mr. Miller. Why so angry? Did the signing not go well?" Richard was trembling with rage, pointing a finger at my nose. "Stop playing dumb! Mr. Henderson and the others demanded to see you! Get in there right now and sign those contracts! If you ruin this, I will destroy you!" I blew the dust off my nails, looking completely innocent. "Mr. Miller, is your memory failing you? I am currently suspended for 'moral misconduct.' As a 'dirty sinner,' how could I possibly be allowed to see our prestigious clients?" "Besides, my computer was confiscated, and my proposal was shredded by Chloe. I have nothing. What am I supposed to sign?" Richard gasped, completely choked by my words. He looked back toward the conference room. Mr. Henderson and the others were already walking toward the elevator. "Charlotte Vance! I am not joking with you! If you don't fix this right now, I will report you to the Chairman of the parent company! I'll tell him you're sabotaging our business! And I will sue you for stealing that five million dollars!" His eyes were bloodshot, looking like a rabid dog cornered in an alley. "Do you want to keep that five million, or do you want a career? Choose!" Looking at his pathetic, desperate face, I couldn't help but smile. Well, you brought this on yourself. I stood up, brushed the dust off my hands, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number right in front of Richard. "Hey, Dad. Someone is trying to sue me. Yeah. Okay, I'll wait for you." I hung up the phone and looked at the utterly bewildered Richard. The smile on my face widened. "Mr. Miller, you better get all your evidence ready.""Bullshit! I don't care if you call your dad, your granddad, or your whole damn family tree—it won't save you!" Richard spat on the ground near my feet, clearly not taking my call seriously. In his eyes, my "dad" was probably some blue-collar worker or a struggling farmer from a red state. He probably couldn't even afford a train ticket to get here. What Richard cared about more were the three clients who were currently walking out. "What are you all looking at? Get back to work!" Richard screamed at the gaping employees before turning his venom back on me. "Charlotte, I was going to let you keep some of your dignity. But since you want to do this the hard way, don't blame me for being ruthless." He pulled out his phone and dialed the HR Director of our headquarters. That was his old college buddy and his biggest connection in the main office. "Hey, Marcus? It's Richard. Yes, yes. I have an urgent matter to report." Richard purposely put the call on speakerphone. He had a sickening, sycophantic grin on his face, but his eyes were glaring at me like a poisonous snake. "Our sales rep, Charlotte Vance, won a lottery and has completely lost her mind. Not only did she violate company policy by refusing to hand over the funds, but she's also refusing to work. She insulted our top clients, and now three of our biggest accounts are about to walk out!" A deep, commanding male voice came through the speaker. "Is that true? Kids these days have some nerve!" "Marcus, her personal life is a complete mess. Mr. Henderson only walked out because he was disgusted by her behavior. And she actually boasted that the company can't run without her, saying she doesn't respect you or the Chairman!" Distorting the truth. Playing the victim. Richard was truly a master of throwing dirt. Marcus Hayes, the HR Director, was clearly furious. "Unbelievable! A minor sales rep thinks she runs the place? Richard, compile all the evidence of her violations immediately. The Chairman is actually inspecting our local branches this afternoon. He wasn't scheduled to visit yours, but since we have such a rotten apple in your office, I will ask the Chairman to personally handle this!" Richard was ecstatic. He had only wanted his connection to pressure me, but he hadn't expected the Chairman himself to show up. This was his golden opportunity to shine in front of the big boss. As long as he framed me successfully, he could pocket my five million dollars and look like a heroic manager who cleaned up the company. Two birds, one stone. "Understood, Marcus! I will prepare the evidence in detail! We will not let this parasite ruin the group's reputation!" After hanging up, Richard was practically shaking with excitement. He looked down at me, his nose practically pointing to the ceiling. "Did you hear that, Charlotte? The Chairman is coming personally this afternoon! Even if your broke father shows up, he'll only watch you get thrown out like trash. Even if he begs on his knees, it won't save you!" Chloe sneered, stepping closer. "Charlotte, if I were you, I'd get on my knees right now, beg Richard for forgiveness, and hand over the money. Maybe then Richard will have mercy and say a few good words to the Chairman so you can leave with some dignity." I looked up at the two clowns standing before me. "Richard, did the HR Director say the Chairman is coming this afternoon?" Richard sneered. "What? Scared now? Want to use this time to run away? No way! Security! Block the exits! If Charlotte tries to leave, break her legs!" The two security guards hesitated for a moment but eventually stood by the door. I smiled, checking the time on my phone. "No need to go to all that trouble. My dad has a bit of a temper. When he heard someone was bullying me, he decided to fly his private helicopter over. If my math is right, he should be here any minute." Richard and Chloe froze. Then, they burst into hysterical laughter. Chloe laughed so hard she had to hold her stomach, tears streaming down her face. "A helicopter? Hahaha! Charlotte, have you gone completely insane? Do you think we're in a movie? If you had a dad with a private helicopter, would you be working here fighting us over a few thousand dollars in commission?" Richard looked at me as if I were a complete lunatic. "Fine, let's see how long you can keep up this act. Since you aren't running, stay here and wait for your doom!" He waved his hand grandly. "Chloe, notify everyone. All-hands meeting in the main conference room in ten minutes! I want to hold a public trial in front of the whole company! We will list every single one of Charlotte's crimes, so when the Chairman arrives, we can hand it to him directly!" "You got it, Richard! I'll prepare a PowerPoint. I promise it’ll be a show!" Chloe squealed excitedly. I watched her run off, sighing softly. Some people really just love digging their own graves.Ten minutes later. The main conference room was packed. Even the cleaning staff and the security guards had been dragged inside. Richard wanted to make an example out of me, pinning me to a wall of shame so everyone would know the cost of defying him. On the projector screen, several photos were displayed. The first photo showed me getting into a luxury sports car in front of a hotel during my business trip. That car had been sent by our local business partner to pick me up. The second photo showed me clinking glasses with Mr. Henderson at a business gala. It was a completely normal networking event. But in the mouths of Richard and Chloe, these photos became "proof" of my "dirty lifestyle" and "selling my body." Richard stood on the stage, holding a laser pointer, gesturing wildly at the screen. "Look at this, everyone! This is the top sales rep you all look up to! This is your 'hard-working career woman'!" "What exactly was she working hard on? Sleeping her way to the top!" A wave of vulgar laughter rippled through the room. The male colleagues who had always been outshined by my sales numbers laughed the loudest. It was easier for them to believe I slept my way to success than to admit they were incompetent. Chloe, sitting at the control laptop, chimed in right on cue. "And that's not all! Look at this expense report from last month. A single dinner cost three thousand dollars! Our company policy limits dinners to fifty dollars per person. Where did the rest of the money come from? She embezzled it!" That dinner had been for our three biggest clients. To close a twenty-million-dollar deal, I had paid twenty-five hundred out of my own pocket and only claimed five hundred on expenses. At the time, Richard had praised me for being so resourceful. Now, it was "proof" of embezzlement. "Charlotte Vance! What do you have to say for yourself?!" Richard slammed his fist on the podium, looking like a righteous judge. "The evidence is irrefutable! Not only did you embezzle corporate funds, but you also tarnished the company's reputation! You even used illegal means during your business trip to obtain five million dollars! That money belongs to the company's hard-working employees!" He grew more animated by the second, as if that five million dollars had actually been stolen from his own pocket. "Therefore, on behalf of the company, I am announcing our decision!" Richard cleared his throat, puffing out his chest. "First, Charlotte Vance is terminated immediately, blacklisted from the industry forever!" "Second, Charlotte Vance is ordered to return the five million dollars of stolen funds to the financial department within the hour!" "Third, Charlotte Vance must write a confession letter and get down on her knees to apologize to the entire staff!" The room erupted into whispers. Kneeling to apologize? This was pure, unadulterated public humiliation. But no one dared to speak up for me. In this branch, Richard was king. If you crossed him, you were dead. Everyone turned their eyes to me, waiting to see me burst into tears and beg for mercy. I sat in the corner, calmly playing with my phone. A text message popped up on my screen: *【Sweetheart, the roof is windy. The elevator is a bit slow. Give your dad two minutes.】* I put my phone away and slowly stood up. In that instant, the noisy conference room went dead silent. Perhaps my expression was too calm—so calm that it sent an eerie chill down their spines. I walked toward the stage, step by step. Richard instinctively took a step back, but realizing how cowardly he looked, he forced himself to stand his ground. "What? Ready to confess? Kneel right here so everyone can see!" Looking at his greasy, arrogant face, I felt a sudden wave of pity. How did the Vance Group ever employ such an idiot? "Richard, with an imagination like yours, you really wasted your talent by not writing fiction." I pulled a voice recorder from my blazer pocket and placed it gently on the table. "Everything you just said, including the rumors Chloe spread, has been recorded. Slander, defamation, and extortion. Do you think you're sending me to prison, or am I sending you?" Richard's face paled, and he lunged forward to grab the recorder. With a quick flick of my wrist, I easily dodged his hand. "You dare threaten me?!" Richard screamed, the fat on his face trembling violently. "Charlotte Vance! Don't get cocky! This is my turf! If I say you embezzled, you embezzled! If I say you're a hooker, you're a hooker!" He completely ripped off his mask, his face twisted in pure rage. "Security! Grab her! Force her to her knees! Let's see how tough she is then!" The two security guards looked at each other, grit their teeth, and lunged toward me. But just as their hands were about to touch my shoulders— *BOOM!* The heavy double doors of the conference room were violently kicked open. Everyone gasped, freezing in their tracks. At the entrance stood two neat rows of muscular bodyguards in tailored black suits and sunglasses. Then, a silver-haired man with sharp, piercing eyes strode in. He was flanked by a group of high-level corporate executives. Leading the pack was Marcus Hayes, the HR Director who had sounded so commanding on the phone earlier. But right now, Marcus was bowing slightly, guiding the older man with absolute terror in his eyes. And that older man... was someone who frequently appeared on the front pages of Forbes. The global Chairman of the Vance Group. My dad, Charles Vance.