Undercover Heiress, Firing My Toxic Boss

"Is this what an Ivy League degree gets you? Did you flush your brains down the toilet?" At the company meeting, Dennis threw my proposal right at my face because the line spacing didn't meet his formatting guidelines. "If you don't want to work, pack your bags and get the hell out!" Dennis’s voice boomed through the conference room. No one dared to breathe. I bent down to pick up the papers I had spent three sleepless nights working on. "Mr. Miller, the line spacing doesn't affect the actual strategy. I'll fix it right away. Besides, I wasn't informed about—" "Are you mute? Is your mouth just for show? If you don't know the rules, why didn't you ask? Do you think your family owns this company?" Before I could even defend myself, his insults rained down on me. Beside me, Maya gently tugged at my sleeve. "Stop talking," she whispered. "Our probation period is in his hands. And..." "I heard she's close friends with the new girl, Chloe. And Chloe is the CEO's daughter..." The CEO's daughter? I looked up at Chloe, who was sitting next to Dennis, and smiled faintly. If she's the CEO's daughter, then who the hell am I? Back at my desk, an email from Dennis was waiting in my inbox. It was a formal warning, filled with phrases like "unprofessional attitude" and "lack of dedication." The last line read: "Performance bonus docked for this month. Formal warning issued. Future infractions will lead to termination." I dragged the email into a new folder and named it "Evidence 001." There were already a few things in there: The industry analysis I pulled an all-nighter for last week, which now had Chloe's name on it; The campaign concept I pitched two days ago, which Dennis claimed as his own "spark of genius" during the morning stand-up; And yesterday's proposal, which I revised seven times, only for it to be completely rejected because of a misplaced comma. "You're actually keeping receipts?" Maya leaned over, gasping. "Why wouldn't I?" I closed the folder. In the afternoon, Dennis called me into his office. When I pushed the door open, Chloe was there too. She was lounging on the sofa, flipping through a fashion magazine without even looking up. "I know you're upset about this morning," Dennis said, leaning forward, trying to look empathetic. "But rules are rules. Attention to detail is everything. You're a junior, Audrey. You need to learn." "I understand." "Good." He smiled, a fake grin plastered on his face. "By the way, the corporate gala is next Friday. Our department only has two spots. I was going to take you and Clara, but with your recent warning, it wouldn't look good." He paused, watching my reaction. "So, I'm taking Chloe and Clara. Chloe is new and needs the exposure. Work hard, Audrey. You'll have other chances." I looked at Chloe. She finally put down her magazine and gave me a sweet, sugary smile. "You don't mind, do you, Audrey? Mr. Miller is just looking out for me. I just got back from London, and I have so much to learn." "I don't mind at all." "Perfect." Dennis visibly relaxed. "Also, Chloe is interested in the marketing side. The Aura Cosmetics account you've been working on—I want you to hand it over and co-manage it with her. You're experienced, so guide her well." I spent three months pulling all-nighters, pitching to the client, and taking dozens of meetings to secure that account. And he was giving it away with a single sentence. "Mr. Miller, I've been running this account for three months. I'm the client's sole point of contact. Changing leads now..." "That's why I'm having you guide her!" Dennis cut me off. "I'm not asking you to step away completely. Just let her learn. Audrey, have some team spirit. Don't be so selfish." I clenched my fists. "I'll handle the client," he said with finality. "It's settled. Organize the files and email them to Chloe by tomorrow morning." When I walked out of the office, Chloe followed me. The hallway was empty, and the smile on her face instantly vanished. "Audrey," she said, her voice soft but dripping with venom. "I know you think this is unfair. But in the real world, talent isn't enough. You have to know how to play the game." I stopped. "What's that supposed to mean?" "Nothing," she shrugged. "Just a friendly reminder. When Mr. Miller tells you to do something, just do it. After all..." She stepped closer, lowering her voice. "You do want to pass your probation, don't you?" With that, she clicked away in her high heels. The sound echoed down the corridor, pounding against my eardrums. I stood there, pulling out my phone. On the screen, the SnapChat recording tool was still active, and the voice recorder app was blinking red.I finally sent the files to Chloe at 2:00 AM. It wasn't because I wanted to stall. After hours, Dennis had dumped two urgent tasks on my desk—an industry report due tomorrow and the quarterly department summary. "The capable always do more work," he had said over the phone, sounding incredibly righteous. "Audrey, I'm giving you a chance to shine because I believe in you." I stared at the screen and laughed. He believed in me, so he worked me like a horse. By the time I finished everything, the sky was turning gray. I zipped the files and sent them to Chloe's email, adding a note: "Client contact info, meeting minutes, and competitor analysis are attached. Let me know if you have questions." Send. Shut down. I slept on my desk for thirty minutes. At 9:00 AM, I was up and ready. My eyes were puffy, and my face was pale, but my mind was sharp. Chloe didn't show up until 10:30 AM, holding a Starbucks bag. She dropped a latte on my desk. "Thanks for last night, Audrey. This is for you." She smiled flawlessly. I didn't touch the coffee. "Have you reviewed the files?" "Yeah, yeah," she ran a hand through her hair. "But I don't get some parts. Like, why did you note down that Mr. Logan prefers single-malt Macallan? What does that have to do with the marketing strategy?" "Everything. During our first meeting, I noticed a bottle of high-end scotch on his shelf, and he mentioned it twice during small talk. Bringing a bottle of Macallan to our next meeting makes it easier to break the ice." Chloe scoffed, looking completely unimpressed. "I thought it was something major. There's really no need to keep track of stupid details like that." I didn't argue. In the afternoon project meeting, Chloe was in charge of the presentation. She stood in front of the projector, talking smoothly. The PPT was flashy, filled with animations, but the content was literally my report, just rephrased. But when she reached the client's core demands, she choked. "Um... Mr. Logan's main goal is to... raise brand awareness among younger consumers..." She flipped through her notes, her voice slowing down. "What are the specific targets?" our Marketing Director, Arthur, asked. "The target is... to increase brand awareness among females aged 20 to 30 by 15% within three months..." Her voice wavered. "That was last quarter's data," I spoke up. "During my call with Mr. Logan last week, he adjusted the KPI. He wants a 25% increase and wants to see actual conversion rates, not just impressions." The conference room went dead silent. Chloe's face flushed red, then turned pale. Her fingers clenched the paper. "Good catch, Audrey," Dennis said with a forced laugh. "Chloe just took over, so she's still getting used to the details. Perfectly understandable. Audrey, make sure you help her out." "I will." After the meeting, Chloe cornered me in the breakroom. "What was that, Audrey? Were you trying to humiliate me on purpose?" I filled my cup, not looking at her. "I was just stating facts." "Facts?" she sneered. "You're just mad because I took your account, so you tried to sabotage me!" I turned and looked her dead in the eye. "Chloe, this isn't high school. You didn't just take the account; you took the responsibility. If you screw this up because you didn't do your homework, the company loses a client, and our team loses two months of hard work." "Don't you dare lecture me!" she snapped. "You think you're so smart just because you've been here a few months longer? Once I get the hang of this, I'll run circles around you!" "I look forward to seeing that." I walked past her with my cup. Her voice trailed after me, low but sharp. "Just you wait."By 8:00 PM, the office was almost empty. Just as I was packing up, the intercom rang. It was Dennis. "Audrey, come to my office." When I walked in, someone else was there—Arthur, the Marketing Director. My heart skipped a beat. "Audrey, take a seat," Arthur said. His tone was warmer than Dennis's, but his eyes were sharp and calculating. I sat down and waited. "You've been with us for almost three months. How is everything?" Arthur asked. "Good. I've learned a lot." "Excellent." Arthur smiled. "I called you in to talk about the Aura Cosmetics account. Chloe mentioned she's facing some hurdles, and she feels the client isn't being very cooperative?" I looked at Dennis. He avoided my gaze, pretending to read some papers. "Mr. Logan has been highly cooperative," I said. "Last week, he even approved our preliminary draft. If Chloe is facing hurdles, it's likely because she's new to the account and they need time to build rapport." "Is that so?" Arthur tapped his fingers on the armrest. "But Chloe said the client seemed annoyed with her and called the sudden change in lead 'unprofessional.' She also mentioned that when you were running things, you neglected several details, which is making it hard for her to move forward now." My hands clenched into fists on my lap. "What details, exactly?" "Like the client's personal preferences," Dennis chimed in. "Chloe said the stuff you wrote down was completely irrelevant. She said it made us look desperate, like we were trying too hard to kiss his ass." Hearing his ridiculous excuse, I couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Mr. Miller, if you think understanding a client's preferences is kissing ass, then I have nothing to say. But as far as I know, Mr. Logan literally praised our team last week for being detail-oriented, saying he appreciated that we remembered his favorite drink." Silence stretched in the room. Arthur's expression shifted. "Furthermore," I continued, "I agree with Chloe on one thing: the client "does" find the sudden change unprofessional. The trust and rapport I built over three months can't be transferred overnight. If the company thinks this sudden handoff is fine, then please be prepared for the client to walk away." "Are you threatening the company?" Dennis suddenly stood up, glaring at me. "I'm stating facts." I looked up at him. "Mr. Miller, I managed this account from day one. Every communication log, meeting minute, and requirement sheet is backed up. If you'd like, I can pull them up right now to see exactly what was 'neglected.'" Dennis's face turned a brilliant shade of purple. Arthur waved his hand, signaling Dennis to sit down. "Audrey, calm down. The company isn't doubting your capability. It's just that Chloe did raise some concerns. How about this? You will remain the lead on this account, and Chloe will assist you to learn the ropes. How does that sound?" I glanced at Dennis. He was grinding his teeth but kept quiet. "Sounds good." Arthur nodded and picked up a folder, seemingly changing the subject casually. "By the way, Audrey, is your family based in New York?" My heart thudded, but I kept my face blank. "Yes, they are." "New York..." Arthur looked at me thoughtfully. "I have an old friend in New York. Heavy hitter in the construction and real estate business. His last name is Sutton. Coincidentally, same as yours." The office went dead silent. My fingers curled slightly. "Sutton is a pretty common name in New York," I replied calmly. "True." Arthur smiled and didn't press further, turning back to work. But I caught the intense curiosity in his eyes. As I stood up to leave, Arthur suddenly called out to me."Oh, by the way, we have a board meeting next week. The Chairman might drop in to hear our department's pitch. I need you to put together a detailed progress report on the Aura account. Make sure the client feedback and data are flawless." "Will do, Mr. Sterling." "And," Arthur paused, choosing his words carefully, "dress professionally for the presentation. The Chairman appreciates a sharp, polished look." He said it casually, but I caught the underlying hint. Dennis immediately chimed in, "Don't worry, Mr. Sterling. I'll make sure everyone in the department adheres to the dress code." I walked out, and the door clicked shut behind me. The hallway was silent, save for the hum of the AC. I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath. The way Arthur looked at me... and that comment about his "friend in New York." It wasn't a coincidence. He was testing me. My phone buzzed. It was a text from my dad on SnapChat. "Hey sweetheart, we're having a family dinner this Friday. Your Uncle Richard is coming. Make sure to wear that champagne silk dress your mom bought you." I stared at the screen, my fingers hovering, before typing a simple reply: "Will do." Before locking the screen, I stared at my lock screen wallpaper—a photo of me and my parents. In the background was our home library. On the shelf behind my dad, there were a few framed pictures. One of them was a photo of my dad shaking hands with Arthur Sterling. I slipped my phone back into my pocket and walked back to my desk. Maya leaned over. "How did it go? Did Director Sterling give you a hard time?" "No." I opened my laptop and started working on the report Arthur requested. "Good." Maya let out a sigh of relief. "But it's weird that Director Sterling suddenly asked where you're from. Maybe he sees your potential and wants to groom you for a promotion?" I didn't answer, my eyes fixed on the screen. The cursor blinked. I typed out the header: "Aura Cosmetics Account: Q3 Progress Report." But my mind kept drifting back to Arthur's gaze. He must have recognized me. Or at least, he was highly suspicious. After all, that photo of him and my dad was displayed right on his office wall. I saved the document and shut down my computer. Looking out the window at the city skyline, my eyes caught a sticky note on my monitor divider. I wrote it on my very first day here: "Make it on your own." For three months, I did exactly that. But now, the rules of the game were about to change. Chloe, Dennis. You guys love abusing power, don't you? Well, let me show you what real power looks like.