Chapter 4

Scared of getting arrested, Ethan reluctantly swallowed his pride and typed an apology in the group chat.

The colleagues who had joined in on the slander quickly followed suit, offering awkward, generic apologies.

Whether they meant it or not, I at least felt some vindication.

But the moment the police left, Brenda walked over. "Mr. Miller wants to see you in his office."

Before walking away, she gave me a gloating smirk.

"You crossed his only son. If you think you're going to survive in this company now, you're dreaming."

I ignored her and walked into the executive office alone.

Ethan was already inside, glaring at me like I had murdered his dog.

Richard Miller looked just as hostile, though he masked it under a thin veneer of corporate authority.

He waved me over. "I heard about what happened. Ethan was out of line."

"You've forgiven him now, right?"

I gave a curt nod. Satisfied with the response, he offered a fake smile.

Then, he pointed to a massive stack of thick project binders on the side table. "Since the personal issue is resolved, let's talk business."

"I need all of these audit reports compiled and analyzed before the end of the day. We need them for tomorrow's board meeting."

"That's impossible."

It was a blatant setup, and I refused without hesitation.

Richard didn't bother pretending anymore. "Impossible, huh?"

"Then get out."

"Ethan, escort her to payroll to collect her final check."

Cold, blunt, and straight to the point.

I arched a brow. "You're firing me?"

"I don't think you have the authority to do that."

"I don't have the authority?"

Richard chuckled as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Why don't you test that theory and see if I do?"

Before I could say another word, Ethan shoved me out of the office.

By the time I reached my cubicle, my personal belongings had already been swept onto the floor.

Chloe was happily going through my desk drawers, shooting me a triumphant look. "Keep acting, why don't you? Weren't you acting so high and mighty a minute ago?"

"Why so quiet now?"

A ping on my phone confirmed the formal termination notice.

Fine by me. There was nothing in this dump worth staying for anyway.

Walking out of the building, I dialed my dad's private line. "Dad, drop the partnership with Apex Global. Go with Pacifica Holdings instead."

My dad hadn't even considered a mid-tier firm like Apex Global in the first place. The only reason they were on the shortlist was that I happened to be interning there.

"Whatever you want, sweetheart. It's your call."

I didn't want him to worry, so I kept the nasty details to myself.

In my mind, once I walked out those doors, this petty chapter was closed.

I didn't want to waste another ounce of energy on those clowns.

Back at my penthouse, I took a long hot bath, curled up on the plush sofa with a glass of wine, and queued up a new drama series.

Right at the climax of the episode, my phone rang. The caller ID showed Marcus Harrison, the CEO of Apex Global.

His voice was overly polite and walking on eggshells. "Is this Miss Vance?"

"Speaking," I replied smoothly. My dad always listed my number as the primary point of contact for external business ventures.

No matter how many times I protested, he refused to change it.

'We're in business, Stella. You have to learn how to deal with partners,' he always said.

Remembering his words, I kept my tone icy. "Is there something you need, Mr. Harrison?"

His voice sounded nervous, tinged with desperation. "Miss Vance, I'm calling to ask... why did Vance Enterprises suddenly pull out of our partnership discussions?"

"Did we do something wrong?"

"We can fix it! We will tailor every term to your exact specifications!"

I swirled the red wine in my glass. "It has nothing to do with your company's capabilities."

He gasped. "Then... then what is it?"

"It's because the people in your company are rotten from top to bottom."

"A guy named Ethan Miller told the entire office I was being kept as a sugar baby by my own father."