Chapter 3

I froze in place.

What should have been a quiet workspace now looked like a wild party.

I stood at the office entrance.

I saw Marcus, who’d just been crying to me moments ago, now sitting brazenly on my desk.

He held a glass of freshly opened champagne, laughing his head off.

“Did you all see how stupid Sasha looked just now?

She actually believed I was getting demoted and condescendingly offered me some trashy clients!

Those moldy resources of hers—I wouldn’t even use them as coasters!”

Lily from reception approached with a wine glass, looking obsequious.

“Exactly, Marcus! She doesn’t know her place. Just because she landed a few big clients, her tail’s pointing to the sky.

She doesn’t even know whose name is on this company.”

Derek circled around Marcus like a lapdog.

“Marcus is Mr. Richards’s own nephew, an elite returnee from a prestigious university!

The Sales Director position was always meant for Marcus.

That nobody Sasha isn’t even worthy of carrying Mr. Richards’s shoes!”

I stood in the corridor’s shadows, feeling all the blood in my body freeze instantly.

His own nephew?

I stared at Marcus sitting on my desk.

So all of this was fake.

The promotion email was fake.

The demotion notice was fake.

Only I was the fool, manipulated and mocked by the entire company in a conspiracy.

Mr. Richards emerged from the private office, holding a wine glass.

He looked at Marcus with a smile.

“Marcus, how was my April Fools’ production? Pretty good, right? Did it help you vent?”

Marcus jumped off the desk and threw his arm around Mr. Richards’s shoulder.

“It was awesome, Uncle!

You don’t know—these past two months she’s been making me memorize product materials every day and forcing me to run sales calls in the blazing sun.

I’ve never been treated like this in my entire life—not even by my own mother!

Seeing her today like a stray dog moving her stuff—I can’t tell you how satisfying that was!”

Mr. Richards laughed heartily.

“She’s just meant for grunt work.

This afternoon, after she signs Mr. Wilson’s one-billion-dollar contract, I’ll just find some excuse to fire her.

Then that massive achievement will be yours! I’m good to you, aren’t I?”

I stood there watching their ugly faces, suddenly feeling my stomach churn.

Five years.

For this company, I’d given up all my vacation days.

I’d pulled a nearly bankrupt workshop up by its bootstraps into a well-known industry player.

I thought if I just worked hard enough, I’d earn the respect and rewards I deserved.

But reality had slapped me hard across the face.

I pushed open the door and walked in expressionlessly.

The cheering stopped abruptly.

Everyone looked at me like I was some kind of monster.

The smile on Marcus’s face froze for a moment, then returned to that same arrogant expression.

“Oh, Ms. Turner’s back?

That demotion notice earlier was a misunderstanding.

My uncle said for April Fools’ fun, all decisions and responses today had to be reversed!”

He boasted, “So I actually got promoted!”

I laughed coldly inside. Reversed. So that’s how I got that ridiculous promotion notice.

Just then, Mr. Richards walked over with a cold expression.

He slammed a thick stack of documents against my chest.

“Sasha, you still have the nerve to chat here? Get your ass to the conference room right now!”