The day my CEO boss, George Cole, finally got a girlfriend, I was somehow cast as the villain in their love story. His new flame, a girl in a little white dress with a matching flower tucked in her hair, dropped to her knees before me, sobbing. “You must be Mr. Cole’s secretary,” she wept. “Please, I’m begging you, give him back to me. We’re the ones who are truly in love.” I nearly jumped out of my skin. It’s true, I was George Cole’s secretary. But I was also a bona fide genius, a national award winner who held the company's core tech in the palm of her hand. And most importantly, as God is my witness, there was absolutely nothing going on between George and me. 01 The moment the girl, Lily Evans, hit the floor, every head in the open-plan office snapped in our direction. The silence was so thick, the secondhand embarrassment so profound, you could have cut it with a knife. But Lily seemed oblivious, practically glued to the carpet as she wailed at me. “Ma’am, George and I are soulmates. If you keep clinging to him, it won’t end well for you!” I stood frozen, feeling like a lightning bolt had just struck me square on the head. Soulmates? Clinging? Not ending well? Nowhere in my employment contract for Cole Corporation did it say I’d have to moonlight as the evil rival in some bargain-bin romance drama. George’s brow furrowed as he reached down to pull her up. “Lily, what on earth are you talking about? Sophia and I have a purely professional relationship!” Lily promptly collapsed into his arms, her face a mask of beautifully tragic tears. “Don’t lie to me, George, I know everything! I know that Sophia is the heiress to the Reed fortune.” “She gave up the life of a socialite to be your secretary. If it’s not for love, what other reason could there be?” My jaw just about hit the floor. What in the world was she talking about? Sure, the wealthiest family in the state was named Reed, but what did that have to do with me, a small-town girl who’d fought her way out of obscurity with nothing but scholarships and a brain that ran on pure grit? My family tree, for three generations back, was nothing but honest, blue-collar workers. The only reason I was standing in this high-rise office was because I’d studied myself half to death to become the top scholar in my state, which earned me a generous scholarship from George’s parents. After fast-tracking my Ph.D. and bringing a multi-million-dollar national grant project with me, I was working for George for a fraction of my market value, simply to pay back their kindness. And somehow, in her mind, that twisted into a story about a secret heiress slumming it for love? With an imagination like that, she was wasting her talent. She should be writing scripts for melodramatic web series. George looked just as baffled, trying to find some logic in her fantasy. “Where are you hearing this nonsense? Sophia is just—” Lily clapped her hands over her ears, going into full “la-la-la-I-can’t-hear-you” mode. “Stop it, George! Don’t say another word!” “Don’t keep reminding me of the gap between her status and mine! Don’t keep stabbing my heart with the cold, hard truth…” As the audience of eavesdropping employees grew, George’s handsome face began to flush with color. He gritted his teeth. “Then what do I have to do to make you believe that there is nothing between us?” Only then did Lily lift her tear-streaked face, clutching his sleeve. “George, are you blaming me? I’m not trying to pressure you.” “I know I’m not good enough for you, but I’m with you for you, not for your money! I love you, I really do…” she sobbed. At that, George seemed to deflate, all his arguments and energy draining away. He waved a weary hand at me. “Sophia, you can go back to your desk.” Granted a pardon, I immediately plastered on my professional smile. “Of course, Mr. Cole.” I turned and walked away with crisp, efficient steps. I’d only taken two when Lily’s trembling voice rose again behind me. “Mr. Cole… she called you Mr. Cole… George, I know what she’s doing. She’s reminding me that you’re the powerful CEO, and I’m just a Cinderella from the slums.” “Will you get tired of me one day? Will you leave me?” And then I heard George, yet again, call my name. “Sophia!” I turned back, resigned to my fate. “Yes?” He rubbed his temples. “From now on, in front of Lily, just call me by my first name.” I blinked. Are you serious? Seeing my confusion, George added, deadpan, “Every time you call me ‘Mr. Cole,’ I’m docking your pay $200.” My body reacted faster than my brain. I snapped to attention, my voice ringing out. “Yes, Ge… George! Roger that!” 02 The second I was out of the executive office, a few curious colleagues swarmed me, their eyes twinkling with gossip. “Sophie, what was that all about?” Mark, the head of the tech department, sidled up, a greasy grin on his face. “Well, well. Never took you for a secret heiress, Miss Reed, bravely chasing after your one true love…” I slapped him squarely on the back. “Heiress my foot! Get your team together for a meeting, now!” “If we blow the pitch in two weeks, your entire department can pack their bags and get out!” Mark’s neck vanished into his shoulders as he scurried off to round up his people. Over the next three days, I have no idea what kind of deep, soul-searching conversation George had with Lily, but she stopped staging her ‘please-leave-my-boyfriend’ melodramas in front of me. However! She started appearing in the office like an NPC spawning at a set location, making the rounds to offer her unique brand of encouragement. “You can do it, Kelly! You’re the best!” “Keep up the great work, David! I believe in you!” “Don’t forget to smile today, Sam! Life is beautiful!” She even brought her fishbowl to the office and placed it in the most prominent spot on the reception desk, enthusiastically introducing her pet to everyone who passed by. “This is my baby, Prudence.” “My phone is named Grace, my alarm clock is Hope, and my potted plant is Faith…” The entire office was on edge. Productivity didn’t increase, but the collective cringe was palpable. My days were now split between managing technical data, tracking project timelines, and fielding a flood of internal complaint emails about our new office mascot. It was seriously cutting into my actual work. I printed out every single email, bound them into a thick booklet, and slapped it down on George’s desk. He flipped through a few pages, his face a kaleidoscope of emotions. Finally, he let out a long sigh and massaged his forehead. “Notify finance. Starting this month, everyone in the executive office and the adjacent tech department gets their salary doubled.” With the money secured, my expression changed in a flash. I bowed slightly, my voice dripping with sycophantic praise. “Thank you, boss! You’re a genius, boss! Long live the boss!” Before the words had even faded, the office door flew open with a bang. Lily rushed in, crying, clutching a small pot. “George! My Faith is dead… I’m so sad…” I instantly wiped the grin off my face and backed out of the room, my expression a blank mask. Genius my ass. This raise was hazard pay, pure and simple. And we’d damn well earned it. A couple of days later, George’s parents returned from their round-the-world trip and decided on a whim to visit the company. Fearing another one of Lily’s episodes, George specifically assigned me to give his parents the tour. Just as I was explaining our latest technological breakthrough, Lily materialized out of a corner. When she saw the three of us standing together, her face went deathly white. Then, clutching her chest like a tragic heroine in a silent film, she crumpled to the ground. “George… you lied to me…” She stared at George, who had rushed to her side, and pointed a trembling finger at me. “Your parents already approve of Sophia… and you told me there was nothing between you two…” Mr. and Mrs. Cole had never seen a spectacle like this. They both stood there, utterly stunned. But Lily was completely lost in her own script. She staggered to her feet, a delicate white flower battered by a storm. “The great Reed family and the Cole dynasty, joining forces. It sounds so… perfect, doesn’t it?” “George, should I congratulate you on your upcoming wedding?” I couldn’t take it anymore. If this went on, she’d have George and me with three kids and a mortgage. I didn’t care if she ruined George’s reputation, but she wasn’t going to ruin mine. I strode forward, my face impassive, pulled my driver’s license from my purse, and practically slapped it against her cheek. “Miss Evans, look closely! My name is Sophia Reed. My father is Daniel Reed. My mother is Laura Reed!” “We have absolutely nothing to do with whatever billionaire Reed family you’ve cooked up in your head!” 03 I thought showing her my ID would finally bring this fantasy to an end. How naive I was. Lily’s mind operated on a level of logic unknown to mortal man. As she stared at my license, her expression shifted from shock to confusion, and then to a sudden, breathtaking moment of enlightenment. It was a whirlwind of emotion. Then she spun to face Mr. and Mrs. Cole, her voice thick with a sense of profound injustice. “We’re both ‘Cinderellas,’ so why is she acceptable and I’m not?” The bewilderment on the Coles’ faces was so intense it was almost a physical presence. George, looking like he was about to have an aneurysm, tried to pull her away. “Lily, stop this nonsense! Let’s go…” But she wrenched her arm free and charged toward us. “Mr. and Mrs. Cole, I know my background is humble, that I’m not worthy of George, but my love for him is real!” “Why can you accept Sophia, but not me? Is it because I’m not as pretty as her, or as capable?” Mrs. Cole, now genuinely annoyed by these bizarre accusations, frowned at her son. “George! What is going on? Explain yourself!” Lily immediately jumped in. “No! Mrs. Cole, it’s not George’s fault! It’s all my fault…” “Why did you dislike me the moment you saw me? Did Sophia say something bad about me to you?” She turned to me again, her tears making her look utterly pitiful. “Sophia, I know you love George too, but you can’t force love…” I opened my mouth, feeling the helpless rage of someone being slandered in broad daylight. Thankfully, George managed to physically drag Lily away before she could write another chapter of her fan fiction. I rubbed my temples and let out a sigh of relief. When I turned around, I was met with two pairs of alarmingly bright eyes. Mrs. Cole grabbed my hand. “Sophia, dear, is it true? Are you really in love with our George?” Mr. Cole stood beside her, stroking his chin thoughtfully. “Well, we’ve watched Sophia grow up. We know what a wonderful girl she is… It’s not out of the question.” My world went dark. It was all over. My reputation! My image as a dedicated, no-nonsense professional! Utterly destroyed by Lily Evans. It took every ounce of my persuasive ability to convince George’s parents that Lily was delusional, not that I was harboring a secret crush on their son. They left the office looking visibly disappointed. For the next few days, I buried myself in the tech department, working overtime to avoid seeing George. Lily, surprisingly, stayed quiet for a while. The day before the project pitch, there was a long-scheduled industry gala that I had to attend with George. As I expected, Lily was there. She wore her signature white dress, trailing timidly behind George. The gala was filled with industry heavyweights, and several of them immediately cornered me. “Ms. Reed, I hear things have been a bit… chaotic over at Cole Corp. Any interest in jumping ship to Sterling Industries?” “Sophia, our tech division has hit a wall. Would you do us the honor of consulting? Name your price!” Ever since I’d joined Cole Corp with my nationally-funded project, these executives had been relentlessly trying to poach me. They still hadn’t given up. I was trying to think of a polite way to refuse when the event manager rushed over, looking panicked. The pianist they’d booked had a sudden medical emergency and couldn’t make it. They couldn’t find a professional replacement on such short notice, and the atmosphere was becoming a little awkward. After years of following George to these high-end events, I’d picked up a thing or two. I could play a simple piece to fill the silence. I took a step forward and said to the manager, “If you don’t mind, I could…” Before I could finish, Lily shot forward, her voice ringing with a strange indignation. “I can’t play!” Every eye in the room swiveled to her. I was confused. “Miss Evans, I was offering to play, not you.” But Lily looked as if some righteous fire had been lit within her, her face flushing crimson. “Do you wealthy people have any idea what it’s like for people like me? I grew up in the middle of nowhere! I’ve never even seen a grand piano, let alone had the chance to learn!” “You’re all here, at this extravagant party, listening to piano music, while there are people in the world who can’t even afford to eat!” She grew more and more agitated, finally turning her fury on me, her eyes filled with condemnation. “Sophia! You came from nothing too! And now you’re helping these vultures, you’ve forgotten where you came from!” “I, Lily Evans, look down on you!” 04 Silence. A deep, bizarre silence fell over the entire ballroom. Everyone was staring at Lily as if she’d just beamed down from another planet. I stood there, feeling like I’d been struck by lightning, flash-fried, and my soul had left my body. Helping vultures? Forgotten where I came from? All because… I could play the piano? Lily clutched the hem of her dress, cast one last disappointed look around the room, then covered her face and ran out. George didn’t follow. Or rather, he couldn’t. He was too busy managing the fallout, apologizing to the room full of “vultures” Lily had just insulted. By the time the gala ended, George was too drunk to walk straight. Resigned to my duties as his secretary, I took him to the five-star hotel where he usually stayed. I had just gotten the room key from the front desk when Lily appeared at the entrance, a ghost haunting the lobby. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Before I could say a word, she fixed me with a look that said, I’ve seen through your evil plan, her voice trembling with defiance. “Sophia Reed, I know what you’re doing. You want me to misunderstand your relationship with George, to fight with him!” “But let me tell you, I won’t fall for your tricks! I trust George. He loves me!” I closed my eyes. For that, at least, I was grateful. Lily clenched her fists, as if steeling herself for a great battle. “But I also know why he can’t get rid of you! It’s because of that project you control, isn’t it?” “Just you wait! I’ll show George that I can help him too! That I’m more useful than you are!” Watching her storm off with that righteous fire in her eyes, a knot of dread formed in my stomach. The next day, George and I led our team into the long-awaited project bidding presentation. During the initial pitch, I dominated the room, showcasing the core technology we had developed. After a round of intense Q&A, winning the contract felt like a sure thing. But just as the lead representative was about to announce their decision, the conference room doors burst open with a bang. “Wait! I have something to say!” Lily stood panting in the doorway, clutching a stack of documents. Ignoring the staff trying to stop her, she frantically directed the people behind her. “Quick! Hand these out to everyone!” Copies of the documents were shoved into the hands of the judges and our main competitors. One was thrust at me. My blood ran cold. It was our core technology—detailed architectural diagrams, key algorithm parameters, and our final, confidential bid price. Lily stood at the podium, her voice clear and bright. “Everyone, we’ve laid all our cards on the table for you!” “Now you can feel the sincerity of the Cole Corporation, can’t you? Please, you have to partner with us!” The entire room was dead silent. I stood rooted to the spot, feeling the blood freeze in my veins. This project was my Ph.D. thesis. It was the culmination of countless sleepless nights, the product of two years of relentless work from my entire team at Cole Corp. And now this… this fool had just handed it all away in the most idiotic, most humiliating way possible! She hadn’t just destroyed a project; she had incinerated thousands of hours of our lives, our passion, our collective soul. A surge of pure, hot rage shot through me. All reason, all professionalism, shattered in that instant. I strode forward, and under the astonished gaze of everyone in the room, I raised my hand and brought it across Lily Evans’s face with a resounding CRACK. Lily staggered back, clutching her cheek, tears instantly welling in her eyes. “George! She hit me! But I was only trying to help you…” George said nothing, but his face was a mask of utter devastation. My chest heaved. I pointed a trembling finger at Lily, but my eyes were locked on George. “George Cole, as the head of this project, I am formally suing Lily Evans for the theft and intentional leakage of core corporate trade secrets.” “And from this day forward, this company isn’t big enough for the both of us. Either she goes, or I do.”
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