Mabel's face flushed red at my words. "I-I took my mother's last name."

Before anyone could doubt her words, a group of newly emerged defenders for Mabel, who had been fairly low-profile, spoke up for her.

"You won't understand it, Stephanie. You're broke, remember? Of course, a wealthy family protects their precious daughter. Do you really think they'd broadcast to the whole world that she's the real heiress?

"Besides, with the way you're questioning her, it sounds like you're implying you're the heiress instead."

One of the coworkers jabbed her nail straight into my shoulder, piercing through the fabric. The pain made me frown. I opened my mouth to argue, but then I noticed it was time to clock out.

Dad had already told me the proposal still needed another revision. I didn't have time to waste on them, so I turned and left.

The next day, however, my access card wouldn't register at the office entrance no matter how many times I swiped it.

Elliot looked at me, clearly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

I frowned. "We're re-signing the contract with the client today. Why wouldn't I be here?"

He clicked his tongue impatiently. "I already removed you from the project team. Do you not understand plain language? Joseph and Mabel are now in charge of the project."

I looked at Elliot, but before I could speak, the space behind me was already packed with coworkers.

"What's going on? We still have to finalize the project plan for the next phase. Can someone just get out of the way already?"

"Don't be a roadblock. If you offend the client, not even working till you drop dead will be enough to pay them back!"

At that moment, Joseph also arrived at the company, impatiently honking from outside.

"Stephanie, I'm not even going to sugarcoat it. You throwing tantrums at home and snatching things is one thing, but stealing Mabel's performance at work, too? That's overboard."

Mabel rolled down the car window, her voice soft and hesitant. "Stephanie, everyone in the company knows you go out at night doing odd jobs for quick money. People even said you take condoms from the convenience box downstairs.

"I saw it a few times, but never reported you, and yet you don't appreciate it at all… Why are you still trying to steal my credit? Mr. Manson already removed you from the project, so stop clinging on and making a scene.

"Honestly, you're just making things ugly for everyone."

Stealing her credit?

Ever since Mabel joined the company, she had been quietly signing her name onto every project report behind my back. I had let it slide, thinking she was a year younger than me, hence the inexperience.

Now, she actually thought she could single-handedly land a three-billion-dollar contract after undermining me.

I pointed at my access card. "Are you going to open the door for me today or not? I'm going in to sign the contract."

Before I could say more, a young security guard at the entrance rushed up with a riot shield. A steel baton pressed me down to the ground.

"Where did this crazy woman come from? No troublemakers are allowed at the Empire Group's entrance—not under my watch!"

The sudden impact made the back of my head slam against the floor.

I trembled with rage all over and, finally, roared, "I'm the daughter of Chairman Arthur Stone! Don't even think about closing that deal when you're doing this to me!"

The words had barely fallen when a man's mocking laugh came from behind me. "Oh, really? I didn't know I had such a bratty daughter."

I snapped my head back and saw a man with a thick gold chain around his neck, a leather briefcase tucked under his arm like it was an accessory.

My eyes widened. "Who are you?"

Before I could say more, he suddenly straddled me and started slapping me hard across the face, left and right. "You little brat! I didn't painstakingly raise you all these years being a butcher just for you not to recognize your father!

"Call me Dad, then apologize to Mabel!"

He yanked my hair up violently, and it felt like my scalp was about to be ripped off. I struggled furiously beneath him. "I don't know you! Let go of me!"

Mabel stood to the side with a look of fake sympathy. "Even if Mr. Stone is just a butcher, you can't deny your bloodline and say something so ungrateful. Just admit your mistake already, Ms. Stone.

"Everyone's waiting to sign the contract with the client."

At those words, the surrounding coworkers immediately chimed in. "Yeah, right? Stealing credit from Mabel was one thing, but now, she's even trying to claim her father? Seriously, what's going on in her head?"

At that moment, regret surged through me.

This project was something every single coworker of mine watched as I personally negotiated for it from start to finish. The moment Mabel casually claimed she was the client chairman's daughter, they switched sides and started sucking up to her.

If I had known this would happen, I never would've asked Dad to route this project to our company in the first place.

I struggled with everything I had, trying to break free. Did Mabel really think some random thug off the street could pass himself off as my father? Dream on.

Immediately, I dialed Dad's number. "Dad, have the secretary send over the most critical document. I need it now!"

Before I could finish, the man suddenly kicked me hard behind the knee. "Your dad is right here! Now, get on your knees and apologize to Mabel! And as compensation, you're signing a voluntary waiver of your project profit share."

My knees buckled from the pain, and I was forced down onto the ground, banging my head against the floor until I was coerced into signing.

"I won't sign!" I screamed, clenching my fists so tightly my nails dug into my palms.

They kept insisting this project was something Mabel had secured entirely on her own, so why were they so desperate for me to sign a waiver giving up my profit share?

Obviously, they were scared—and guilty. They knew if the truth ever came out, everything would collapse. My vision was already blurring from the pain, the world slipping in and out of focus.

A coworker exclaimed, "Stephanie's not moving anymore… Did they actually beat her to death?"

Mabel's eyes flicked around quickly. She pointed at me. "I saw her last night going out with dozens of men. I think she's experiencing incontinence."

At that, everyone immediately recoiled, covering their noses in disgust and stepping back.

Joseph clenched his fists. "Stephanie, sign the damn waiver and get the hell back home!"

As he spoke, he stepped forward and forced my hand toward the stamp pad.

"I told you guys, I closed this project, so the profit share is mine! None of you is taking it!" I shouted.

With that, the man behind me suddenly pulled out a small knife. "Damn it. Why are we still talking to her? Just cut her finger off and stamp it! Problem solved!"

Just as the blade was about to come down, a furious roar rang out from behind. "Let go of Ms. Stone!"

Dad's secretary, Matthew Cooper, rushed in at full speed, shoving the impersonator aside and moving straight to my side. "Ms. Stone, this is what Mr. Stone instructed me to deliver to you."

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and took the original project proposal. Then, I raised it high above my head. "Take a damn look at the name on this!"

One by one, their expressions shifted—shock spreading across their faces as their eyes widened in disbelief.