Violet came striding over in sky-high heels and stopped right in front of me, her chin lifted as she looked down on me with open arrogance.

"I personally approved that office for Jim. You got a problem with that?"

I narrowed my eyes, studying her face. She looked familiar, like someone I should recognize, but the name wouldn't come to me.

"So you're Violet?" I said. "If you're going to pretend to be an heiress, at least put some effort into it. Mr. Neel's daughter doesn't even have the last name Neel."

A flicker of unease crossed her eyes, but it was gone almost as fast as it appeared.

Jim rushed forward, eager to back her up. "If the Neel heiress isn't named Neel, what, is she supposed to be a Franklin like you? What a joke!"

I nodded.

"Yes, actually. I'm Mr. Neel's daughter, Riley."

The room went quiet for half a second. Then laughter exploded all around me.

"Neel Corporation is worth billions. You really think the boss's daughter would have someone else's last name?"

"I've seen Ms. Neel riding in Mr. Neel's private car. His personal driver even took her shopping more than once."

"Mr. Neel keeps his family life private, sure, but pretending to be his daughter? That's just shameless."

The whispers poured in from every direction, but I didn't react.

My eyes stayed locked on Violet.

She jerked her head up in surprise at first, then something shifted behind her gaze. By the time she spoke again, the arrogance was back, stronger than ever.

"There's no way you're the real heiress."

She turned to the others.

"Given Ms. Franklin's delusional behavior, she's clearly unfit for her current role. Effective immediately, she's being reassigned to an entry-level position. Her desk will be in the main lobby."

Jim shot me a smug look. "You heard her. Get lost!"

It was almost funny. When you're pushed past a certain point, all you can do is laugh.

A mid-level HR manager trying to demote me? Give me a break.

"In my onboarding file, there's a full medical clearance," I said evenly. "And this position was personally assigned by Mr. Neel. What you're doing breaks company policy."

"Policy?" Jim scoffed. "Violet runs HR! Her rules are the company's rules."

Violet shot me a warning look, lips curling into a cold smile.

"Just because Piers pulled some strings to get you in doesn't mean anyone can walk into Neel Corporation. Demoting you is already me being generous. Keep pushing, and I'll have you thrown out of the company entirely."

Wow. That was some nerve.

In all my years, she was the first person who had ever dared to threaten me like that.

But now, I understood why she wasn't afraid of me.

My father had been overseas nonstop lately, expanding the business. He had handed everything related to my return over to the executive assistant, Piers Ward.

I told Piers to keep things low-key so I could get a feel for the company without people treating me differently. He must've taken that seriously and told no one who I really was.

And since I used my mother's last name, something almost no one knew, Violet never even considered that I might actually be the real heiress. To her, I was just some nobody who got in through connections.

I smiled faintly.

"You want to fire me? Go ahead. But according to company rules, any personnel changes at the manager level or above require the chairman's signature. Aren't you the heiress? Call your dad."

Something sharp flashed in Violet's eyes.

"We follow procedure," she said coolly. "Even I have to submit through the company system."

"Is that so?" I tilted my head, still smiling. "If you won't call, I will."

I pulled out my phone and started dialing, calm as ever. As the line began to ring, the mood around us shifted.

"Wait… How does she have Mr. Neel's number?"

"What if she really is the heiress?"

"She's not backing down at all. She kind of feels like Mr. Neel, doesn't she?"

"If she's real, then who the hell is Violet?"

Right before the call connected, Violet finally cracked. She lunged forward and grabbed my hand, panic flashing across her face.

Everyone around us froze, watching closely. Someone even whispered that she was scared.

I looked at her with a faint, knowing smile.

Violet quickly pulled out her phone and shoved a screenshot of a schedule in my face.

"Mr. Neel's in a critical meeting right now," she snapped. "If you mess up this deal, can you take responsibility for it?"

Jim snatched the phone and turned it toward the crowd, raising his voice like he was putting on a show.

"This kind of private schedule isn't something just anyone can get," he said. "Who else but family would have access? You say you're the real heiress? Then prove it! Stop pretending, you shameless fake!"

Everyone lit up as if they had just been handed proof, excitement buzzing through the room.

I just watched, calm and silent.

This was exactly what I had been pushing for. I wanted Violet to show her hand.

Jim had it wrong. Not only could the family get their hands on the itinerary. The only other person who could…was the driver.

My father's driver was a distant relative from his hometown. He had the same last name, Neel. Violet was his daughter. That driver used to take me to school every day before I left the country.

No wonder Violet looked familiar the moment I saw her.

Of course, no one else here knew any of that. To them, it looked like I had just been exposed.

The crowd shifted completely to Violet's side.

"She's got some nerve, showing up at Neel Corporation with a lie like that! I bet she's been pretending to be the heiress outside, too."

"We had to go through three rounds of interviews to get in here. She shows up out of nowhere and lands a manager role? Please! She probably slept her way in through Piers."

"You're a fraud, a nepotism hire! Get out of Neel Corporation!"

Someone even splashed a cup of hot coffee at me.

The heat hit my skin instantly, sharp enough to make me flinch. It dripped down from my hair, soaking into my white blouse, the fabric clinging just enough to show the faint outline of what was underneath.

I turned toward my office, planning to grab a spare outfit.

Jim moved faster. He rushed in ahead of me and started throwing my things out into the hallway.

Most of it, I didn't care about.

Except for the antique ornament my father had bought at auction for millions. It hit the ground at my feet and shattered into pieces.

I slowly lifted my eyes to Jim. "You'd better be ready to answer for that. That's not something you can afford to replace."

Jim kicked the fragments aside like they were trash, then stepped closer, jabbing a finger into my chest again and again.

"A fake like you thinks she can act tough in front of me? You've already been kicked out of Neel Corporation by Violet. This office is mine now! I can deal with whatever trash is in here. That includes you."

He stressed the word "trash", his tone dripping with contempt.

"But before you get out, you're paying for my bag. One million."

A wave of sharp breaths swept through the crowd. Even Violet frowned slightly.

"Jim, forget it," she said. "If you like it that much, I'll buy you another one."

"Violet, you're being too nice," he shot back. "She'll just think we're easy to push around. That bag was your anniversary gift to me. It's brand new, limited edition, and made of rare leather. I barely even use it. What she did wasn't just throwing a bag; she was stepping all over what we have, trying to humiliate me. You're really okay with that?"

As he spoke, his expression turned strangely dramatic, almost wounded. It was enough to make my stomach turn.

And somehow, Violet bought it.

She hesitated for a second, then nodded, signaling security to shut the floor doors, as if she was afraid I would run.

I glanced at the obviously fake bag on the floor.

Calling it cheap would be generous.

A million dollars? I wouldn't even pay a hundred for it.

My silence made Jim think I had finally cracked. He started patting my face, one slap after another, smug as ever.

"Scared now?" he sneered. "A fake like you could empty out your whole family savings and still not come up with a million."

I swung back without warning. The slap landed hard, leaving a sharp red imprint of my fingers across his face.

"A million is nothing," I said flatly. "You like bags that much? Fine. I'll get you ten."

Jim's expression darkened.

I pulled out my phone and called the store manager. They agreed without hesitation and said the items would be delivered in ten minutes.

The moment they heard that, people started laughing.

"With a brain like that, she's really calling herself an heiress?" someone mocked. "Doesn't she know that boutique runs on waitlists? Ten minutes? You'd be lucky to get one in a month!"

"She really thinks she's something. Ten bags? Even a whole truck of knockoffs wouldn't match one of Jim's accessories."

I couldn't help thinking how one rotten person could ruin the whole place.

Violet had no shame, and the people she surrounded herself with were no better.

Violet dragged over a chair and sat right in front of me, like she had front row seats to a show she was certain I would lose.

Jim stepped closer, grabbing my chin and tilting my face up. The look in his eyes made my skin crawl.

"You're quite pretty. Too bad you had to pull something like this. You picked the wrong person to mess with. If you can't pay, don't push it. Take off a piece of clothing, and I'll give you a 100-grand discount per item. I'm being generous."

I snatched a pen off the desk and drove it straight toward his eye.

At the last second, I stopped.

The tip hovered just short of contact.

Jim stumbled back in panic, cursing under his breath, calling me insane.

I lowered the pen slowly, my gaze sharp enough to cut.

"Ten minutes isn't up yet," I said. "No one touches me. Since we're waiting, maybe we should talk about my losses."

I bent down, picking up the shattered pieces of the antique ornament and setting them carefully on the desk. A faint smile tugged at my lips, but it didn't reach my eyes.

"This thing doesn't have a brand name. It's not new either, but it is rare. So how exactly are you planning to pay for it?"

Jim and his group burst into laughter again.

"She's lost it. That broken junk's worth what, 20 bucks? You could buy a pile of those online."

"And it's ugly, too. Putting that on a desk just drags down the whole company's taste. How embarrassing!"

I ignored them completely and looked straight at Violet.

"Ms. Neel, you still have time to admit you're wrong. Otherwise, when this blows up in your face, it's going to hurt."

Violet clearly believed I was just like her, another fake trying to bluff her way through. She lazily pulled out a black card and flicked it onto the desk in front of me.

"Name your price."

A gasp rippled through the crowd.

"That's the unlimited black card, right? If Violet's not the real heiress, I'll eat my own words."

Jim leaned back, crossing his legs, looking completely satisfied.

"That's Mr. Neel's secondary card," he said proudly. "It's more than enough to cover your worthless junk."

I took one look at it and almost laughed.

That was the card my father had shoved into my hand before I left the country. I had never used it and just tossed it in a drawer.

So Violet had been using it this whole time.

I kept my expression neutral as I picked up the card, clicking my tongue softly.

"That ornament might look old, but it's still an antique. There's even an auction tag on it. Didn't you notice?"

"Yeah, right," Jim scoffed. "My underwear has a tag, too. Guess that makes it an antique."

He didn't take the hint at all. Instead, he grabbed my clothes, trying to pull at the fabric.

"All that talk, and you're just after money in the end. Quit stalling. Start taking it off. Maybe if the guys here enjoy the show, they might toss you a few bucks to help you pay for the bag."

I struggled hard, but it only seemed to excite him more. His grip got rougher and more aggressive.

Violet just sat there and watched, not even pretending to stop him.

Laughter and crude comments closed in from all sides, drowning me.

Right when it felt like there was no way out, Piers's sharp, commanding voice cut through the noise.

"Stop!"