Mass Betrayal

"I've disliked Eliza for a long time. There aren't many projects to go around, yet she always steals the job. In the end, nothing comes of it," someone said.

"Mary’s growth was slow only because she’s not as loose as Eliza. Once, an old pervert grabbed her bottom, and she didn’t even react. Deep down, she must’ve enjoyed it."

My entire body went ice cold as disappointment washed over me.

"We've worked together for years. I've helped you all the time, and you all know my true nature. Now, just to brown-nose the new supervisor, you throw away your dignity!" I snapped.

People had always been fickle.

However, I had always treated my subordinates like they were my friends.

When the company’s cash flow ran dry and layoffs started, I used my own money to keep the staff employed.

"Rory, when you first joined us, you sent the cost sheet to the client instead of the actual quote. If I hadn't stepped in, you would've been forced to compensate millions in damages."

My voice turned icy as I faced the other man who had spoken.

"You as well. When you were unable to feed yourself because you had no commissions, I was the one who gave you part of my dividends. Did you all forget that?"

Mary clenched her fists and cut me off. "What's the use of bringing up small favors? Why didn't you mention just how much you've earned all this time?

"It's a senior's duty to help the newcomers. Now that you've been fired, are you going to hold that over everyone's heads?"

Those who had been hanging their heads low from the admonishment heaved sighs of relief. They immediately began praising Mary's generosity while accusing me of being petty.

Overwhelmed with fury at the absurdity, I abandoned the argument and headed to my old desk.

The moment I opened the door, what I saw made my face go pale in anger. My entire body began trembling.

My personal belongings were scattered across the floor, and all my devices had been powered on.

My documents and chat logs had been rifled through. My locked drawers were pried open—empty. Everything inside was gone.

Even the family photo I placed on the table was shattered, covered by a puddle of rotting pasta.

My eyes were bloodshot as I screamed, "Who did this? Step forward right now!"

The entire office instantly fell silent. One could hear a pin drop.

…

Just as I was about to fly off the handle, Mary gracefully walked over. "Don't be so agitated. I did it."

She blinked innocently.

"The boss said that we're short on desks. Since you're no longer working with us and won't be coming back, the desk would naturally go to someone else."

She held up the Civil Service Exam handbook and looked at me with a mocking grin.

"Who knew a community college graduate and saleswoman would be so ambitious? Work in the private sector isn't enough anymore. Instead, you wish to work for the government too.

"Still, you had too many belongings. We didn't know which were actually yours, so we confiscated everything. You have no objections, right?"

Rory chimed in, eager to support her. "Searching just the office isn’t enough. What if she stole company property and still has it on her?

"We should strip and search her!"

The absurdity hit me like a slap.

I barked out, "This is nothing but revenge dressed up as justice!"

With a grin, Mary waved a hand, summoning several men over to surround me. "I'm only doing this for the company's sake. After all, who can guarantee that you're innocent?"

My entire body was shaking in fury, but Mary ignored my reaction.

With her hands planted on her hips, she continued to speak in a loud voice. "Ms. Lane, we were all colleagues. I don't want to strain our relationship.

"Will you be stripping, or do you need our help?"

My teeth dug into my lower lip in humiliation as rage burned through my veins. I wanted nothing more than to rip that smug expression off her face.

When I did not move, she locked the door with a raised eyebrow and held my laptop up high.

"You've worked here for years, so you must've made a lot of connections. Isn't that right?" she asked in a threatening tone. "You know better than I do the consequences if I delete everything on here right now. Strip. Think of it as a bonus for everyone, and I’ll let you walk away afterward."

Kai's Taunting

I took a deep breath and took photos of the situation before swiftly calling the police.

"Hi, I'd like to make a report. Someone has stolen two of my necklaces that cost me around a million."

Mary's face went pale. She instantly snatched my phone away while shouting as loud as she could. "No one stole anything! Stop trying to twist the facts!"

Once she said that, the door slowly swung open to reveal Kai, who'd arrive late as usual. The moment he saw me, his face contorted into a scowl.

"Eliza, how many times must I tell you? Your name was accidentally included in the Counseling-Out List. Still, if you're willing to start over from the very bottom with a reduced salary, I can give you another chance.

"You rejected me, and now you're causing a scene. Will you only be happy when everyone hates you?" he snapped out.

I forced myself to swallow back my rage and told him everything that happened.

With an impatient look on his face, he retorted, "It's just a search. What about it? You're way too fragile!"

As I was about to call the police once more due to the injustice of it all, he put on a fierce look and threatened me. "Eliza, that's enough! We've not offended you in any way. No one will win if you blow this up.

"I know plenty of people in the industry. I'm close with someone in every major company. Just one word from me, and your career is finished!"

Now that she had someone to back her up, Mary grew increasingly smug, shooting me a smile as though she had already won.

"Eliza, there's no need to put on a show. Without this company, you're nothing. Even a stray is worth more than you.

"You're only starting from the very bottom. Well, the janitor just resigned. We need someone to clean the toilets. Since you're so experienced, I'll make an exception and let you have the job.

"While it's a rather embarrassing job, it's still a job. It's better than a role you've gotten by sleeping around, right?"

Everyone in the office started to jeer in agreement.

Even Kai was grinning. "Just accept the offer, Eliza. Cleaning the toilets is a type of training."

Looking at their grotesque expressions, I suddenly burst into laughter. "You're right, Mr. Moran. Since I'm leaving, I don’t have to spare anyone’s dignity."

With a creepy smile on my face, I pointed at him and spoke in a slow and emphatic manner.

"We were short on funds back then. If we failed, the company would go under. You promised that if I could pull in the investors, you'd pay me a bonus of one million. However, because you made me the scapegoat of Mary's mistake, the bonus vanished."

Everyone was gaping in shock as I then turned to them with a bright grin.

"Misery loves company. Kai cheated me out of a million, but when it's your turn, how much would it be? Don't think you can escape his grasp. His lover is in this department. No matter how hard you work, can you outshine the one who sleeps next to him?"

…

Their faces turned ghostly pale. It was an absolutely satisfying sight.

Mary's face was flushed red. Even so, she pretended to be calm and composed. "Eliza, stop it with the slander. There's nothing between Mr. Moran and me," she said.

However, that retort felt weak and gave me room to shoot back with another question. "I didn't name anyone. Why are you so eager to answer?"

She was rendered speechless. The color on her face went pale before her expression became thunderous.

"Enough!" Kai shouted, slamming his hand on the desk.

"Mr. Warner is my cousin. We won the contract all because of me. You were only there by coincidence. What right do you have to claim credit?

"With your meagre skills, you should be paying the company to work here instead of asking for an annual bonus!"

I was torn between being mad and amused.

The client was a cousin so distant that he couldn't technically be called a relative. Did Kai really think his name was worth anything?

Mary was all fired up upon hearing Kai's comment.

"You're so amazing, Mr. Moran. I slapped Mr. Warner, and he was still so eager to work with us.

"We're no longer the average company. With a crucial piece of technology in our portfolio, we're winners now. We don't need the sales department!"

Dark spots began appearing in my vision. Mary's bold claim made my stomach ache once more.

"Cut the act," Mary commented with a disdainful scoff. "You're just a woman destined to serve others and play the second fiddle. It serves you right to drink yourself to death."

Deleted Files

I heaved a sigh. All I felt was a sense of powerlessness.

It was indeed true that the company won over the investor through a crucial piece of technology.

However, I was the developer of that piece of technology.

I majored in programming during my community college studies, and I only transferred to the sales department because the company was understaffed. They were desperate and just threw everyone at the task.

Clint Warner showed no mercy. I had to shamelessly pester him over and over, enduring countless late nights to help him resolve a database leak.

Only after that did he finally take me seriously and give the company a chance at partnership.

What a joke. Kai actually thought he was so powerful that he would rather burn the bridge just for one million. In the end, he fired the very person critical to the deal.

"Cut the crap. You're no longer useful, so sign the termination agreement." Kai huffed and flung a stack of documents my way.

I was about to sign them without hesitation.

Suddenly, I felt someone's unwavering gaze on my chest.

He pressed in close with a hand around my waist, obscenely stroking it as he spoke in a whisper.

"Eliza, you're very charming but way too stubborn. If you're willing to learn from Mary, I have a better contract in store for you."

Disgust and humiliation swiftly surged through me.

I swiftly raised my hand high before slapping him right across the face.

The slap loudly rang across the office.

With a hand covering his slapped cheek, Kai began shouting in hysteria. "Eliza, you bitch! Everyone is fine with it, so why aren't you? What right do you have to be so proud? Everyone knows you're just used goods!"

Swallowing back my disgust, I threw the signed agreement in his face.

Infuriated, Kai glared hard at me. "Do you think I can't punish you after you leave? There's a non-compete clause in the agreement. You're now blacklisted in this industry, never to be hired anywhere in the country!"

I ignored his egotistical shouting and left.

Mary was standing by my desk, unabashedly scrolling through all of the encrypted documents stored in my laptop.

"Do you even understand any of it?" I mockingly asked. "You've always called yourself a genius programmer. Surely, such a simple code won't be useful to you."

My provocation caused Mary to instantly glare at me.

"Anyone could come up with rubbish code like this. You're a madwoman who thinks it's actually treasure."

Her ignorant response made me let out a nonchalant chuckle.

"If you're so skilled, why steal my documents? Are you trying to steal my codes because you know that you're not as good as I am?"

Mary flew into a fit of rage upon hearing that. "Who are you trying to scare? Do you really think I'm scared of you?"

Then, right before my eyes, she dragged over ten gigabytes of files into the trash folder.

I calmly watched ten years of my work get erased as though it were nothing.

Instead of being upset, I only felt relieved, like I'd been granted release.

Just then, Kai called Mary in a panic.

"Something went wrong with Mr. Warner's program. Send over the original code so that their team can look into it."

Mary faltered. "Yes, Mr. Moran. I'll get right to it."

I watched her search through the whole office with a knowing smile.

With my box of belongings, I walked out of the office.

My phone lit up with an acceptance letter from the testing center.

Almost simultaneously, a call came from Steve Chandler.

"Ms. Lane, you've made an enemy of someone. I've just been told you're blacklisted in the industry. They're even going to sue you for a ridiculous sum. If you're in any trouble, please speak up. I'll help."

I smiled and shook my head.

"Kai had me sign a non-compete clause in an attempt to destroy me, but don’t worry. Even if I can’t work for you, I’ve already found myself a very strong backer."