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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."