He even took her to the amusement park to watch fireworks on nights when I was working overtime.

The rumors in the department grew more outrageous by the day.

Some said Stacy was the chairman's daughter. Others claimed my perpetually cold demeanor was because I was jealous of Stacy—the real heiress.

Stacy never denied any of it. She'd just blink those doe eyes and coo:

"Stacy doesn't know anything about that~ I just want to do my job well~"

What made it worse was that after the takeout incident, she started deliberately fabricating gossip about me.

"I saw Anita getting into a luxury car yesterday! The license plate had five eights~"

"I heard back in college she used to... I mean, how else could she have gotten into Fox Group?"

"Oopsie, Stacy's just being silly! If she finds out, will she hit me? I'm so scared~"

Soon after, I started receiving harassing texts. One client even asked my manager directly:

"I heard your team leader Lin sleeps her way to contracts?"

The way my manager looked at me changed. Admiration curdled into disgust.

I found Arnold, hoping he'd vouch that I'd been working overtime every night—that I'd never gotten into any luxury car.

He was helping Stacy fix her computer. He didn't even look up.

"Anita, where there's smoke, there's fire. If there really wasn't anything going on, would the rumors have spread this far? Stacy's so innocent—she'd never lie. Besides..."

He finally looked at me, his eyes full of disappointment. "I saw you get into a black car in the parking lot yesterday myself."

That was my father's driver, picking me up for a family dinner.

But I'd promised my father: during the evaluation period, I couldn't reveal my identity.

I couldn't take it anymore. I told Arnold we were done.

He froze for a moment, then visibly relaxed.

"Maybe that's for the best. Anita, you've changed. You used to be so pure, but now you're too complicated. Stacy was right—a woman like you is more than I can handle."

I turned to leave, but heard Stacy's sugary giggle behind me:

"Don't be sad, Arnold~ Stacy will buy you a yummy milk tea and stay by your side forever~"

In the restroom, I overheard Arnold's colleagues teasing him.

They said he'd latched onto an heiress and was about to soar—soon to be a billionaire's son-in-law.

It all clicked into place.

Arnold had agreed to break up so readily because he was hedging his bets.

He thought Stacy was the real heiress. He'd been willing to step on me to elevate her, even turning a blind eye while she spread lies and humiliated me.

I couldn't wait to see his face when the truth came out.

But before that could happen, disaster struck.

The company was bidding on a fifty-million-dollar government contract. I'd pulled three all-nighters preparing the proposal. Arnold, as the sales representative, was supposed to assist with the presentation.

The day before the pitch, Stacy wandered into my office looking dazed.

The next day at the venue, I opened my work USB drive.

Inside was a proposal that had been mutilated beyond recognition.

Every key figure was wrong. The budget had two extra zeros. And at the end, someone had added:

"Baby thinks this project is like a donut—cute enough to win~"

My mind went blank.

Arnold stood beside me, his face ashen.

"Anita Fox, this is your proposal? Do you have any idea this contract could make or break the company?"

I knew this was Stacy's handiwork. I kept my voice steady. "The USB was switched. It was Stacy."

"Enough!" Arnold's voice exploded through the room. Everyone went silent.

He pointed at me, his finger trembling, and shouted for all to hear:

"You blame Stacy for everything! She's so innocent—how could she possibly do something like this? Anita, I never thought you were this kind of person. You can't deliver, so you shift the blame! What, are you going to claim she tampered with your proposal? She can barely figure out a spreadsheet!"

The evaluators exchanged glances, their expressions dripping with contempt.

Arnold turned to the judges and bowed deeply.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is a serious oversight on our part, but Fox Group will take full responsibility. As for Miss Fox here..."

He paused, his expression dripping with contempt.

"Her personal life is rather... complicated. It's likely affected her professional conduct. I'll be recommending that the company take disciplinary action."

Right there, in front of everyone, he validated every rumor that had ever circulated about me.

I watched him calmly. "Arnold, you're going to regret this."

"Regret?" He scoffed, lowering his voice. "You're the one who should be worried. Stacy is the Chairman's daughter. The moment she reveals her identity, the first person getting fired will be a slut like you who slept her way up."

The bid was lost. A fifty-million-dollar project, gone.

The company's stock price plummeted. My father was furious and ordered a full investigation.

Back at the office, Stacy was crying her eyes out, the picture of wounded innocence.

"I didn't know it was Anita's flash drive. I was just curious." She sniffled, clutching Arnold's sleeve. "Arnold, do you think she'll try to hurt me? I'm so scared..."

Arnold pulled her behind him protectively. "Anita, are you satisfied now? Look what you've done to her. A cold-hearted woman like you never deserved me."

The department manager made the announcement in front of everyone: "Anita Fox is suspended pending investigation. Stacy has suffered emotional distress and will receive one week of paid leave."

Whispers rippled through the office.

"Serves her right. Never liked her anyway."

"Can you believe she tried to seduce Arnold? He only has eyes for Stacy."

"Stacy's the real heiress. Who does Anita think she is?"

The day the investigation results were announced, the company held an all-hands meeting.

My father attended personally.

Stacy's cheeks flushed with excitement. She tugged at Arnold's sleeve. "Arnold, do you think Daddy will be upset with me...?"

Arnold squeezed her hand, his gaze tender. "Don't worry, Stacy. I'm here."

My father surveyed the room. His eyes passed over Stacy, then Arnold, before finally settling on me.

He gave me a slight nod, then spoke. "Regarding the failed bid, I've reached my conclusion."

Stacy shot to her feet, tears glistening in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion.

"Daddy, I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I was so stupid—I grabbed the wrong flash drive. But I didn't mean to! I only wanted to help Anita. I'll take full responsibility. Just please don't blame Arnold. He's innocent..."

She swayed weakly, and Arnold rushed to steady her. The two of them put on quite the performance of devoted love.

The room erupted in murmurs.

It was a masterful move—admitting fault while hiding behind her ditzy persona, all while showing off their relationship.

My father raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, who are you?"

Stacy froze. "I'm Stacy... your daughter..."

Arnold went rigid. "Chairman, you don't recognize Stacy?"

My father's expression turned icy.

"Why should I? She's a receptionist who got in through connections. She tampered with critical company files, caused a fifty-million-dollar loss, and spread malicious rumors about a colleague." His voice cut through the silence. "That takes some nerve."

Arnold's face drained of color.

"Stacy Pruitt... isn't your daughter?"

With trembling hands, he pulled out the family photo Stacy had shown him.

My father took it, glanced at it once, and tore it to pieces.

"Nice Photoshop work. But my daughter's name isn't Stacy Pruitt."

His gaze shifted to me.

I rose from my seat, smoothed down my blazer, and walked up to the stage to stand beside him.

"Her name is Anita Fox." My father took my hand, his voice resonating through the room. "The sole heir to Fox Group. Three months ago, I sent her to work at the ground level to gain experience—and to test a certain toad who thought he could eat swan meat."

Every last trace of color vanished from Arnold's face.

He looked at me, trembling, his lips quivering:

"Anita, you..."

I smiled faintly, leaned in, and whispered in his ear:

"Arnold, you bet on the wrong horse."

"For Stacy's sake, you stepped on me, humiliated me, destroyed my reputation, and even framed me for that fifty-million-dollar loss."

"It's time we settled this score."