It only took me one year to become the company's top salesperson.

Samantha Black was very jealous of me and started spreading lies in front of everyone.

She confronted me, showing a sarcastic smile, as she said in an accusing tone, "Listen, Daphne. You only became the top salesperson because you slept with some old man. What's there to be proud of?"

After that, she continued loudly, "I’m not going to fight you for the sales manager position anyway. I’m about to get engaged to Mr. Nathan Browne soon."

"Even if your sales are better than mine, so what? As long as you still work for Browne Corporation, you’ll have to work under me in the end!"

Everyone around us flattered Samantha. All of them treated her as if she was already the future wife of the company’s CEO. However, I secretly felt upset and complained in my heart.

It was so unfortunate that my nephew happened to have an extremely bad taste in women. As Nathan’s aunt, I never liked Samantha. So, I didn’t believe that Nathan would really dare to get engaged to her.

——

Nevertheless, the company’s annual meeting was only a few days away. Two months ago, the sales manager had retired. Thus, the position had been left open since then.

The company's executives had a meeting earlier. From the meeting, it was decided that they would announce the new sales manager at the annual event. Everyone in the company knew that the new sales manager would be chosen either between Samantha or me.

After all, we were both the company’s top salespeople and had very good performance.

One day, after I finished signing another big deal, I came back to the office. I saw Samantha laughing and chatting loudly with other employees. When she saw me, she glanced over with a look full of jealousy and hate.

She then said arrogantly to the crowd, "I don't even care about the sales manager position!"

"Unlike some people who use their bodies to earn business. I wonder how many rich old men she has slept with already. It’s so disgusting!"

Many people saw me walking into the office. Someone even tried to wink at Samantha to warn her that I was here. Yet, Samantha ignored them.

She turned to look at me and said loudly, full of sarcasm, "Oh, isn’t this our new top salesperson, Miss Daphne Browne?"

"I heard you signed another big deal today. That’s really amazing!"

Anyone who wasn’t a fool could hear the strange and mocking tone in her voice.

Still, I didn’t bother arguing with her. Instead, I just walked straight to my desk as I was ready to pack up my things to go back to the Browne Family's old mansion.

Unfortunately for me, Samantha wasn’t happy that I ignored her.

She squinted her eyes at me and sneered as she made another sarcastic remark, "Daphne, don’t think you’re so great just because you became a top salesperson like me!"

"Other people might not know the truth about you, but I’ve heard many dirty secrets!"

"You only got those big deals because you slept with rich old men. Otherwise, how could you become a top salesperson in just one year? What’s there to be proud of?"

"Many of the people here have been working much longer than you. None of them needed to sell their bodies like you did!"

"Don't worry about it, though! I won’t compete with you for the sales manager position."

"You should stop thinking all day about how to please those rich old men."

"After the company's annual meeting, I will be engaged to Nathan anyway."

"Even if your sales are great, what difference does it make?"

"As long as you work for Browne Corporation, you will have to work for me, the CEO’s wife. I hope you can create a lot of profits for the company."

After Samantha finished speaking, her group of followers all laughed loudly. Trying to make her happy, they started mocking me too.

One of them said, "Daphne, Samantha is different from you. She is destined to become the CEO’s wife."

Another added, "People have different fates. You shouldn’t even think about competing with Samantha. You’re not even good enough to be able to match her!"

"Daphne, you’d better listen to Samantha’s advice. Stop spending all your time trying to please those old me! If you have time to waste, it’s better for you to try to please Samantha instead!"

When I looked at everyone who flattered Samantha and then focused my eyes on seeing her proud and arrogant face, I couldn’t help but feel speechless. Was there something wrong with Nathan’s taste in women? How could he fall in love with someone so fake and shallow?

As his aunt, I could not accept if Nathan would marry Samantha at all. Besides, I didn't believe Nathan would dare to marry Samantha if I disagreed. Although I was only two years older than Nathan, my generation in the family was still higher than his.

It was because of how our family tree was arranged. When I was three years old, I had been born with a very weak body. Hence, my parents sent me to live in a Catholic church to be raised and taken care of in Italy.

Last year, there was a terrible accident that took the lives of my parents and my older brother and sister-in-law. Eventually, I returned to the Browne Family’s old mansion. For many years, I had been living a very quiet and secluded life with my adoptive father in the church.

After returning to society, it was very reasonable that I felt a little bit out of touch from the modern world. In order to adapt quickly to everything around me, I decided to hide my true identity and entered the Browne Corporation, starting from the very bottom as a regular saleswoman.

However, I was not like the other salespeople. Most of them relied on their smooth talking to sign deals. Sometimes, they would even use their own bodies to get what they wanted.

Meanwhile, I had a different method. I helped customers by giving them advice and showing them perspectives that they had never thought of before. Everything I pointed out could either help the customers earn more money or help them avoid what seemed to be scam in their businesses.

Over time, many customers became loyal to me and trusted me deeply.

Of course, not many people knew the real reason for my success. Most people, led by Samantha, thought that I got customers’ favor by using shameless tactics. Samantha especially loved to spread these kinds of rumors about me, showing strong hostility.

Before I joined the company, Samantha was already the most outstanding salesperson who had won lots of major deals. However, the main reason for her success was because her relationship with Nathan was widely known.

Thus, many of the company’s partners gave her special treatment out of respect for Nathan.

Thanks to this, Samantha had been able to keep her position as a top salesperson for several years and had earned many big bonuses.

She often spoke proudly in public by saying, "My success didn’t depend on anyone! Everything I have achieved is because of my own hard work!"

Samantha really liked to show off her strong and independent image.

In fact, she even said things like, "Even though Nathan is my boyfriend, I never let him help me with my career. I want to prove my abilities on my own. Even after I marry Nathan in the future, I will never give up my career."

Samantha worked hard to build her image as a strong and independent woman. It would explain why she could never accep the fact that I, a newcomer, became a top salesperson and managed to reach her level in just one year.

Yet, the real reason why Samantha hated me so much and why she spread so many lies about me, was not just because I threatened her position.

Half a year ago, Nathan ordered a very expensive cake to celebrate my birthday. When Samantha found out about it, she was furious. However, she didn’t dare to cause trouble for Nathan directly, so she decided to take her anger out on me instead.

I did not bother to argue with Samantha. After all, if I didn’t give my approval, Nathan would never be able to marry Samantha into the Browne Family. After I returned to the Browne Family’s old mansion that evening, Nathan came over respectfully and personally served me my chamomile tea.

Nathan spoke carefully, trying to please me and said, "Aunt Daphne, after the company's annual meeting, I plan to get engaged to Samantha. I hope you can help us witness the engagement ceremony."

He then continued, "Besides, I think it will be a good chance to finally announce who you really are to everyone, so that people will know you are the real matriarch of the Browne Family-"

Before he could say more, I interrupted him calmly as I asked him, "Have you really thought about it? Are you sure you still want to marry Samantha?"

I looked at him seriously and added, "That woman, Samantha, is not suitable for you at all."

"With the Browne Family’s wealth and position, there are so many well-raised, rich young ladies who would love to marry you. Why did you have to set your eyes on someone like Samantha?"

"Choose someone else!"

"As long as you don't marry Samantha into our Browne Family, the Browne Family will be yours to lead. All the shares of the Browne Corporation under my name will be transferred to you and you will officially become the patriatch of the Browne Family!"

Nathan looked very embarrassed at what he just heard.

In the end, he knelt down in front of me and begged sadly, "Aunt Daphne, please help me. Both Samantha and I truly love each other. I just can't live without her."

When I saw Nathan kneeling and begging so pitifully, I let out a helpless sigh and said, "You really love her, but can you be sure that she also truly loves you?"

"Does she love you as a person or does she love the wealth and status of our Browne Family?"

I shook my head and said, "Forget it. If you are so determined to marry her, then I won't stop you."

"But don't expect me to agree to bless your marriage."

I felt truly disappointed with Nathan at that moment. After all, I had planned to transfer all my shares of the Browne Corporation to him after he married a good and well-matched woman from a respectable family. Then, I would quietly return to the Catholic church where I had grown up.

But now, it seemed like I would have to stay in the Browne Family for a longer time than I expected.

A few days quickly passed by. Soon enough, the company's annual meeting was held with a huge success. This year's annual meeting was much grander than in previous years. Besides the company's senior executives, many of our business partners also attended the event.

When both Samantha and I entered the venue at the same time, many people gave us strange looks and I could hear them whispering among themselves

"The most important thing in today's annual meeting is about who will get the position of sales manager. I wonder if it will be Daphne or Samantha!"

"I don't get it. It's just a sales manager position. It's not like it's a super high position in the company. Why is everyone treating it like such a big deal?"

"You don't understand. This sales manager position is very important. Samantha needs it to prove her ability to everyone and Daphne can use it as a stepping stone to enter the higher ranks of the company's leadership."

"I also heard from someone in upper management that whoever becomes the sales manager has a good chance of becoming the company's vice president in two years …

"Samantha should have a great chance. After all, she has been the sales champion of the company for five years in a row. It would seem unfair not to give her the promotion."

"But don't forget about Daphne. She has been a dark horse. Her performance this year alone almost matches all of Samantha’s results from the past few years combined."

"In the end, it all depends on who the company's senior executives like more!"

While everyone was talking, Samantha looked at me arrogantly, showing off a very confident look on her face. It was as if she had already won. Still, there was a deep jealousy and hatred beneath her eyes like she wanted to eat me alive at the same time.

As time passed, one of the company's vice presidents, who looked a little drunk and had a red face, finally went on stage. He then looked around the audience. And then, with a big smile on his face, announced that Samantha would become the new manager of the sales department.

The people in the crowd had mixed reactions.

Some people clapped politely, while the others whispered quietly to each other.

"Samantha really got the position!"

"She has enough qualifications. Most importantly, don't forget that she is Nathan's girlfriend. I heard they are getting engaged very soon. The company's senior executives probably didn't want to cause any trouble for her right now."

"It's such a shame for Daphne. Honestly, I think her ability is much stronger than Samantha's."

"Samantha has been the sales champion for a few years, but it's only because Nathan helped her behind the scenes. But Daphne is the one who truly used her own skills to bring in so many major partners to the company."

"Even if she's talented, it doesn't matter. Without a strong backer, she can't compete with someone like Samantha."