Ruined Over High Tea

Instead, I was fired. It felt as if my heart had been rolled around in a pile of ice shards. It was both cold and painful.

My colleagues came out one after another to see me off, offering words of comfort.

Amelia said tearfully, "Everly, you’re so talented. You’ll succeed wherever you go. Don’t take what Jessica said to heart. You'll definitely find a new job."

I smiled quietly. Jessica? She didn't have what it took.

The moment I left the building, my phone rang. It was my uncle whom I hadn't heard from in two weeks.

"Everly, I'm signing a deal with Horizon Ventures next week. I'm heading to Africa for work and won't be able to attend."

I replied gloomily, "Uncle, I’ve resigned."

There was a pause on the other end. "Did you run into trouble at work? Do you need me to step in?"

"No, I want to go back to Zenith Consortium and take charge of this project."

After hanging up, I curved my lips into a smile.

The show has only just begun.

My appearance at the signing ceremony took my former colleagues by surprise, especially Emily and Jessica, whose gazes were as sharp as daggers.

Jessica looked at me with disdain. "What are you doing here? You’ve been fired. You have no right to be part of this signing!"

I shot her a side eye. "Just because I’m not an employee of your company, does that mean I can’t be here? Isn’t there a possibility that I’m representing Zenith Consortium as the client?"

She sneered with contempt, "Everly, are you kidding me? My father is the CEO of Zenith Consortium. I am the client, and I’m fully authorized to sign on his behalf! How dare you claim to be the client? A lowly woman like you isn’t even fit to clean the toilets at Zenith Consortium!"

The moment her words left her mouth, they instantly drew countless stares.

"So she’s Mr. Osborne’s daughter. No wonder she’s so poised."

"She dares to offend Mr. Osborne’s daughter? She must not want to make it in Harbor City anymore."

"She looks like a nightclub hostess. She’s definitely a gold-digger!"

"She doesn’t look like Mr. Osborne’s daughter at all. She’s so confident."

Jessica stood in the center, basking in the adulation, and the flattery was making her feel on top of the world. She looked at me, her smile growing more defiant, and ordered the security guards, "Throw that wench out of here! We’re signing the contract right now, at this very moment!"

Several security guards approached me, but I calmly took out an authorization letter and held it above my head. "Jessica, without this, how are you going to sign the contract?"

Everyone froze, their eyes fixed on my hand.

"Isn’t that Mr. Osborne’s signature on the document? How did it end up in her hands?"

I walked past the stunned Jessica and made my way directly to the podium, picking up the microphone.

"I hereby announce that Zenith Consortium Group is canceling the cooperation agreement with Horizon Ventures."

Emily’s pupils contracted sharply as she glared at me. "Everly, who do you think you are, daring to speak on behalf of Mr. Osborne?"

I looked at her and said calmly, "Didn’t I just tell you? I represent the client."

Jessica stared at me in disbelief. "Everly, how did you get my father’s authorization letter? Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to make decisions for my father?"

I met her gaze directly and spoke with deliberate, sharp clarity, "Because he happens to be my uncle."