To deal with her, I couldn’t rely on ordinary ways. I had to find her weakness, something beyond her so-called “rules,” that one flaw that could bring everything she built crashing down.
I didn’t go home. Instead, I drove straight to the company. Cognitech Technology is one of the top enterprises in the country. And I, Luna Murphy, was its founder and CEO.
I rarely showed up in the media, and most of my employees had only seen me from afar during company events, so it was natural that Skylar didn’t recognize me.
My assistant, Violet Webb, knocked on the door and walked in.
“President Murphy, you’re back.”
“Hmm.”
I took off my coat and sat down in the leather chair.
“Bring me the final list for this quarter’s Star of Cognitech program.”
The Star of Cognitech program was our company’s special talent recruitment project.
Every year, we choose fewer than ten outstanding graduates from top universities around the world and train them to become our future leaders.
Those who made it into the program were the best among the best, true standouts in every way.
Violet quickly handed me the file. “President Murphy, here’s the list, eight people in total. All of them were interviewed earlier.”
I opened the folder and scanned the page. Each name looked familiar yet distant: a PhD from Harvard, a postdoc from MIT, a math genius from Cambridge.
My finger slid down the list until it stopped at the last name, one that instantly caught my eye.
Skylar Griffin.
Graduation: Vanderbilt University Law School, Faculty of Law (Bachelor’s & Master’s).
Assigned Department: Legal Affairs and Risk Control.
Employee ID: 10327.
I stared at her name, and the corners of my lips lifted without meaning to. Well, well, look what fate has brought my way. What a satisfying surprise.
Even more amusing, the lawyer she had hired was from Caldwell Law Firm, and Caldwell just happened to be one of Cognitech Technology’s biggest business competitors.
So, a reserve staff member from my company’s Legal Department, not even officially onboard yet, had already teamed up with a competitor’s lawyer to sue her own boss. I picked up my phone and dialed Skylar’s number.
“Hello.” Her tone carried that same arrogant calm.
“Ms. Murphy, have you made up your mind? Are we settling this or not?”
“I told you, I’ll give you my answer in three days.” My voice stayed calm.
“Changed your mind already?” She let out a small laugh. “I knew it. Ordinary people like you can’t win against me.”
“How about this, I’ll give you another chance.”
“Tomorrow, bring the settlement agreement and come find me. And remember to be polite.”
I smiled.
“Alright. Tomorrow at ten in the morning, same place,” I said slowly and clearly.
“I’ll personally bring you the answer you’re waiting for.”
The next morning, I arrived at the apartment right on time.
Skylar and her lawyer had been waiting for a while, their faces barely hiding their smug confidence.
“Ms. Murphy, it seems you were a smart woman after all,” the lawyer said first, sliding a prewritten settlement agreement across the table toward me.
Skylar leaned back on the sofa, lazily sipping water from a glass.
“Good. You’ve finally come to your senses. Wouldn’t it have been easier if you had done this earlier?”
“Sign it. Once you do, you can start the renovation right away.”
“Oh, by the way,” she added casually, “my parents are getting old, so you might as well hire two full-time caregivers for them. Pay their salaries monthly and link your bank account to my phone.”
“As for me, just get a cleaning lady to come every day. I’m not asking for much; ten times a day will do. After each cleaning, I’ll be kind enough to ‘help’ you pay, so make sure your highest-limit payment account is connected to my number.”
“Remember to move out of the house you’re in now ahead of time. My boyfriend and I are getting married soon, and my parents are getting older. Your place is right next door, so we’ll just move in there.”
“You’re not afraid that I might be your boss?” I cut in before she could finish.
“You?” Skylar gave me a look full of disdain. “Just you?”
She laughed, the sound filled with mockery. “Do you even know where I work? And you dare to talk like that?”
“Take a good look at yourself. In what way do you even compare to Cognitech Technology?”
“Even the cleaning ladies there have more class than you.”
“Stop dreaming, old woman! You’re already a washed-up hag.”
I raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a word. Instead, I opened my briefcase and took out another document, placing it calmly on the table. It was an employment contract from Cognitech Technology.
I pointed to the name printed neatly at the top of the page. “Skylar Griffin.”
The smile on her face disappeared instantly. She stood up in shock, her eyes fixed on the paper.
“This… what is this?” Her voice was shaking.
The lawyer beside her leaned forward to take a look, and his face turned pale in an instant. I leaned back in my chair, watching the two of them quietly.
“Skylar, employee number 10327, welcome to Cognitech Technology.”
I smiled slightly and introduced myself, “I forgot to introduce myself earlier. My name is Luna, your direct superior and the CEO of Cognitech Technology.”
