The Day a Counterfeit Heiress Ruined My Rise

At the company's annual meeting, my promotion opportunity goes to an intern instead. I confront Mitchell Wilson, a manager, only to be publicly humiliated.

"The industry is in a slump, yet you have the best sales performance in the entire company. Who knows how you get your clients?"

I drank until my stomach bled and ended up in the hospital in the middle of the night. I have forced a smile while serving arrogant, sleazy executives. Yet, none of that feels as humiliating as this moment.

My ex-boyfriend looks at me gloatingly while holding the intern's hand as they plan a celebration party.

Before leaving, he mocks me, "Yvette is the Saccone Group heiress. Once her evaluation period ends, she will go back to inherit the company. Who do you think you are?"

I frown in confusion—I am the Saccone Group heiress.

"Wasn't Annabeth supposed to get promoted? How did a rookie intern who just joined the company leapfrog over her?"

"I thought she had it in the bag when she popped the champagne and treated the whole company to coffee. Turns out she's nothing but a joke!"

The murmurs around me made me want to disappear.

Yvette Saccone glanced my way, holding up a microphone as she spoke.

"I owe my promotion entirely to Annabeth's guidance. If she hadn't made me stay up late writing proposals, run out in the pouring rain to buy coffee, and forced me to apologize to her, I wouldn't be where I am today!"

I ignored her thinly veiled mockery and pushed through the crowd until I reached Mitchell Wilson.

"Yvette is just an intern. She doesn't even know the most basic negotiation techniques. How can she be promoted to team lead all of a sudden? I've been with this company for six years. I have the highest performance record and the most experience. Why is she the one getting promoted?" I argued.

To secure major contracts, I drank until my stomach bled and spent the night in the hospital, only to return the next day with medication in hand, smiling and drinking alongside clients.

I had signed performance-based agreements on my own initiative, working past one in the morning and returning to the office before five, pushing myself to the brink just to close deals.

The relentless grind had left me with chronic health problems.

Now, the project was complete, and every member of the team had received a bonus of 10,000 dollars because of my efforts.

What gave them the right to promote Yvette over me?

Faced with my questions, Mitchell frowned.

"You've been here six years without a promotion. Maybe you should look for problems within yourself. Questioning me won't help, got it? Besides, Yvette never boasts about her contributions. That's the difference between the two of you."

His words left me frozen in place. Before I could respond, he spoke again. His face was filled with disdain.

A malicious smile spread across his lips as he stepped closer, his gaze