Chapter 1

I had been the top performer at the company for three years when they suddenly demoted me.

My boss told me to take it or leave it. He said the world didn't revolve around me and the company would thrive regardless.

Even my boyfriend abandoned me, choosing to cling to the boss's daughter for a chance at the high life.

So, I left.

When I finally returned, I wasn't looking for a job.

I walked up to my former boss, whose company was on the brink of bankruptcy, and handed him a legal document.

"Hello," I said. "I'm here to collect the rent."

1

The moment I stepped into the office, I was slapped with a demotion notice.

The gossip mill was already spinning.

"How did Raina get demoted? She's literally the MVP of this agency!" one of my coworkers whispered.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling just as confused.

I had worked my tail off for three years, pulling in massive accounts and securing my position as a manager.

We had just thrown a victory party for a project I closed last week. This demotion made zero sense.

My friend in HR, Mrs. Gable, pulled me aside with a heavy sigh.

"I'm just following the boss's orders, Raina. If I were you, I'd think long and hard about who you might have offended lately…"

I caught her drift immediately.

"Who's the new manager?" I asked point-blank.

Mrs. Gable looked pained. "It's the new intern, Cece Lovell."

My frown deepened. Cece Lovell was the boss's daughter.

She had just graduated and was parachuted into the company with a massive ego. On her first day, she actually ordered me to get her a glass of water.

If she were talented, I might have swallowed my pride.

But she had flunked out of several prep schools before her parents bought her a degree from a mid-tier college abroad.

She knew nothing about the business but was an expert at causing chaos.

I tried to find a place for her on my team, but she was useless.

Eventually, I just told her to keep an eye on the water cooler and let someone know when it was empty.

Apparently, the little princess didn't appreciate that.

I rubbed my temples. I had no patience for this kind of nepo-baby nonsense.

I marched straight into the boss's office to demand an explanation.

Mr. Lovell didn't even look up. He was ready to gaslight me.

"Raina, you've been with us for three years, right?"

I nodded and started listing my successful projects and the revenue I'd generated.

He took a slow sip of his tea, looking unimpressed.

"Those projects might not have been because of you. Maybe those clients just saw how much potential our company has.

"Young people shouldn't be so arrogant."

I let out a cold laugh.

"And what about Cece? She's been here for two weeks and hasn't finished a single task. How does she deserve my title?"

I had recently brought her to a meeting with a major European client, thinking her time abroad meant she could at least handle basic English.

It turned out her English was worse than my middle-school nephew's.

When I asked her to translate, she just pointed at the client and yelled, "Water! Water!"

The client was baffled, but I knew exactly what she wanted. The princess was just trying to order another person around.

Mr. Lovell slammed his hand on the desk.

"She deserves it because she's my daughter! People are born different, Raina. In this company, I am the sun, and Cece is the moon. You? You're just dirt."

The mask was off. I didn't hold back.

"Sir, this kind of favoritism will destroy the morale of your best employees. If you put the wrong people in charge, the company will suffer."

He looked at me with pure disdain.

"I'm not firing you, am I? You'll keep doing the work, but your salary is getting a massive haircut.

"That's the deal. Take it or get the hell out. This company moves on with or without you!"

I ripped my ID badge off my neck and hurled it onto the floor. I even gave it a good stomp for measure.

Everyone has a breaking point, and I had just reached mine.

Mr. Lovell turned red with rage.

"Raina Sterling! Think carefully. I have a lot of pull in this industry. If you walk out that door, I'll make sure no other agency touches you!"

"Don't worry about me," I snapped.

I walked out and sent a text to my boyfriend, Leo Young.

"I quit. Are you coming with me?"

I didn't expect him to say no. We had been together since college. I was always the top of our class.

Back then, Leo told me that regular people like us could never get ahead just by being employees. He said we had to start our own thing to climb the social ladder.

We had a plan to learn the ropes for a few years and then strike out on our own.

Minutes passed. Silence.

I went to his department to find him, but a coworker told me he wasn't there.