Chapter 1
1000 Words
The day before final submission for the eight-figure project I had spent six months chasing, my boss forced his niece onto the team.
"You only graduated high school. What makes you think you can present to the review panel? I graduated from Hawthorne University. This project belongs in my hands."
Chloe Whitman was dressed head to toe in designer couture when she slapped a change confirmation form onto my desk.
Beside her, Victor Whitman tapped his knuckles against the tabletop. "Hand over the project. You can keep a 10% share of the commission. Young people need to learn how to be team players."
I stared at the words "10% share of the commission" on the form. Under the desk, my fingers dug hard into my palm.
This proposal had cost me two straight months of sleepless nights.
But I didn't say a word.
There was no point arguing with shameless people. It was better to teach them the law.
I signed the change confirmation form and handed her the data drive loaded with all the project files.
Chloe took the drive with a smug smile, then turned and headed back to her desk to prepare for tomorrow's final bid review.
What she didn't know was that the core technical requirements specifically called for a Grade-A encryption algorithm. Without it, the bid could be treated as fraudulent, with possible criminal consequences.
And I was the sole patent holder for that algorithm.
When Chloe took the drive, she wiped her fingertips against the casing in disgust.
"You're really using a drive this old to store project files for an eight-figure bid?"
She tossed the drive onto the desk. The metal buckle struck the surface with a sharp click.
Several coworkers leaned over to watch the drama.
"Chloe really is different. She gets a major project the moment she joins."
"She's a Hawthorne graduate. Of course she'll communicate with the client better than Sienna, a high school graduate."
I took back the change confirmation form, photographed it, and sent it to my private email.
Victor frowned at me.
"Sienna, what are you doing? You think the company will cheat you?"
I looked up at him.
"Keeping a process record."
Chloe laughed out loud.
"High school graduates really are petty. Relax. Once we land the project, I'll take the bigger cut, but I'll still let you make a little money."
After that, she reached for the folder on my desk.
Inside were 6 months of research notes, client interviews, on-site calculations, and a worn leather notebook with frayed corners.
Chloe flipped the notebook open. When she saw the densely packed handwritten derivations, her brows pinched with disdain.
"Handwritten model derivations? Who doesn't use professional software to run data now? This is exactly why high school graduates can't handle real projects."
She tossed the notebook back onto my desk. It landed against the rim of my coffee cup, and half a cup of coffee spilled over it.
Brown liquid soaked into the cover.
I shot to my feet and pressed my hand down hard on the notebook.
My knuckles turned faintly white.
That notebook contained every original calculation record for the core algorithm I had built over the past 6 months.
Victor glanced at it, his tone irritated.
"It's just an old notebook. Don't make that face. Chloe has the final review tomorrow. Don't let old things like that affect her mindset."
Lily Moore from Admin joined in.
"Sienna, you're already getting a 10% share of the commission. Why make such a fuss over a notebook?"
'A 10% share!'
I had handled everything on this project alone, from requirement mapping to the technical approach, from the budget breakdown to the risk model.
Now, with one sentence about being a team player, Victor had cut the original 8% commission I was owed down to only a tenth of that.
I said nothing. I only opened the damp notebook page by page and pressed tissues over the paper.
Chloe took my silence as surrender.
She leaned against the edge of my desk with an airy smile.
"You don't need to go onstage for the final review tomorrow. Sit in the back row and help me click through the slides. After all, if the reviewers ask about education, I wouldn't know how to introduce you."
A few coworkers laughed under their breath.
"Honestly, big companies do care about educational backgrounds."
"Sienna's capable, sure, but her education background is right there."
Victor rapped the table.
"Enough. Chloe will lead the overnight prep tonight. Sienna, hand over all core data, pricing calculations, and technical parameters. Don't leave anything behind."
I opened my computer and projected the handover checklist onto the conference screen.
Every item was marked with the recipient, time, and scope of responsibility.
Chloe grew impatient as she read it.
"Why make it so detailed? Afraid I'm stealing your credit?"
I pushed the mouse toward her.
"Just sign the checklist."
She picked up the pen. Her gaze skimmed over the liability transfer clause on the final page, and she snorted.
"Such a detailed disclaimer. Do you think you're Legal?"
With blind confidence, she signed her name with quick strokes. She didn't take any of the terms seriously.
Victor nodded in satisfaction.
"That's more like it. Sienna, don't be so resentful. Young people need to know their place."
I put away the signed checklist.
Chloe grabbed her bag and headed toward the core conference room. When she passed the trash can, she looked back at the worn leather notebook in my hands.
"Don't bring that junk to the final review tomorrow. It's embarrassing."
Just before the conference room door closed, my phone lit up.
My patent agent had sent a message.
Patent agent: [Ms. Wells, someone contacted us today in the company's name about licensing your Grade-A encryption algorithm. Director Cole from Aegis Data is also asking about the license again. Do I reply according to procedure?]
I looked at the screen and replied with two words.
Sienna: [No need.]
- Writer
