Chapter 1
A stack of files slammed down on my desk
"Evelyn, I checked with HR about your salary. $600,000 a year, for a secretary? You think that's the market rate?"
I looked up. Victoria Hale, fiancée of Julian Grant, CEO of Grant Corporation, stood over me with her arms folded, looking down her nose.
Word was she had an Ivy League MBA in management.
I just hadn't expected her first power play at Grant would be targeting me.
"Ms. Hale, my salary was personally approved by Mr. Robert Grant ten years ago. That $600,000 covers everything I do for this company," I said evenly.
"Please, you're still just a secretary. At the end of the day, you're just an admin who shuffles papers. I could hire someone from a temp agency for $4,000 a month. What makes you think you're worth this?" Victoria laughed.
I didn't rise to it. My gaze shifted to Julian, still seated in the CEO chair.
"Mr. Grant, is this your call too?"
Julian tore his eyes away from the monitor and stared out the window.
"Evelyn, Vicky and I have set a wedding date. Once we're married, she'll naturally be involved in running the company. Business hasn't been great lately. You need to show some flexibility here."
Then Harold Grant, Julian's father, the Chairman, walked in. He paused at the scene, then spoke in that calm, detached tone of his, "Evelyn, young people need to be grateful. Grant has given you a job for ten years. If word gets out that you're quibbling over salary, it won't look good. $3,600 isn't low. Plenty of college graduates can't even negotiate that much."
I looked at these people I'd worked with for a decade, and all I felt was bitter amusement.
Julian's grandpa, Robert Grant, only passed away 6 months ago. They couldn't wait to push me out.
"Fine." I nodded.
Victoria blinked, clearly taken aback. She'd probably rehearsed a whole speech that was now stuck in her throat.
"Where's the agreement? I'll sign it."
She pulled a supplementary contract out of her folder. "Read it carefully. Effective today. Reassigned to front desk. Salary adjusted to $3,600 a month. Job duties limited to printing documents. Nothing else concerns you."
I uncapped my pen. No hesitation.
Julian's brow furrowed slightly. "Evelyn, Vicky has an MBA. She may not have much experience yet, but we need to trust her and work with her. Don't take this personally."
I almost laughed out loud. "Mr. Grant, by 'work with her', do you mean I keep doing the six-hundred-thousand-dollar secretary job on a thirty-six-hundred-dollar salary?"
"That's a rather extreme way to put it. Vicky calls it cost optimization. No one was keeping an eye on personnel costs before. You've been overpaid." Julian's voice rose half an octave.
I didn't bother arguing further. I turned to Harold, whose chronic health issues had left him looking pale and worn.
"Evelyn, don't just walk away from this. Julian has a cross-border M&A negotiation tonight. Big deal value. Pull together the due diligence materials on the other side first, and get the translations ready. We can talk about the rest later." Harold's voice was strained.
I nodded at the wall clock. "Mr. Grant, it's already 5 p.m. The going rate for consulting and translation is $5,000 an hour. If you need rush service, we'll need to sign a separate contract."
Victoria let out a cold laugh. "Translation? Please, I got Julian the latest AI translation device. The algorithm is way better than any human, and I don't have to deal with your attitude."
I shut my laptop and slipped it into my tote bag. "Congratulations. Enjoy the automation."
I stood up and walked out.
