Chapter 1

My old employer is suing me for "deliberately concealing my own value," and they want two million dollars.

It all started a month ago, when the new director threw my client-retention log up on the screen at a company meeting.

"Her whole job is sending a couple dozen clients good-morning texts and mailing them local snacks on the holidays?"

"I could hire a fresh college grad at two grand a month to do this!"

"The company pays you twelve thousand a month for this? Is that supposed to be your retirement fund?"

"Sam, cut this dead budget, switch to an AI customer service system, and you'll save close to a million a year."

The boss was completely convinced. He signed off on her plan right there and told me to clear out immediately.

I calmly handed over my work phone and didn't explain a thing.

She had no idea those few dozen clients accounted for ninety percent of the company's profit.

And those big names only dealt with me.

Sure enough, once the AI took over, every major client walked, and the company was on the edge of bankruptcy.

Now they blame me for hiding my value?

Weren't you the ones who thought I cost too much in the first place?

……

The moment I handed over that work phone, the smugness on the new director, Bianca Whitney's, face nearly spilled over.

"There we go. The sooner you let go of a no-skill position like this, the better for everyone."

She swiped across the screen, scrolling through the client list, a mocking little smile pulling at her lips.

"Fiona Fox, all you do all day is mass-send these empty good-morning greetings?"

"Look at what you sent Valentine Chavez over at Dragonvale Realty."

"'Valentine, first day of fall, dress warm'?"

Bianca read it out in a deliberately pinched, mincing voice.

A few muffled snickers broke out around the room.

Sam Dickerson sat at the head of the table, his face like stone.

"You've been in this role for three years and haven't shown a shred of innovation. It's a real disappointment."

"I've looked at that AI customer service system Bianca's talking about. Low cost, high efficiency, automatic replies around the clock."

"Times have changed. This game of yours, coasting by on a smiling face, stopped working a long time ago."

I watched the two of them play off each other and said nothing.

That good-morning message was never just filler.

Valentine is in real estate. That "dress warm" line always came with the day's aerial shots of the new municipal development zone and the data on failed land auctions.

Those big players couldn't care less about the change of seasons, but they cared about industry intel.

And what they were calling "local snacks" were resources I'd pulled every private string I had to get, and worked hard for.

But to Sam Dickerson and Bianca Whitney, all of it was just money the company was throwing away.

"Understood, Mr. Dickerson."

"I'll go process my exit paperwork right now."

Bianca's brow creased slightly.

"Don't think leaving without a fuss covers up the fact that you were just coasting."

"When my AI system is fully live, I'll show you what real business relationship management looks like."

I walked out of the conference room without a backward glance.

Back at my desk, I started packing up my personal things.

My colleague Ned Swanson slipped over quietly.

"Fiona, you're really just walking out like this?"

His eyes were a little red, and he kept his voice low.

"That Bianca dropped in from nowhere and she's obviously pushing you out. Why won't you set Mr. Dickerson straight about what those clients really are?"

I set the little succulent from my desk into the box and patted Ned on the shoulder.

"Never try to wake a boss who's pretending to sleep."

"He's already decided the twelve thousand was money wasted. No matter how much I say, he'll only think I'm angling for credit."

Ned was indignant.

"But that AI customer service thing is a moron of a program!"

"Sooner or later it's going to blow up in their faces!"

I smiled.

"Then it won't be my problem. Good luck to them."

I carried the box to the front entrance.

Bianca was already standing at the glass doors, waiting for me.

"Security, open her box and check it."

"Who knows if she snuck out any client files."

The guard looked at me, awkward, hesitating, not wanting to come forward.

I just set the box on the front desk and dumped everything out myself.

"Director Whitney, seen enough?"

I gave a cold little laugh.

"The client data is all on that work phone."

"I hope your AI system can hold on to it for you."

With that, I packed everything back up and stepped into the elevator without looking back.

The moment the doors slid shut, my phone rang.

"Ms. Fox, I hear you just left your position?"

"Mr. Gilbert has been waiting a long time for you. Base salary of five thousand a month, and the Client Director seat has been held open for you the whole time."

The corner of my mouth lifted.

"Good. I'll start on time."