Chapter 3

I stared at those cold words and directly blocked her.

Not long after, an unfamiliar number called.

It was Rachel Greene, the deputy director of HR.

"Sophia, due to your serious violation of company regulations and insubordination to your superior, we are formally notifying you that you have been terminated."

"Don't even think about any compensation. The company will also pursue damages for losses caused by your absence."

I hung up directly.

It wasn't until half an hour later, when my mother was wheeled out of the emergency room, that my heart finally settled.

The doctor said if we'd arrived any later, it would have been too late.

The anger that had been building up for so long finally erupted.

I dialed the internal hotline for the company's senior management oversight department.

I explained everything that had just happened in detail.

And sent over the recordings of Lydia humiliating me, along with all the surveillance footage from above the copy machine.

I thought with such solid evidence, I could at least get some justice.

But what awaited me was a trap that had been set up long ago.

They called me to the conference room.

Sitting across from me was Rachel Greene, with Lydia standing behind her, her face unable to hide her smugness.

She threw my complaint materials on the table.

"You've got some nerve, accessing company surveillance directly?"

"And these recordings—they were all made without Supervisor Rivers' permission, weren't they?"

I was stunned.

"I just wanted to keep evidence to prove I was being bullied."

Rachel gave a cold laugh.

"Evidence? I think you're trying to steal company secrets and sell them to competitors!"

This accusation was too serious. I couldn't bear it.

"I didn't!"

Rachel slammed the table and stood up.

"You recorded all this audio and blatantly distributed our company's surveillance footage. If it's not to leak information about our company's internal operations, then what's it for?"

I fell silent for a moment.

Because I knew she didn't want to hear my explanation.

She just wanted to pin the crime on me directly.

Seeing me say nothing, she had HR post an announcement in the company-wide group chat.

[Sophia, for stealing company trade secrets, the company has decided to terminate her employment and will never rehire her.]

[The company has reported this to the police. Let this be a warning to everyone.]

The group chat exploded instantly.

"Oh my God, you never really know people. Sophia is actually this kind of person!"

"So scary. And to think we sympathized with her."

"Exactly. I always said she looked sketchy, so disobedient. Turns out she was up to no good all along!"

At this moment, my coworkers jumped out one after another to distance themselves from me.

They even started rumors to curry favor with Lydia, claiming I was promiscuous and that my cramps were because I'd been sleeping around with men.

So I had developed gynecological diseases.

Lydia sent me a private message with a laugh.

"See that? Idiot! You want to fight me? You're still too green."

I looked at those vile words on my phone.

An indescribable sense of injustice welled up inside me.

Just then, the conference room door was pushed open, and two uniformed police officers walked in.

"Who is Sophia? Come with us. Someone has reported you for suspected theft of trade secrets."

Lydia was overjoyed and immediately pointed in my direction.

"Here, here!"

She leaned in close and lowered her voice.

"Going to the station looking like this saves me the diaper money after all."

My rationality snapped completely at that moment.

I slapped her hard across the face.

"You!"

But the next second, my wrist was seized by the police officer.

The officer's face was cold.

"A young woman doing this kind of thing—don't you have any shame?"

Just as I was being led away, a new message suddenly popped up in the company group chat. It was from the CEO's secretary.

"Attention all members: Mr. Lancaster is arriving at the company shortly. All department heads, please report to the main conference room."

Various smaller group chats went crazy with messages.

"Mr. Lancaster?"

"That legendary elusive boss of the conglomerate, Adrian Lancaster?"

"What's he doing here?"

Lydia immediately perked up.

"Officers, please wait a moment. Let this criminal meet our Mr. Lancaster first."

I was pushed to the front row of the conference room.

Rachel stood on stage and began her commendation speech.

"Everyone, look! This is the evidence!"

The video had been maliciously edited, showing only the footage of me arguing with Lydia.

Rachel pointed at me on the screen, her voice booming.

"This Sophia not only used her period to gain sympathy, but also stole internal company footage with the intent to sell it to competitors!"

"I hereby declare that Sophia is immediately terminated, and the company will pursue five million dollars in damages for reputational harm!"

Applause broke out across the room, and Lydia was laughing so hard she could barely stand.

Five million dollars.

What a bold demand!

I just wondered if Adrian Lancaster would be willing to pay that amount.

Rachel scurried down from the stage.

"Mr. Lancaster! Does our handling of this bad apple meet your approval..."

Adrian Lancaster didn't give them even a glance.

He walked straight up to me.

"I'm sorry I'm late."

Adrian took my ice-cold hand and gripped it tightly, then turned to face everyone and picked up the microphone.

His gaze swept over Lydia and Rachel like a blade.

"She—Sophia—is my legal wife, Adrian Lancaster's wife."

"What you just slandered her for, what you forced her to sign an agreement to waive—those are the rights that belong to the wife of the Lancaster Group CEO!"

"Menstrual leave is also written into company policy, so does this mean you're refusing to implement it?"