Chapter 3

His mother worked as a live-in housekeeper for the wealthy family next door.

That was the only reason he'd been able to go to school with me.

Leander had studied and worked himself to the bone, all so he could lift his family up as soon as possible.

I also remembered that Brynn had come in through the company's campus recruiting partnership with a local university, as a student from a low-income family.

I'd heard her family was struggling too, and she'd had a hard time landing a job at Kingsley.

If I fired them both now... what would they do?

At that thought, I wiped away my tears.

Forget it. They were both kind of pitiful.

Near the end of the workday, cheers suddenly erupted outside my office.

Right. Today was the day the company paid out year-end bonuses and annual dividends.

I glanced at my phone. Not a single cent had hit my account.

Then Brynn flung my office door open.

"Where's my dividend?" I asked.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Canceled, obviously."

It took me a while to figure out why, so I picked up my phone and called Finance.

"Ms. Kingsley, um... Ms. Foster submitted a new dividend plan. Your entire dividend was split evenly among the employees..."

"Who approved it?"

There were several seconds of silence on the other end before a small voice answered.

"It... it was Mr. Frost who signed off."

Seeing that I knew it was her doing, Brynn let out a careless snort.

"Ms. Kingsley, people say you're shameless, but do you really have no dignity at all?

"What have you done for this company all year?

"Mr. Frost said every cent this company makes comes from everyone's hard work. Why should a parasite like you take credit for what we've earned?"

I bit my lip, picked up my phone, and texted Leander.

"Come to my office."

After a moment, I sent another.

"Come to the chairwoman's office."

It was the first time I'd ever given him an order as chairwoman.

About fifteen minutes later, Leander showed up looking less than pleased.

He'd obviously already heard.

"Brynn was a little impulsive. That's on me.

"I'll make up your dividend out of my year-end bonus.

"That should settle it, right?"

Before I could say anything, Brynn shrieked.

"Leander, why should you?!"

She pointed at me, her voice getting louder and louder.

"Everyone knows the Kingsley daughter's an idiot!

"Kingsley Technologies only survives because of you. Why do you still have to tiptoe around her?

"You've been running things for years. Isn't Kingsley going to end up yours sooner or later anyway?!"

I looked up at Leander.

I thought he'd at least deny it. He'd always denied it in front of other people.

But he didn't.

He just ruffled Brynn's hair with a helpless sigh.

"That's for later.

"Right now, Mabel's still chairwoman."

When he turned back to me, his face had gone cold.

"This is settled.

"And I'd strongly advise you not to tell your parents about today.

"Brynn's new. She acted on impulse."

I looked at him.

"So neither of you did anything wrong?"

Leander huffed in irritation.

"Mabel, I'm not here to argue about who's right."

He pulled out a file and slapped it down on my desk.

"I'm telling you that I just closed the major project the company's going all in on next year.

"If you don't want something trivial to hurt the Kingsleys' business next year, you'll behave."

With that, he walked out with Brynn without a backward glance.

My hurt and sadness vanished in an instant.

All that was left was a slow-burning rage.

I really wasn't smart, so of course Mom and Dad hadn't handed me the Kingsleys' real core businesses and resources yet.

This listed company under my name was basically just how my parents gave me my allowance.

And now Leander had the nerve to threaten me and my family?

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got, so I called Graham Bishop, Dad's longtime assistant.

"The annual board meeting's on Monday. The CEO's term is up, isn't it?

"We can replace him."