Chapter 2

My eyes turned even colder. The last person who tried to spread filthy rumors about me was still in prison, running a sewing machine on the daily work detail. This girl had a real talent for picking the worst possible way to dig her own grave.

Right then, the conference room door opened. Leo hurried in, struggling under the weight of several dozen coffee cups. He gave me an apologetic smile.

"Mia, please don't be upset. I brought up the coffee."

Then, he leaned toward me and whispered, "Hey, man, she's pretty worked up right now. You should probably just head out."

I felt genuinely touched. At least one of these interns had some decency.

I reached for a cup to hand to him, but Mia smacked my hand away.

"Hey, Security. Just because you've never had coffee this expensive doesn't mean you get to steal it. My aunt bought this for everyone as a favor to me. A security guard like you doesn't get to drink it. Go get yourself some instant coffee."

Since I started this company, I always pushed the idea that everyone here was equal, no matter their title. But Mia clearly thought of herself as a cut above, and a security guard as beneath her. I honestly didn't know how HR had let someone like her through the door.

When I didn't respond, Mia went ahead and handed out coffee to everyone else. Seeing there was one leftover cup, she dumped its contents straight into a potted plant.

"See that, Security? I'd rather pour perfectly good coffee into the dirt than let trash like you touch it. And somebody throw out that cup. I don't want him taking pictures with it later, pretending he's rich enough to hit on someone."

I stayed calm and just watched her. Since walking into this room, I'd given her more chances than she deserved. But instead of backing down, she kept digging herself deeper.

And then there was her aunt. I needed to find out exactly who had the nerve to impersonate me as this company's CEO. With that thought in mind, I decided not to rush revealing who I really was.

Instead, I smiled. "Mia, you keep saying your aunt is the CEO. Who exactly is she?"

Taking my calmer tone as a sign she'd won, she got even more smug.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing. Trying to pump me for information so you can go after my aunt, aren't you? Listen, Security, I've met plenty of guys like you. Not every bottom feeder gets to swim in our pond. Why don't you go find yourself a delivery driver to settle down with instead?"

Her words made it crystal clear how pointless it would be to keep playing along. I dropped the act completely and reached for the door, planning to call actual security to deal with her.

But Mia slammed her hand against the door first. "Figured out I'm onto you and now you want to run? Not a chance. Here's the deal. Get on your knees and bow to me twice, and I'll let you walk out of here. Otherwise, you can kiss your career in this industry goodbye."

I stared her down. "I hope you don't regret what you just said."

A second later, she hurled her coffee straight at me, staining my custom suit.

I didn't even think twice and slapped her.

Furious at being slapped in front of everyone, Mia grabbed my arm. "You want to die? Everyone, look at this! This piece of trash tried to hit on me, and when it didn't work, he attacked me! Does he think this is his house? Is there any order left around here?

"A community college reject like him thinks he can touch someone who studied abroad? He's lost his mind! Whoever can get this lunatic on his knees in front of me gets a promotion, I guarantee it!"

The second the word promotion left her mouth, every intern's eyes lit up.

"I'll hold him down! Let's make him bow to Mia ninety-nine times!"