Chapter 3 Ten Times the Target

Apparently, splitting the bill at dinner last night left a sour taste with the entire team. And so, Ashton had gone from popular to pariah after one night.

Soon after, Natalie handed our department its first assignment. We were tasked with promoting a new product.

…

During our planning meeting, I pitched a scrappy, community-driven marketing strategy.

Ashton dismissed it with a wave before I could even finish my sentence. "Do you have any idea how much our product costs? Do you seriously think people in those neighborhoods can afford it?"

"We wouldn't have to spend much on advertising," I explained calmly. "We just need to put in some effort reaching out to people at the beginning. Then, we could use the funds we save to offer customers a much better price."

"Reaching out to people?" Ashton scoffed. "And who's supposed to do all that?"

He looked around the room. "Any volunteers?"

Everyone immediately lowered their heads. Not a single person spoke up.

Ashton turned back to me, a smug smile spreading across his face. "Ah, Nate, if you're so desperate to prove yourself, then who am I to stop you? Just make sure you deliver. How many orders was it again? 10,000? Think you can handle that?"

"I—"

"Actually, let's make it official," he interrupted. "Since you're so confident in your idea, you can sign a performance agreement."

The room went dead quiet.

A few of my coworkers exchanged uneasy looks before trying to talk me out of it.

"Nate, maybe you should just listen to Ashton."

"Yeah, he's the heir to the Lehmann Group. I'm sure he knows what he's doing!"

I ignored them and looked straight at Ashton. "A performance agreement, you say?"

"That's right. After all, you're the one insisting on going ahead with this plan." He leaned back in his chair, looking thoroughly pleased with himself. "I don't approve of it, but it's clear that you're not going to listen to reason.

"Naturally, you'll be out of the Lehmann group if you don't hit your target."

"Hold on. Weren't we just discussing—"

"Enough. It's settled." Ashton stood up, cutting me off again. "I can't wait to see what our little nepo hire can do. Meeting adjourned."

As he passed my chair, he leaned close enough that only I could hear him. "I just don't like you. Take the hint and quit while you still can."

After that, I was pretty much on my own.

I spent my days visiting neighborhoods while everyone else went about their usual routines, talking to potential customers, and getting people to scan QR codes to join our online groups.

The workload drained me to my last drop of energy, and my coworkers kept their distance. In the beginning, they just steered clear of me. As time passed, they eventually stopped talking to me.

…

One evening, I was still working at my desk long after everyone else had left when Natalie walked in.

"Nate, I know you've got connections, but you do realize who Ashton is, right?" she said. "You can't go up against someone that powerful. You need to know your place and play your cards right."

I looked up from my work. "Are you really that sure he's the chairman's son?"

Natalie went still for a moment. Then, her voice rose as she retorted shrilly, "Of course, I am! Ashton gave me this handbag. It's from the latest collection, and it costs hundreds of thousands!"

She then held it up for me to see.

I glanced at it, fighting back a smirk. I was almost certain that this particular brand had never once released its latest model in that color.

"That color..."

Natalie rolled her eyes before I could finish. "Oh, don't tell me you're going to say the color's wrong. It's a limited edition purse. Only ten were made worldwide. Then again, I suppose it's only normal that someone like you wouldn't know that."

She turned on her heel and strutted out of the office right after saying her piece.

I watched her sashay away, marveling at how someone could strut away so sure of herself and still be completely off the mark.

...

My marketing campaign results came in a week later.

I'd racked up 100,000 orders, which was ten times the target Ashton had so kindly set up for me. Needless to say, I brought in more than anyone at the company could have dreamed.

The campaign was such a success that the company offered every intern on our team a permanent position.

My coworkers' attitude toward me transformed overnight.

The same people who'd dodged me all week now called me by my name, flashed bright smiles when they saw me, and acted as if we'd always been close.

Well, everyone except Ashton.

He spent his days shooting daggers at me from across the office. I didn't know just what was brewing in his mind, but I was sure it wasn't friendly.

Meanwhile, the company announced a banquet to celebrate the campaign's success. The chairman himself was expected to attend.

I noticed another update on that anonymous online post around the same time.

"My boyfriend's getting sidelined at work. Everyone in his department is obsessed with this nepo hire instead. What should I do?"

The comments came flooding in.

"Wait, isn't your boyfriend the chairman's son? How's he getting sidelined?"

"It sounds like your darling boyfriend hasn't done anything to earn anyone's respect."

The original poster quickly replied, "It's not his fault! That nepo hire pulled off a successful project and made my boyfriend look bad in front of everyone."

I stared at the screen, barely able to believe how funny this was.

So, I smiled as I typed out a reply, suggesting, "Isn't your boyfriend the boss? Why is he even worrying about this? He could just take the credit for the project and make sure that guy doesn't get to go to the celebration banquet."

The original poster liked my comment a moment later.

By now, I was pretty much convinced that Natalie was the owner behind this account. I just needed one last piece of proof.

Thus, I sent my parents a quick message, asking them to arrive slightly later than usual to the banquet the following evening.

...

The next night, I arrived at the banquet hall to find Ashton and Natalie waiting near the entrance.

Ashton stepped into my path before I could go inside.

"Nate, as your supervisor, I've decided you don't need to attend tonight's celebration." He spoke as though he were doing me a favor before reaching out and condescendingly patting my cheek. "Consider it a day off. You're welcome."

I met his gaze. "Isn't this a banquet to celebrate my achievement? You're really going to swipe the credit right in front of me? That takes some nerve, don't you think?"

Natalie immediately stepped in between us. "Nate, there's no need to be so nasty about it. We're all on the same team. It doesn't matter who gets the credit."

"Exactly," Ashton added. "I'm your supervisor, so technically, your success is my success."

He suddenly threw the red wine straight at me before I could say anything else.

The wine splashed across my clothes.

"Oops. My hand slipped." He smirked as he lowered the empty glass. "Sorry about your clothes."

I stared at him. "You—"

A very familiar voice interrupted us before I could finish.

"What's everyone doing standing out here? Why aren't you heading inside?"

Natalie turned toward the newcomers, and her eyes immediately lit up. "Mr. and Mrs. Lehmann! You're here!"