All Chapters of Stealing My Job: A Big Mistake: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

Anna Whitman's bizarre logic left me speechless, yet she didn't even bother pulling back her bed curtain.Assuming this had to be some kind of joke, I knocked on her bed frame. "Anna, are you seriously pulling my leg?"She sounded annoyed. "Why would I waste my time joking with you?"A heavy knot tightened in my chest. "But I've been busting my butt for the past six months to earn this offer!""So what? I'm only giving you a heads-up out of the goodness of my heart," she said dismissively. "Don't be ungrateful. Be smart and go decline that email right now."She sounded as if she were bestowing a grand blessing upon me."But you aren't even acquainted with Mikael! How could you two be dating?" I scowled, pushing back. She finally pulled open her bed curtain, throwing me a look of pure disgust. "What era are you living in? Haven't you ever heard of speed dating or whirlwind romances? For someone in college, how are you such an uncultured dinosaur?"She snapped the curtain shut a

Chapter 2

As I stared at the familiar face in those two photos, a chill ran straight down my spine.I zoomed in on the pictures and re-examined them ten times over, my heart pounding against my ribs like a sledgehammer."Is Mikael and Anna really dating? What about my offer then? God help me! Is the spot I've slaved over for six months really about to be hijacked by someone with connections?"While my mind raced in frantic circles, a notification popped up in the company Slack channel.[Attention all interns: Please complete the return offer evaluation form. Available online or in hard copy.]I stared at the alert, a sudden idea taking shape in my head....On Monday morning, I arrived at the office right on time.The cubicle area was quiet. Mikael's desk was empty. His computer was off, and his favorite coffee mug wasn't in its usual spot.I leaned over to a coworker in the adjacent cubicle and whispered, "Is Mikael out today?"The coworker leaned in, lowering her voice to a hush. "Bi

Chapter 3

I didn't sleep a wink that night, staring over and over at Mikael's texts as my fingernails dug deep into my palms.Still, the next morning, I bit the bullet and clicked "Accept Offer" in the corporate email.Then came the agonizing wait. One day. Two days. Three days...There was zero advancement in the onboarding process, and my inbox remained as dead as a grave. By the fourth day, I couldn't take it anymore and dialed Karen."Hi, Karen, I wanted to follow up on my onboarding status..." I said, getting straight to the point."Megan?" Karen sounded perplexed on the line. "The position has already been filled. Didn't you know?"My mind went blank. "Filled? How is it filled?""The company finalized the candidate selection. It's your roommate..." she replied honestly."On what grounds?" My voice shot up an octave in disbelief. "She hasn't even interned at the company for a single day! How on earth could you hire her?"Karen let out a soft sigh. "Look, you two share a room, so yo

Chapter 4

I hurried over to the President's office, where the air felt as frigid as an icebox."Megan..." The president, Jonah Clark, pushed his glasses up his nose and looked at me sternly. "The school board has decided to revoke your Outstanding Graduate designation."I snapped my head up. "On what grounds?""On the grounds that the negative publicity you've stirred up has severely damaged the university's reputation." He pulled a piece of paper from a folder and slid it to the edge of his desk."Furthermore, a disciplinary mark will be added to your record, and your employment recommendation forms will need to be revised."I stared down at the disciplinary notice, my vision darkening. "Those are all false rumors! I didn't...""The evidence is clear as day. What else is there to say?" interrupted the vice president, Keith Ray. "The other girl posted photos taken right outside Mikael Brady's apartment.""Anna Whitman set me up! She took the company contract from my bag, and..." I started

Chapter 5

A deafening silence blanketed the hallway.Anna's face turned as white as a sheet, her lips trembling so violently she couldn't squeeze out a word.Sierra nudged her. "Mikael is right here! Don't be shy. Go tell him to expose Megan's true colors to everyone!"Anna yanked her arm away and hissed under her breath, "Shut up!"Mikael glanced at Anna, then turned back to me. "What on earth is going on here?"Taking a deep breath, I unlocked my phone, pulled up Anna's Instagram story, and held the screen right in front of his face. "She told everyone you were her boyfriend and that you reserved the spot just for her."Mikael glanced at the photo, his frown deepening. "My nephew was visiting that day and begged to ride the carousel, so I took him to the amusement park. And I was feeling under the weather recently, so when I passed by a pharmacy, I swung in to grab some medicine."He zoomed in on the picture for a closer look. "That's me in the photos, but I don't even know this girl."

Chapter 6

Mikael pulled out his phone, dialed Karen directly, and put her on speaker."Karen, why was Megan's offer revoked?" he demanded.Karen sounded bewildered over the phone. "Her roommate said she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and couldn't take the job. Didn't you already know about this and recommend her roommate instead?""When did I ever say I had cancer?" I shouted into the phone.Karen froze. "Wait... wasn't that your roommate calling from your phone? It was a girl's voice...""I never recommended anyone," Mikael said firmly.Karen paused. "Her roommate texted me and even sent a photo of you looking over the contract at your apartment. I just assumed you had given your tacit approval."Mikael ended the call and glared at Anna. "So, you used Megan's phone to lie to HR, then made up a story that I picked you to replace her?"Anna bit her bottom lip, her eyes rimmed red. "I... I just wanted to test the waters...""Test what?" Mikael's voice shot up in anger. "Test how to st

Chapter 7

Anna went frantic and unhinged.Seeing her state, Kyle hurried over to drag her outside. As she passed by me, she was still screaming hysterically. "Let go of me! Who do you think you are? I'm the victim here!"Overwhelmed by the headache of it all, Kyle restrained her onto a hallway bench. The office door clicked shut, cutting off the noise outside.Jonah wiped a bead of cold sweat from his brow, his gaze toward Mikael shifting dramatically."Mikael, your parents... why didn't you ever mention this to us before?"Mikael offered a polite smile. "Abilities talk at the workplace. I have no desire to rely on my family background."Keith laughed awkwardly and nervously. "Of course, of course! Your abilities are exceptional. The school administration has always acknowledged that."I listened from the sidelines, feeling almost like an outsider.Mikael turned to look at me, his voice softening. "Megan, don't just stand there. Take a seat."I pulled up a chair and sat down, my palms s

Chapter 8

Anna's fingernails dug deep into my flesh, making me gasp from the pain.Mikael stepped over in one smooth motion, prying her fingers off me. "Where was this regret earlier?"He stepped in front of me, his voice cutting like ice. "Did you stop to think about the consequences when you stole those documents? Did you think about the consequences when you posted those rumors on social media?"Did you think about the consequences when you stole Megan's phone to impersonate her and lie to HR that she had cancer?"Anna stumbled back, every trace of color draining from her face.The police officer stepped forward, his tone firm and uncompromising. "Miss, please step along with us."Anna finally burst into tears, sobbing hysterically. "I don't want to go to the police station. Please, I was wrong."She collapsed on the floor and began crawling toward me. "Megan, we're roommates. Please help me. I'll never mess with you again."I stepped back, dodging her outstretched hands. "When you co

Chapter 9

Mikael handed me an Americano; the chilled exterior felt refreshing against my palm.I took a sip, savoring the sweet bitterness."Finished processing your emotions?" he asked."Pretty much," I replied, biting down gently on the straw. "It just feels a bit surreal. Yesterday I was a public enemy across campus, and today everything flipped.""Public opinion is always like that," he said, walking forward with his hands in his pockets. "It sways whichever way the wind blows. The key is to keep your feet firmly planted."I nodded thoughtfully.When we reached the front of my dorm building, I paused."Mikael...""What's up?""Is Anna... going to face prison time?"He pondered for a moment. "Administrative detention is a certainty. As for criminal charges, that depends on how the police classify it."He spoke with calm detachment, as though discussing the weather. I fell silent, not pressing any further.When she pulled those stunts, she should have anticipated this day would com

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