You Messed With My Heir

On Friday, I went to my mom's office to wait for her to finish work, finding an empty desk to play some video games.

Out of nowhere, the CEO's personal secretary marched up to me, absolutely furious:

You have some nerve sitting here playing games! Because of your careless mistake, we missed a crucial client email, costing the company a twenty-million-dollar deal!

"Well? How do you plan to pay us back?"

I blinked, shaking my head in sheer confusion.

"Are you mistaken? I don't work here. I'm just waiting for my mom to finish her shift."

He let out a cold, mocking laugh, raising his hand and slapping me across the face.

"Still playing dumb? Call security! I bet he's a corporate spy sent by our competitors!"

My eyes watered as I pulled out my Vanguard Junior smartwatch to send a message.

Mom, your secretary just hit me.

My mom was in a high-level board meeting and didn't reply right away.

The secretary, Chase, stood over me with his hands on his hips, sneering.

"Look at those designer clothes. I bet you paid for all that luxury by selling out this company, didn't you?"

"Spill it! How many of our accounts have you ruined?"

With a violent shove, he sent me crashing onto the hard floor.

My dad always taught me to be strong.

I bit my lower lip, fighting back the tears.

"Sir, I didn't do anything. Why did you push me? My dad says pushing people is wrong."

Chase let out a sharp, hysterical shriek and grabbed me by the hair.

"You little snake! How dare you talk back to me!"

It hurt so much. I thrashed wildly, trying to break free.

"Let go! You're hurting me! I'm going to tell my mom, and she'll fire you!"

Chase laughed, a loud, ugly sound devoid of any restraint. "Your mom? Who does she think she is, getting me fired? I'm going to HR right now to have you kicked out of here, and you're going to owe this company twenty million dollars!"

Before I could say another word, he dragged me by the collar all the way down to the HR department.

The crowd of onlookers grew with every step.

A few employees looked uncomfortable, trying to quiet Chase down.

But he raised his voice, shouting so the whole floor could hear: "Don't let this pathetic act fool you! This brat's incompetence just cost us a twenty-million-dollar contract. Our entire year-end bonuses are on the line because of him! I'm doing this for all of us!"

Instantly, the atmosphere shifted.

The pity in their eyes hardened into resentment. Nobody spoke up for me anymore.

Under my breath, I kept whispering, "Mom, please help me."

Chase sneered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Is she actually your mom, or just some wealthy benefactor who pays for your lifestyle?"

"Disgusting! Look at that faceborn to manipulate. A junior entry-level salary is barely five thousand a month. I'm sure your sugar mommy bought you that Balenciaga hoodie, and you have the audacity to parade around in Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry!"

With a vicious tug, Chase ripped the necklace from my neck. It was a gift from my dad for my twelfth birthday, and the delicate chain snapped instantly.

"You're mean! Don't touch my dad's gift!"

I struggled with everything I had, my flailing arm catching Chase on his shin.

He kicked me twice in retaliation, hard enough to knock the wind out of me, before scooping up the broken necklace and shoving it into his pocket.

"Keep crying, and I'll shut your mouth for good!"

I trembled, shivering in a corner.

When we reached the HR suite, Chase knocked on the door with a sycophantic grin.

"Luke, I brought you the idiot who threw away our major deal."

The HR director, Luke, looked up from his desk with an irritated sigh.

"Where's your badge? Which department are you in? Name?"

I scrambled to find my voice, shouting, "I'm only thirteen! I don't work for this company!"

Luke squinted at me skeptically.

"Chase, what is this?"

Chase yanked me upward by my arm. "Luke, he's lying to you! Look at himhe's nearly as tall as I am, wearing thousands of dollars in designer clothes. How could he possibly be thirteen?"

He leaned over, whispering something in Luke's ear.

Luke's eyes widened, and he slammed his hand on the desk. "You're the one who lost the Mercer Group account? The one that offended Giselle Mercer?"

The Mercer Group? Wasn't that my cousin Giselle's family company? The Giselle Mercer he mentioned was my older cousin.

But I hadn't seen her since our family Thanksgiving dinner last month.

I waved my hands frantically.

"No, I don't know anything about a contract! I was just waiting for my mom!"

"Look at him play the victim. This kid is too good at it! I bet his parents are just as rotten. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" Chase sneered, tossing his head back in disgust.

An overwhelming wave of anger washed over me. I charged forward, pushing Chase with all my might.

"Don't you dare talk about my parents like that!"

As Chase and I scuffled, Luke jumped in, pulling us apart and glaring at me with a terrifying, predatory intensity.

I shrank back.

Chase grabbed Luke's arm. "Cousin, you have to terminate his contract immediately! Keeping someone like this around is just a liabilityhe'll probably try to seduce Ms. Ashford next!"

Ms. Ashford!

Was he talking about my mom?

I cried out in protest, "I would never try to seduce Ms. Ashford! Ms. Ashford is my mom!"

Both Luke and Chase froze.

Then Chase stepped closer, studying my face before bursting into a cruel, mocking giggle.

"Are you out of your mind? Everyone knows Victoria Ashford is the city's most eligible bachelorette in her thirties. If you're going to lie, at least make it believable. She isn't even married, let alone having a kid your age."

"Besides, you look absolutely nothing like her. If you told me you were her housekeeper's kid, I might actually believe you."

I felt a lump in my throat. "I don't look like my mom, but I look like my dad! And the only reason my mom hasn't made it public is because of my dad's career"

Slap!

Whatever I said must have hit a nerve, because Chase struck me across the face again.

"Keep dragging Ms. Ashford's name through the mud, and see what happens to you!"

I clutched my burning cheek, sobbing quietly.

Luke held Chase back, turning to bark at me with disgust. "Stop the waterworks. You're not a baby anymore. Take some responsibility for your actions! Now, what is your name and department?"

I kept my head down, too heartbroken to speak.

"Luke asked you a question! Are you deaf?" Chase snarled, reaching into my pockets. "Where's your ID badge? Where is it?"

I panicked.

"I don't have one."

Luke's brow furrowed deeper.

"No badge? Are you an independent contractor? No, even contractors get temporary passes..."

Chase violently tore at my pocket until the fabric ripped open with a loud pop. His fingers wrapped around something hard.

"Found it! You little liar, you said you didn't have a badge!"

He pulled it out, but it wasn't a corporate ID. It was a middle school student ID card.

Emblazoned on the plastic were the words: Seventh Grade, Toby Knight.

Chase threw the card straight at my face.

"Sneaking around without a badge and using your younger brother's student ID as a cover! Luke, what's the company policy fine for this kind of violation?"

Luke cleared his throat.

"A five-hundred-dollar contribution to the office coffee and snack fund. Consider it an apology to the team."

Chase held out his hand. "Pay up. Now!"

I looked down at my torn, empty pockets. "I don't have any cash on me..."

"Then scan the code! Double the penalty for digital payone thousand dollars!"

Why was he being so incredibly cruel?

Anger and frustration welled up inside me. My dad had invested all my allowance and holiday money to teach me about financial literacy, and my mom was always worried that carrying too much money made me a target.

My weekly allowance was only a thousand dollars. He was demanding my entire week's budget in one go.

I didn't want to pay, but his towering, threatening stance made him look like a monster straight out of a horror movie.

"Pay, or else..." Chase raised his hand again, and I flinched.

I reluctantly tapped my smartwatch against Luke's payment terminal.

Luke let out a patronizing chuckle. "What kind of fancy toy watch is this? Spending money like waterno wonder you had to sell out the company."

Before I could defend myself, Chase shoved a disciplinary form in front of me.

"Sign this, and you can get lost."

I couldn't understand most of the legal jargon on the page, but my dad had always warned me never to sign any document without reading it carefully.

I stepped back, shaking my head in silent resistance.

Chase grabbed my arm, twisting it painfully. "Sign it! And sign the promissory note on the next page too!"

He was so rough. Why did he think it was okay to keep putting his hands on me?

Luke flipped to the signature page, offering me a pen.

"We're only asking you to cover ten percent of the damages. Two million dollars is an incredibly generous offer from the company. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

I shook my head vigorously.

"My dad says minors aren't allowed to enter into financial contracts. It's illegal. I won't sign."

Luke rolled his eyes in sheer annoyance.

"Who hired this kid? He's completely disconnected from reality. If you don't sign, expect a court summons!"

"Why waste our breath, Luke?" Chase grabbed my hand, forcing my thumb into an inkpad and slamming it down onto the document. "There. Signed and sealed!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed from the hallway.

"Luke, I asked you to find me a new executive assistant. Why hasn't anyone been scheduled yet?"

The woman who walked in looked incredibly familiar.

Wasn't this Rachel, the vice president who had visited our house to deliver files last month?

Her eyes locked onto mine.

She gasped. "Master Toby? What on earth are you doing here?"

Chase and Luke exchanged confused glances.

I seized the moment to slip past them, hiding behind Rachel's back.

"VP Rachel, do you know this delinquent?" Chase asked. "He's the one who ruined the Mercer account. We're just having him sign his termination paperwork before we throw him out."

Rachel turned to look at me, her expression turning into pure dread as I gripped her sleeve, my hands trembling uncontrollably.

She slapped her own forehead, her face pale.

"What have you two done? Do you have any idea who he is?"

Chase shrugged dismissively. "He's just some new junior temp from the sales department. Apparently, he's got a sugar mommy in the company. I honestly can't stand these nepo babies."

Rachel slammed her hand on the desk, the sound echoing through the room.

"You fools! You've got it completely wrong! He isn't an employeehe's Ms. Ashford's son!"

"That's impossible. Everyone knows Ms. Ashford is single. Rachel, don't talk nonsense!"

Chase's eyes lit up as if he had just solved a puzzle.

"Oh, I get it!" He pointed a finger at Rachel and me. "You're his sugar mommy, aren't you?"

Luke gave Chase a subtle thumbs-up, clearly impressed by his quick thinking.

Cold sweat beaded on Rachel's forehead. These two were digging their own graves.

She would never dare to claim she was the benefactor of Victoria Ashford's prized son.

Luke sneered, mocking her. "Rachel, I never pegged you for the type to keep a young boy around."

Rachel was shaking with anger. "Luke, watch your mouth. If Ms. Ashford hears you say that, you're finished."

She turned to comfort me, but when she saw my swollen, red cheeks and disheveled hair, her voice faltered.

"Master Toby... who... who dared to lay a hand on you like this?"

Before I could answer, Chase proudly raised his hand.

"I did. What about it? I was protecting the company's interests. Don't try to cover for him. We can take this straight to Ms. Ashford if you want."

Rachel looked like she was about to faint.

"You've ruined us all," she whispered. "If Ms. Ashford finds out about this, none of us will survive."

She turned to me, her voice softening into a gentle, pleading tone:

"Master Toby, please, they're blind fools. Don't listen to them. Let me take you home right now."

I nodded, tears finally spilling over.

As Rachel began to guide me out of the office, Chase lunged forward, blocking the doorway.

"He can't leave! He stole the classified design files for our two-hundred-million-dollar development project!"

His shout echoed down the corridor, drawing the attention of every employee on the floor.

Rachel stamped her foot in frustration.

"Chase, have you lost your mind? Why would Master Toby ever steal files?"

Chase sneered. "I say he did, which means we search him!"

He lunged forward, trying to grab my clothes.

Terrified, I screamed, "Don't touch me! Mom, help!"

Rachel stepped in front of me, taking a hard slap to the face instead.

Chase rolled up his sleeves, shouting to the surrounding staff:

"What are you all standing around for? If we don't find those project files, Ms. Ashford will fire every single one of us!"

Using the CEO's name as leverage, he panicked the employees into action. They swarmed forward, pulling at my jacket.

Overwhelmed by fear, I curled into a ball on the floor, burying my face in my knees and sobbing loudly.

Rachel tried her best to protect me, but she was overpowered and shoved to the ground.

"Stop this! This is assault..."

"They're in on it together! They're both corporate spies! Grab them!" Chase ordered.

In the chaos, Rachel was struck repeatedly until she lost consciousness, bruised and exhausted.

"Chase, we checked his pockets. There are no files," one of the employees reported, panting.

I huddled in the corner, shaking with fear.

The employees looked around, their anger turning to doubt.

"Chase, are you sure about this?"

Chase stamped his foot. "He must have hidden them somewhere nearby to mess with us."

He knelt down, grabbing my jaw tightly.

"Tell me! Where did you put the files?"

I shook my head blindly, his sharp fingernails digging into my skin.

Sting

Out of desperation, I bit down hard on his hand.

"You little brat!" Chase raised his hand to strike me again, and I winced, bracing for the blow.

Suddenly, the receptionist ran up, whispering urgently in his ear: "Ms. Mercer has arrived. She's downstairs."

The elevator doors opened, and a familiar, booming laugh echoed down the hallway.

It was indeed my cousin Giselle!

I gathered every ounce of strength I had, running toward the sound and crying out, "Giselle!"

Giselle paused, looking around.