Youre fired, you useless waste of space! the boss bellowed. But his face drained of colour when the companys owner walked into the office, wrapped an arm around me, and said, Darling, lets go home.
The shout from Gavin Patterson, the department head, seemed to reverberate off the pristine white walls of the office. He slammed a thin folder onto the desk, sending papers scattering across the polished surface. Several fluttered to the floor.
A whole month! A whole month you wasted on that report for Steelforge! And what do we get? A complete disaster!
I stared at his face, twisted with rage. Red blotches crept up his neck, and his eyes bulged. A classic tantrumone he threw weekly, always picking a new victim. Today, it was my turn.
I stayed silent. Any word now would be like a spark in a petrol tank. And that was exactly what he wanted.
What, nothing to say? No excuses? I trusted you with our biggest client, and youyoure utterly incompetent! A complete waste of space!
He loomed over the desk, jabbing a finger toward my face. The air reeked of his expensive cologne, sharp and bitter.
I dont understand what disaster youre referring to, Gavin, I said, my voice calmtoo calm. It only made him angrier.
Oh, she doesnt understand! he mocked. Their commercial director just called me! Theyre furious! Said our numbers have nothing to do with reality!
Now, I was genuinely curious. I knew there couldnt be a mistake in my calculations. Someone had altered them after Id handed the report in.
Pack your things. I want you out in ten minutes.
He turned to the window, dismissing me. His posture radiated triumph. Another useless waste of space cast out of his imaginary perfect world.
I rose slowly. I felt no anger, no hurtjust cold, clear certainty. Everything was going exactly as planned. Better, even.
I calmly gathered my few belongingsmy notebook, pen, pursewhen the office door swung open without a knock.
Gavin spun around, irritated. What the devil
He choked on his words. His face went slack, colour draining from his cheeks until he was deathly pale.
In walked Oliver. My husband. And, incidentally, the owner of the entire company.
He took in the scattered papers, glanced at the bewildered Gavin, then at me. A faint smile flickered in his eyes.
Oliver stepped forward, wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and kissed my temple.
Darling, shall we go home?
Gavin gaped at us, opening and closing his mouth like a fish stranded on land. His perfect little world had just shattered.
Oliver Richard sir, he finally stammered, his gaze darting between me and my husband.
Gavin, Oliver said, his voice deceptively soft. Having a bit of a reshuffle in here? Firing my best analyst, are we?
He emphasised the word my, making Gavin flinch.
II didnt know Shes Shes Smith
My wife chose to work under her maiden name, Oliver said casually, picking up one of the fallen report sheets. Wanted to see the workings of the company from the inside. No bias.
He skimmed the numbers.
And I must say, her observations were very enlightening. Especially about this report.
Gavin swallowed hard. He was starting to realise this wasnt just bad luck. It was a trap.
Oliver, theres been some misunderstanding! Smithsyour wifesreport was a complete failure! Steelforge called me!
Really? Oliver arched a brow. Odd. Because their commercial director was in my office five minutes ago. We had coffee and signed an expanded contract.
He let the words sink in, enjoying the effect.
A contract based on the original version of Eleanors report. The one she submitted to you a week ago.
Gavins face turned as white as the office walls.
But how those numbers
Ah, those numbers? Oliver tossed the sheet back onto the desk. The ones you sent to the client had nothing to do with reality. You altered them. Quite clumsily, too.
My husband leaned over Gavins desk, looking down at him.
Two months ago, our security team flagged suspicious activity. A systematic leak of tender and client data. Someone was feeding information to our biggest competitorHighland Investments.
Gavin shrank in his chair.
We couldnt figure out who. Then my wife offered to help. Eleanor has a brilliant mind for finance. She suspected the mole wasnt just stealing datathey were sabotaging us from within. Creating chaos.
Oliver spoke calmly, almost academically, but Gavin looked like he was breaking out in a cold sweat.
She joined your department. In a month, she saw everythingyour incompetence, your temper, your habit of taking credit for others successes and blaming them for your failures.
He stepped back.
But most importantly, she noticed how you stayed late to alter her report. And saved it to a flash drive. A very distinctive onewith a football club keyring. The camera above your desk caught everything.
Gavin was broken.
Now, Olivers tone hardened, lets discuss the damages to the company. And the criminal charges for corporate espionage. Sit down. This will take a while.
He nodded toward the door, which opened to reveal two security officers. Taking my bag, he guided me out.
We left Gavin alone with his shattered world and the men who would ask him very uncomfortable questions.
As we walked through the open-plan office, I saw employees staring in shock. They didnt understand what had just happened.
Theyd just seen their ruthless boss left alone with the company ownerand Eleanor Smith, fired minutes ago, walking calmly beside him.
The past month flashed through my mindespecially last weeks meeting. Gavin had gathered everyone to discuss a new project. Ethan, always the creative thinker, proposed an innovative data analysis approach.
Gavin listened, tapping his expensive pen, then drawled, Ethan, Ethan This is why youre stuck on your meagre salary while I run this department. Your fantasies have nothing to do with reality. Do your job and stop wasting everyones time.
Ethan had shrunk into himself, silent for the rest of the meeting. That was when I realised Gavin was afraid.
Afraid of smart, talented peoplebecause they made his own incompetence obvious. He didnt just manage; he systematically crushed anything that threatened him.
Hed created an atmosphere of fear. People were too scared to take initiative, knowing failure meant humiliation and success meant Gavin would take the credit.
That was what tipped me off. In that environment, leaks were inevitable. A disgruntled employee was a competitors best asset.
But Id suspected Gavin from the start. He was weak. Id noticed his expensive watch, overheard hushed calls about bets and debts. He lived beyond his means.
The final clue? That flash drive with the keyring. A week ago, Id casually brought up football, mentioning I supported Arsenal.
Gavin had scoffed. Only losers support them. Ive been a United fan for twenty years.
That was when I knew how to catch him.
The Steelforge report was perfect bait. Id crafted it flawlessly but pretended to doubt a few key figuresgiving him room to improve it. He took it.
Outside, the cool evening air hit my face.
Well, Sherlock? Oliver grinned, opening the car door for me. Happy with your work?
I sank into the seat, smiling tiredly.
Happy he wont poison anyone elses career. Youve no idea what it was like in there.
Oliver got behind the wheel, his expression serious.
Now I do. Thank you. You didnt just expose a thiefyou showed me the rot in my own company. I thought I was building a business. Turns out, Id let a petty tyrant take over.
He started the engine.
This needs fixing. Properly.
My firing wasnt the end. It was the start of a cleanupnot just of traitors, but of the toxicity they thrived in.
That was the real victory.
A year later, I sat in my office on the top floor, a cosy space with armchairs and bookshelvesnothing like the cold, imposing rooms of executives.
My new title? Director of Corporate Culture Development.
Fancy name, simple job: I listened. Our anonymous Dialogue platform was now the most-used internal resource. Anyone could voice concerns without fear.
Sometimes, people came in person. Like today, when Ethannow a confident, respected department headstuck his head in.
Eleanor, got a minute? Wanted your thoughts on streamlining our workflow.
We talked for over an hour. He was passionate, full of ideas.
This was the man Oliver had seen in himbut fear had buried it. Now, freed from that, he thrived.
Thank you, he said as he left. Youve no idea how much has changed. People arent afraid anymore.
That was the highest praise.
As for Gavin? Id heard hed gotten a suspended sentence and a massive fine. Last rumour had him as a lowly clerk on the outskirts of London.
I didnt pity him. Hed made his choices.
That evening, Oliver squeezed my hand in the car.
Remember when I said youd shown me my petty kingdom? I was wrong. It wasnt a kingdom. It was a sickness.
He paused.
Today, legal said resignations have dropped by two-thirds. Productivitys up forty percent in departments with new leadership.
Just numbers. But behind them were people who no longer felt like cogs in a machine.
Your corporate health service works, he said.
I watched the city lights, thinking the real victory wasnt catching one bad apple.
It was building a system where they couldnt grow in the first place. A system built on respect, not fear.
My work wasnt flashy. It was quiet, meticulous.
But I knew it was what made the company strong. Not profits or contractsbut people who actually wanted to come to work. And that was worth every challenge.
