Execute Your Own Downfall

The news spread faster than I expected. The meeting had barely ended before word of my suspension swept through the company.

"Oh my God, the VP got suspended? She always seemed so sharp. I never would have pegged her for something like this."

"Who knows? The boss signed off on it, so it must be real."

"Maybe this isn't the only thing she's taken. If they ran a full audit, who knows what else they'd find?"

I ignored the chatter. I had just sat down at my desk when Sophia barged into my office.

"Lina, send me all the handover files for your current projects before you leave today," she demanded. "And the client contact files for the partners you've been managing. Send those over too."

I did not look at her. I opened my computer, compiled everything she requested, and sent it over.

"That's very cooperative of you, Lina. But that's not everything, is it?" she asked. "You always close deals over drinks, don't you? The clients' favorite dishes, the liquors they prefer, any allergies. Put everything in a spreadsheet and send it to me before you go."

I looked up at her, puzzled. "Sophia, drinks are just a tool for doing business. Why would I keep track of things like that?"

"Don't give me that act. You think I don't know? That one investor has poured over 40,000,000 dollars into this company over the years. You don't pull numbers like that just by clinking glasses.

"The way I see it, you had to have used other methods, such as selling yourself. Why else would he stay so loyal to you?"

The accusation was crude and ignorant, and I had no interest in arguing.

"Fine. I'll put it together and send it to you," I said evenly.

Sophia looked pleased. "Don't worry, Lina. I'll take good care of the projects while you're out. I guarantee I'll do a better job than you. And unlike you, I'll do it the right way. I won't sell myself to land investments."

I leaned back in my chair, my expression flat. "Is that so? I look forward to seeing that."

After Sophia left, I picked up my phone and called my lawyer. "Hi. I'd like to consult on a patent infringement matter and discuss filing a lawsuit."

I laid out the details. Over the years, the company had built its entire product line on that algorithm. It spanned multiple industries and generated enormous profit.

When I first handed it to Vincent, I did so as an act of trust within our relationship.

There was no contract, no written agreement, nothing on paper. Because of that, I never signed a patent licensing agreement with the company, and they never paid me a single cent in licensing fees. That alone constituted serious infringement.

Under the law, they would be required to pay full compensation for every dollar earned from the algorithm, and every product built on it would have to be pulled from the market.

It was enough to bring the company to its knees overnight.

My lawyer confirmed he would begin gathering evidence immediately.

I hung up, sat with it for a moment, and found that I felt completely calm.

Then I opened a new document and began compiling the list Sophia had demanded—every preference and habit of the partner investor she was so eager to impress.

When I finished, I reviewed what I had written and could not help but smile.

Sophia was not entirely wrong. I had used other means to secure that investor. Just not the kind she had in mind.

The reason was much simpler. The so-called big investor was not an outsider at all. He was my older brother, Leo Hartwell. As his younger sister, I naturally knew every preference on that list.

After I joined Vincent's company, I had persuaded my family to invest through a partnership arrangement to help the company grow.

I had kept it from Vincent because I did not want him to feel indebted. I had never told him where I came from or that I was the daughter of a major business family.

In front of him, my family and I had always played the role of ordinary business partners.

Now I was curious to see how Sophia planned to win my brother over.