As I walked down the corridor toward my boss’s office, my heart raced with anticipation.
This was it—the moment all my hard work would finally be recognized.
For nearly a year, I had poured everything I had into this project. Late nights, missed weekends, endless revisions. I had perfected every detail, secured investors on my own time, and built something I knew—deep down—was a game-changer.
I could already imagine the praise. The promotion. Maybe even the chance to lead a bigger team.
A small smile crept onto my face as I knocked on the door.
“Come in,” my boss’s gruff voice called out.
The smile vanished the second I stepped inside.
Mr. Thornton wasn’t alone.
Callie sat beside him, her hands folded neatly in her lap, posture flawless. When her eyes met mine, there was no surprise—only a calm that made my stomach tighten.
“Alice, sit down,” Mr. Thornton said, motioning to the chair across from his desk.
Confused, I obeyed.
What is she doing here?
“I won’t drag this out,” he said, flipping through a stack of papers. “We have an issue. Callie brought something to my attention. The project you submitted last week… wasn’t entirely yours.”
The words didn’t register at first.
“What?” I blinked. “That’s impossible. I’ve been working on it for nearly a year.”
I turned to Callie, disbelief flooding my chest.
“I’m sorry, Alice,” she said softly—too softly. “But that idea was mine. I submitted the proposal two weeks before you. The concept, the details… they’re all mine. I don’t know how you got access to it, but I can’t ignore this.”
My head spun.
“That’s a lie,” I said, my voice shaking. “You weren’t even here when I started. You know that.”
Mr. Thornton leaned forward, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Alice, I reviewed both submissions. Callie’s came in first—with full documentation.”
He paused.
“It appears you copied her work.”
“I didn’t steal anything,” I said, panic rising. “This project is mine. You’ve seen me working on it. You know me.”
Callie tilted her head, pretending sympathy. “I didn’t want things to end this way… but I had no choice.”
“Mr. Thornton, please,” I said. “Let me explain.”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing left to explain,” he said, standing. “Given the circumstances, we’re terminating your employment effective immediately.”
The floor vanished beneath me.
Fired.
Just like that.
“Callie, you may go,” he added.
She stood, offering me a sad smile that felt like a knife, and slipped out. The door closed softly, but the sound thundered in my ears.
“You can’t seriously believe this,” I said. “You know my work.”
“I’m sorry, Alice,” he replied quietly. “The evidence is stacked against you.”
I walked out on unsteady legs, barely aware of where I was going. I locked myself in the bathroom and stared at my reflection—pale, hollow, unrecognizable.
How did she know everything?
Then it hit me.
Harris.
My husband was the only person who had full access to my files.
My hands trembled as I grabbed my bag and went straight home.
Harris had always been attentive. Flowers for no reason. Notes tucked into my bag. My favorite coffee waiting when I got home.
That was why the doubt felt almost unbearable.
But lately, he’d been “working late” more often. Business trips that never quite added up. Questions brushed aside with easy smiles.
“Just busy,” he’d say.
That evening, he was in the shower.
I hated myself for what I did next—but I needed the truth.
I searched his jacket. His briefcase.
Then his phone.
That’s when I found the receipt.
A restaurant I loved. Wine. Lobster. Desserts for two.
On a night he claimed he’d been at the office.
My hands shook as I scrolled further.
Messages. Carefully hidden. Deleted—but not enough.
Callie.
My project.
My husband.
The betrayal cut deep—but I refused to break.
They thought they had ruined me.
They were wrong.
My final day at the office felt unreal.
But I wasn’t there to say goodbye.
I was there to finish what I started.
I organized a farewell gathering myself. Invited everyone. Callie included.
Harris agreed to attend, unaware of what was coming.
Convincing Mr. Thornton took only one sentence.
“There are things I’ll be revealing that could seriously affect your reputation if you’re not present.”
That was enough.
The conference room buzzed with chatter. Drinks clinked. People offered polite smiles and empty wishes.
I stepped forward.
“Before I leave,” I said calmly, “I want to share my final project—the one I’ve been working on for the past year.”
The room quieted.
“Yes,” I continued, “the same project that’s recently been… controversial.”
I paused.
“Today, I’ll present the details no one else could have known.”
I clicked the remote.
Slides filled the screen—designs, timelines, prototypes.
Then the installation itself.
Gasps rippled through the room.
Mr. Thornton sat upright, stunned.
“I’ve been working privately with an investor,” I said, glancing at Callie. “And today, we move forward. Together.”
The investor stood and confirmed it.
“This project proceeds only with Alice.”
Callie’s face drained of color.
But I wasn’t finished.
The lights shifted pink.
A large cake was wheeled in.
On it—Harris and Callie. Together.
Bold letters read: THEY STOLE MY LIFE.
“In case anyone wondered how my work was stolen,” I said, my voice steady, “my husband helped her.”
Silence.
Harris looked like he’d stopped breathing.
Callie couldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.
Mr. Thornton finally spoke. “Alice… I owe you an apology. We’d like you back. With a promotion.”
I smiled.
“No. I’m moving forward—without this place.”
I filed for divorce the next week.
Then I packed my bags.
As the plane lifted off, I felt lighter than I had in years.
They tried to take everything from me.
Instead, they gave me my freedom—and my future.
And this time, no one could steal it.
