Chapter 4The Abused Intern Is The Heiress

The celebration was held in the grand ballroom of the Grand Plaza Hotel downtown.

By the time the guests began to arrive, the venue was fully prepared. The heavy velvet banners, the customized floral arrangements, the seating cards—I had handled every single detail alone the afternoon before.

Tonight was about celebrating the signing of the Vanguard contract. The strategy I had designed was the sole reason they had signed, but tonight, Tina was wearing the designer dress, and Reynold was accepting the corporate toast.

My role was simple: stand in the shadow of the columns, wear the black-and-white service attire, and remain invisible.

I had changed into a simple white button-down shirt and black tailored trousers, my hair pulled back into a neat, tight ponytail. As the music swelled and the room filled with laughter and the clinking of champagne flutes, I stood near the edge of the ballroom, trying to fade into the background.

But Tina wasn't about to let me blend in.

Dressed in a striking red silk dress, a glass of champagne in hand, she cut through the crowd and marched straight toward me. She had a bright, glittering smile on her face—the kind a predator wears when it finally corners its prey.

"Well, look who decided to show up. Fiona," she said, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness as she looked me up and down. "You look very professional. Are you actually here to help, or are you just scanning the room for your next target?"

A few nearby colleagues turned their heads, their interest piqued.

I kept my hands clasped behind my back. "I'm just making sure the registration desk runs smoothly, Tina."

"Oh, the registration desk?" Tina laughed, raising her voice just enough to carry over the ambient music. "I saw you trying to chat up Mr. Herman in the lobby the other day. Did he finally realize you weren't worth his time?"

Several members of the marketing team stopped talking, turning their full attention to us.

My expression remained perfectly still. "Tina, I suggest you keep this professional."

"Professional?" Tina let out a sharp, mocking laugh, turning to the small circle of coworkers gathering around us. "Did you hear that, guys? The intern who tried to sleep her way to the top is lecturing me on professionalism."

She stepped closer, her eyes flashing. "We’ve all seen the pictures. You’ve been throwing yourself at every man in this building, from the warehouse staff to the CEO. What was the plan, Fiona? Hoping a few nights would secure you a permanent contract?"

The whispers started, accompanied by the quiet rustle of people pulling out their phones.

My hands began to tremble slightly, but I stood my ground. "Those photos are completely out of context. We were simply walking to a meeting."

"An intern walking alone with the CEO?" Tina scoffed, her lip curling. "Please. Mr. Herman was just being polite because he’s a gentleman. Did you actually think you could sleep your way into becoming a Herman? Take a look in the mirror, sweetie. You’re not even in the same league."

A few muffled snickers broke out from the crowd.

I took a slow, deep breath. I had stayed silent through the stolen credit, the framed theft, the whispers, and the isolation. I had played by their rules, hoping the truth would eventually surface on its own.

But standing here, in front of the entire company, I realized that some people don't stop until they've completely broken you.

"He is my brother," I said clearly. My voice wasn't loud, but in the sudden quiet of the circle, it carried perfectly. "I am not sleeping with anyone."

The ballroom seemed to drop ten degrees.

Tina froze for a fraction of a second, her glass stopping mid-air. Then, she burst into a loud, hysterical laugh, bending slightly as if she had just heard the funniest joke of her life.

"Your brother?" she gasped, wiping a tear from her eye as she straightened up. "Christian Herman, the sole heir and CEO of Herman Enterprises, is your brother?"

The crowd erupted into murmurs and snickers.

"She's lost her mind."

"That is the most desperate lie I've ever heard."

"Does she think we're stupid?"

I stood in the center of the ring of mocking faces, watching them. No one believed me. The truth, when spoken plainly, was treated as nothing more than a pathetic joke.

Tina’s laughter vanished, replaced by a cold, sharp sneer.

"Fiona, if you're going to lie, at least make it believable," she said, her voice cutting through the chatter. "If Mr. Herman is really your brother, why don't you call him? Let's see if he actually knows who you are."