Chapter 2The Undercover Heiress And Her Audacious Fake

"Oh, absolutely!" an associate piped up. "Evelyn, you have to let us see it!"

"A seventy-million-dollar lakeside mansion... if I don't see it through you, I'll never set foot on that kind of grass before I die."

Within seconds, half the department swarmed Evelyn’s desk, their faces flushed with eager anticipation.

Evelyn clutched her phone, her knuckles whitening. Her voice wavered just enough for me to catch the tremor. "The interior design... it isn't finished yet. The contractors are still in and out. It’s not really convenient."

"Are you saying we’re too scruffy for your palace?" I pressed softly, leaning forward. "Or is it that the deed doesn't belong to you, and you can't actually unlock the front gates?"

The silence returned, heavier this time. A few people exchanged hesitant glances. Even Simon looked slightly uneasy.

Evelyn hadn't anticipated that her little stunt would corner her so fast.

Just as the panic behind her eyes began to fracture her composed veneer, the frosted glass door of the executive wing clicked open. Brenda, our department director, strolled into the room.

The moment Brenda spotted Evelyn, her stern managerial mask melted into an affectionate beam. She walked straight over and linked her arm through Evelyn's, as though they were lifelong confidantes.

"Evelyn, darling! You arrived and didn't even drop by my office first?" Brenda paused, sensing the room's tense atmosphere. "What's going on here? Is someone giving you trouble?"

Brenda didn't even wait for an answer. Her gaze swept the room and locked onto me like a heat-seeking missile.

"Nora. I know your personal life is stagnant and your husband hasn't managed to make senior track, but that doesn't give you license to drag down someone who shines."

Brenda straightened her posture, raising her voice so every ear could hear. "The Chairman himself asked me to oversee the final walk-through arrangements for Evelyn's estate. I was there. I witnessed the paperwork with my own eyes. Are you calling me a liar?"

She stepped closer, tapping her manicured nails on my desk. "Evelyn is too gracious to make an issue of your insolence. But if you utter another toxic word, I will go straight to HR and have you terminated for workplace harassment."

With the director putting her career on the line to vouch for Evelyn, the scales tipped completely.

"Nora, keep your bitter conspiracies to yourself," someone muttered.

"Nobody doubted Evelyn for a second. Speak for yourself."

Evelyn gave a soft, magnanimous sigh, resting her hand lightly on Brenda’s sleeve. "It’s all right, Brenda. Since you’ve stepped in, I'll treat it as a misunderstanding. Nora, just remember... not everyone in high places is as forgiving as I am."

A masterclass in theater. Brenda had played her part perfectly.

I sat back, allowing the circus to fold around me. Playing the villain against two well-rehearsed frauds in an open office was a waste of breath.

Yet Evelyn’s disciples weren't finished. Someone summarized my "pathetic breakdown" and posted it into the departmental chat. Notifications pinged relentlessly as people tagged me with thinly veiled insults.

Meanwhile, the rest of the chat pleaded with Evelyn for a timeline.

Ten minutes later, Evelyn dropped twelve high-end architectural renderings into the channel—lavish, Scandinavian-minimalist interiors with soaring glass atriums.

Once the finishing touches are completed, Evelyn pinned the message to the top of the board, I will host an exclusive weekend retreat for everyone.

Across the room, I watched Simon discreetly pick up his phone, scan Evelyn’s personal QR code, and send her a private friend request.