Chapter: 173

Upon her arrival at the office, Megan greeted her with thinly veiled disdain.

“Oh, look who's here-the heiress. Didn't you resign? What happened, too penniless to stay away?"

With a smirk, Ashley raised her hand and sharply slapped Megan across the face.

Megan covered her cheek in shock, hesitating briefly before attempting to retaliate.

"Bitch, how dare you hit me!" Megan seethed.

Ashley seized Megan's wrist firmly. "You're the one who's the bitch here. If you think you can take me on, think again!"

Ashley had slipped into a chic new ensemble, sporting the latest trends and even clutching a limited edition handbag.

These details boosted her confidence. With a forceful push, she sent Megan tumbling to the floor.

Ashley sneered, casting a cold glance at the coworkers who seemed poised to intervene. "Go fetch the manager if you feel like it. Let's see who he sides with-you or me!"

Just then, the manager stepped out and immediately scolded them.

"Enough of this! If anyone here prefers not to work, they can meet me and resign on the spot."

Turning to Ashley, he spoke, his tone soft. “Ashley, come to my office. We have a project to discuss."

The manager's sudden deference toward Ashley caught everyone off guard.

Megan, burning with the urge to complain, watched as Ashley, heels clicking confidently, entered the office. Jealousy contorted Megan's features. "She's definitely using her charms on the manager!"

Megan got to her feet, bitterness surging through her as_ she attempted to garner support from her colleagues. Yet, no one stood by her.

The employees at the subsidiary were all veterans of the corporate ladder, having honed their skills over numerous years. The initial lesson they learned was to evaluate every situation with caution.

Ashley was quick to leave the office, exiting with a confident grin and a file in her hand.

The new project, secured through Miguel's networking, was the kind many smaller firms would covet.

This project represented a golden chance for anyone involved.

The manager's demeanor toward Ashley shifted dramatically, turning fully supportive, which left her feeling deeply gratified.

Before departing, she took a moment to single out the colleagues who had made her work life difficult.

Her message was unmistakable. She expected the manager to burden them with demanding assignments, keeping them too occupied to meddle further, and perhaps even to work them tirelessly into the evening.

The manager was more than willing to comply with her proposal, seeing it as a chance to curry favor with Ashley by leveraging those who had antagonized her.

With a forceful slam of the file on her desk, Ashley's actions resounded throughout the room.