President Sterling?
That froze everyone in ce.
“President… Sterling?” River’s voice trembled with disbelief, his face turning ugly,
Vivian’s smile stuck on her face. The MIT kids looked at each other–nobody dared speak.
I heard someone whisper: “She’s… she’s President Sterling?”
River gritted his teeth: “Impossible… how could you be President Sterling?”
I said calmly: “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”
Real confidence neveres from others‘ approval–ites from holding the right cards.
River’s face went ashen, his Adam’s apple bobbing, but then he suddenlyughed–forced and testing:
“President Sterling… which President Sterling exactly? Thispany doesn’t seem to have any Sterling executives.”
He deliberately drew out the words, eyes shing with malice.
I met his probing gaze. River locked eyes with me like he’d caught me in something, looking smug.
“If so… just show us your appointment letter!”
River’s lips curved mockingly, his gaze contemptuous.
I shrugged helplessly: “You’re right, I don’t have an appointment letter.”
River lightly tapped the desk, the sound crisp but casual.
“No executive background, no appointment letter. Jenna, how dare you? Putting on this act at such a majorpany.”
“Is it because your sugar daddy’s backing you up? Looks like you’ve got more than just one!”
River looked at Director Martinez, who’d just called me President Sterling so respectfully, his gaze turning probing
and sleazy.
Vivian followed River’s line of sight to Martinez.
“Jenna, even if you want to show off in front of River, you can’t tell such huge lies.”
“Even if you’re not in personnel files and can’t start work, you don’t need to make up an identity to feed your vanity.”
~ <b>On </b>Mal
<b>57.7</b><b>% </b>
Vivian looked at me with obvious schadenfreude, deliberately stirring up the other students:
“I never heard of any Sterling executives either. This has to be fake.”
“Making your sugar daddy y along with this charade for your ego–aren’t you embarrassed getting exposed?”
I stood quietly, never wavering for a second.
“Enough. You’re all supposed to be MIT students, but you jump to conclusions like idiots.”
“Don’t you have brains? Have you thought about the consequences of these malicious assumptions?”
Director Martinez couldn’t take it anymore.
He’d been watching my expression the whole time, and now the target was clearly on his head.
His face darkened as he swept his gaze over everyone present: “I’ve been with thispany ten years and never seen such disrespectful, baseless usations. President Sterling is the official General Operations Manager appointed by corporate. Her position doesn’t need exining to any of you.”
His voice boomed like thunder, making the registration area shake slightly.
“If you can’t show basic respect, then please leave.”
River’s smile froze, panic shing in his eyes.
Vivian opened her mouth to say something but got silenced by Martinez’s sharp re.
Seeing things calm down slightly, I spoke evenly:
“Everyone here–I don’t need to prove anything to you. But to avoid putting Director Martinez in an awkward position, I suggest we contact corporate headquarters right now to verify.”
Then Martinez called his superior, calmly reporting the situation.
The response came through loud and clear for everyone to hear:
“You don’t know who Jenna Sterling is? Do I really need to exin this to you?”
The voice paused, then continued with obvious irritation:
“Internalpany matters don’t need outsiders questioning them. What the hell are these students doing? Anyone who doesn’t want to work can get the fuck out!”
After hanging up, my voice stayed calm and measured as I looked at River and Vivian with cool certainty:
“Anyone else want to personally call and ask about my position?”
<b>in </b><b>On </b>Me<b>! </b>
<b>58.1</b>%
Chapter <b>7 </b>