The Daughter They Threw AwayChapter 1 The Requirement

The year I applied to the Fortune 500 branch managed by my father, a new stipulation appeared overnight: an English proficiency score of 700.

I scored 699. I was rejected.

One year later, my adopted sister Vanessa breezed through the same process.

At the celebration banquet I hosted for her, David Lambert clapped my father on the shoulder, his face flushed with drink.

"You really spoil your girl, Richard. You knew Vanessa didn't hit the 700 mark, so you just scrapped the rule entirely. Classic."

I forced a smile, though my stomach tightened.

"You're mistaken, Mr. Lambert. When I took the exam last year, I missed the cutoff by a single point. My father doesn't play favorites. Vanessa got in on her own merit."

"Merit?" David scoffed, eyes glassy. "Richard was the one who demanded that rule last year. Specifically for that recruitment cycle."

I turned to my father, shock rooting me in place.

Richard coughed, avoiding my gaze.

"Serena, we're blood relatives. We have to avoid accusations of nepotism. Vanessa is adopted. If I didn't hire her, people would say the Whitmore family mistreats outsiders. Besides, she worked hard. She deserves this."

A bitter taste flooded my mouth.

Nepotism? Fine.

If he wanted to avoid conflicts of interest, then when I audited his company's taxes at year-end, I'd ensure there was absolutely no bias.

Not a shred of mercy.

——

Silence fell over the table like a shroud.

David seemed to realize he'd said too much. He waved dismissively. "I'm talking nonsense. Ignore me, Serena. Don't take it to heart."

I shoved his hand away and fixed my eyes on the man at the head of the table.

"So the clause added last year—you wrote it specifically to block me?"

Richard said nothing.

My mother tugged at my sleeve. "Serena, don't argue with your father."

I wrenched my arm free.

"Why? I scored 699, so you set the bar at 700. You didn't just want to avoid nepotism. You wanted to keep me out."

"I told you! You're my biological daughter!" Richard snapped. "If I hired you, what would people think?"

I stared at him, disbelief warring with rage.

"Dad, avoiding nepotism means not using your power to give unfair advantages! If I wasn't qualified, fine. But I ranked first in the written test and the interview! What suspicion were you avoiding?"