"This company is mine. I built it with my own money. Clearly, none of you understand the pecking order. Effective immediately, the tech department is dissolved. Bella, you wanted to skip work? Fine. Don't bother coming back. Ever."

I didn't even get a chance to respond.

Blair kicked me and my entire team out of the chat.

Morgan's message arrived seconds later.

"Bella, even though you worked twenty days this month, your unauthorized absence today means your entire monthly salary is forfeited. Don't bother coming in to process paperwork. You're terminated."

I read the message and smiled.

They say HR is just the boss's lapdog.

Well. Next month, I'd be the boss.

I couldn't wait to see who that dog barked for then.

After dissolving the tech department, Blair didn't offer severance. She docked everyone's pay instead.

Guilt gnawed at me. I was about to post something in the tech department's internal group chat when messages started flooding in.

"Boss, who cares if we're disbanded? We're with you no matter what!"

"Director Lambert, with your skills, you could land a job anywhere. Why keep slaving away for Blair White?"

"Forget job hunting—just start your own company!"

Their loyalty hit me square in the chest. I typed back: "This company isn't Blair's alone. Half of it is mine. She doesn't get to fire you without my agreement. Consider yourselves on paid leave—next month's salaries will be deposited as usual."

The chat exploded.

Everyone wanted to know how I planned to turn this around, when the company would finally change hands. But at moments like these, the less I said, the better.

"Soon," I wrote. "When Blair can't sit still anymore and comes begging us to return—that's when we'll know it's working."

The group was still buzzing with excitement when a private message popped up. One of the newer hires.

"Ms. White, Bella Lambert is telling the group chat that half the company belongs to her! She's even promising paid leave to the whole tech department. She must be losing her mind—desperate enough to say anything!"

She recalled the message almost instantly.

Not fast enough.

I'd known for a while that Blair had planted a mole in my team. Now I had a name.

I kicked her from the group without a word. She became the only tech department employee who wasn't "fired."

Lorna had been with me the longest. She knew my situation better than anyone.