A Tycoon’s Cinderella Fairy Tale

At 10 a.m. on Monday, the sound of keyboard typing filled the creative design studio. Everyone was focused on their work. Only Liana Hoffman sat upright, her fingers moving swiftly across the keyboard. Fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead and slid down her cheeks, but she didn’t even bother to wipe them away.

She was just an unremarkable clerk, but she worked harder than anyone else. Coming from the countryside, she had no one to turn to in Shanghai. This job, with its modest salary, was her only source of stability in this strange city.

“Liana Hoffman!” A sharp, sarcastic voice suddenly shattered the tranquility of the office. Valerie Mayhew, the general manager’s secretary, walked over to her desk, wearing ten-centimeter-high heels and swaying her hips. Her meticulously made-up face showed clear impatience. “Bannister wants you to come in right away!”

Liana Hoffman’s heart sank sharply, and her fingertips froze instantly. Serena Banner’s notorious reputation was well-known throughout the company. That playboy, who held the title of general manager, used his wealth to treat the company as a playground for his whims. Many female employees either resigned under pressure from his harassment or endured being forced into inappropriate relationships with him. Valerie Mayhew was the most typical example of this.

Colleagues around her immediately gave her sympathetic and worried looks. Someone secretly gave her a wink, signaling her to be careful. Liana Hoffman clenched the hem of her dress, took a deep breath, and stood up anyway. She couldn’t lose this job, not yet at least.

In the office, Serena Banner sat cross-legged in the boss’s chair, fiddling with a pen in her hand. Her gaze was like a sticky fly, constantly scanning her body, making her feel extremely uncomfortable.

“Banner, did you call for me?” Liana Hoffman tried to keep her voice steady. She lowered her head slightly, avoiding his gaze.

Serena Banner smiled, revealing her greasy yellow teeth, and waved at her. “Come and sit down. Don’t be so formal. Liana, you’ve been with the company for three months now. You’re hardworking and beautiful. It’s a shame to waste your talents just being a clerk.”

Liana Hoffman forced herself to sit down in the chair across from him. As soon as she sat down, she felt a warm hand suddenly resting on the back of her hand. The grip was so strong that she couldn’t pull her hand away. Her body stiffened, her heart pounded wildly, and a sense of disgust spread up her spine.

“I’ve talked to the sales department. I’d like to transfer you there,” Serena Banner said in a deliberately gentle voice, her fingers gently stroking the back of her hand. “Come with me to meet a client tomorrow afternoon. If you perform well, the position will be yours.”

Liana Hoffman bit her lip. Taking advantage of a pause in his speech, she quickly pulled her hand back, pretending to arrange her hair to hide her embarrassment. “Thank you for the promotion, Banner. But… is there anything I need to prepare for meeting with clients?”

A hint of displeasure flashed in Serena Banner’s eyes, but she didn’t show it. Instead, she smiled even more ambiguously. “No need to prepare anything. Just follow me. The location is the Grand Hotel.”

A hotel? Liana Hoffman’s heart skipped a beat, and her alertness surged instantly. But then she thought again: the restaurants in the luxurious Hotel Duomo were public places. No matter how bold Serena Banner might be, she wouldn’t dare act recklessly in front of everyone. Besides, the salary in the sales department was half higher than that of clerks. If she stuck to the rules, maybe she could really seize this opportunity.

“Okay, I’ll be there on time tomorrow.” Liana Hoffman gritted her teeth and agreed.

As soon as she stepped out of the general manager’s office, her colleagues rushed around her, asking her what had happened. Leanna Hoffman tried to calm them down with a smile, saying that Banner wanted to promote her. But seeing their skeptical expressions, she wasn’t entirely sure herself.

The next afternoon, Leanna Hoffman wore a simple white shirt and jeans. She arrived at the Grand Hotel lobby ten minutes early. Serena Banner was already waiting on the sofa. When she saw Leanna, her eyes lit up. She stood up and waved at her, but there wasn’t a single client in sight.

“Banna, where’s the client?” Liana Hoffman asked tentatively.

“Why the hurry? I’ll take you up to see him,” said Serena Banner. Without waiting for a response, she pulled her towards the elevator. The elevator numbers kept rising until it stopped on the eighteenth floor—the guest rooms floor.

Liana Hoffman jerked her hand away from him, her expression turning cold instantly. “Banner, this is the guest area. How could customers be here? What exactly do you want?”

Serena Banner completely dropped her pretenses, revealing a lewd smile. “What client? Liana Hoffman, stop acting innocent. Spend the night with me, and I’ll give you a position in the sales department, a raise—everything you want. You’ve already come to the hotel, so stop acting like some prude.”

“You’re shameless!” Liana Hoffman was so angry that she trembled all over. She turned around and walked away.

Seeing this, Serena Banner immediately reached out to pull her, with such force that it almost broke her arm. Liana Hoffman became furious and slapped him across the face. The loud sound echoed throughout the hallway.

“Do you dare hit me?” Serena Banner covered her face, her eyes filled with fury. “Liana Hoffman, wait till tomorrow. I’ll make sure you lose your job and can never find another one in Shanghai!”

Liana Hoffman didn’t turn around. Gritting her teeth, she rushed out of the hotel. Back in her rental apartment, she stared at the utility bill posted on the wall. She knelt down, and tears finally streamed down her face. She hadn’t done anything wrong. Why was she being treated like this?

Sure enough, when she arrived at the office the next day, a termination letter was on her desk. Leanna Hoffman packed her things without showing any emotion. Her colleagues tried to comfort her, but she held back her tears and said goodbye to everyone.

As she passed Valerie Mayhew’s workstation, Valerie deliberately raised her voice and said sarcastically, “Some people really don’t know how to take kindness. They refuse promotion opportunities and instead go home to face the cold wind. They really deserve it.”

Liana Hoffman clenched her fists, ignoring her completely. Without looking back, she left the company. The sunlight was blinding, yet she felt cold all over. She wondered if there was still any place for her in this city. What she didn’t know was that this humiliating job loss would turn out to be a turning point in her fate.