Hid My Identity as the Company Heir

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My parents wanted me to keep a low profile, so they swapped out my Maybach for a used station wagon.

I didn't think much of it until the first day I drove it to work, and my boss snatched the keys right out of my hand.

Thomas, I need to take my girlfriend camping this weekend. Lend me the car. You're single anyway it's not like you're doing anything but sitting at home.

Before I could say a word, he added impatiently:

"Fill up the tank first, and make sure it's clean. Think of it as a chance to make a good impression."

The people around us craned their necks to watch.

Even my girlfriend who didn't know we were together, as far as anyone at work was concerned lowered her voice and nudged me:

"Thomas, don't make things difficult. He's your boss. Just lend him the car and stay on his good side. It'll help you at the end-of-year review."

I almost laughed out loud.

It was my family's company. What review did I need his help with?

I looked at Mark the department director who had been parachuted in from outside.

I kept my patience.

"Mark, this car is a limited edition. If it gets scratched, the parts are almost impossible to source."

"Maybe you could ask one of the other guys?"

Mark rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"It's a beat-up used station wagon. What parts could possibly be hard to find?"

"My new girlfriend has this thing about camping and needs a big car that can haul stuff. Otherwise, who'd bother with your junk."

A few coworkers exchanged glances and tried to smooth things over.

"Come on, Thomas. Director Mark already asked just let him borrow it for a bit."

"Getting face time with the boss is never a bad thing. It's just a car. No need to be so stingy about it."

When I still didn't answer, my girlfriend Aurora gave me a shove.

"Thomas, stop acting up. Director Mark is talking to you. Get moving."

Mark glanced at Aurora, then turned back to me.

"Alright, alright. You look like you can't make up your mind, so clearly being generous isn't in your nature."

"How about this I'm not borrowing your used piece of junk for free. I'll add two points to your performance review at year-end. Consider it me doing something nice for my subordinate."

Used piece of junk. That was rich.

Sure, my dad had phased this car out of his rotation but it cost enough to buy an apartment. Even a single scratch would run more than Mark's entire annual salary.

I was about to refuse when Aurora grabbed Mark's arm and held on.

"Thank you so much, Mark! Thomas just started and he's still learning the ropes."

"Don't worry I'll personally make sure the car is clean and the tank is full before you pick it up."

Mark looked pleased with himself, gave Aurora a pat on the hand, and headed back to his office.

The coworkers around us started laying it on thick.

"Thomas, aren't you going to thank Director Mark?"

"Seriously two performance points for a used car? You're coming out ahead."

Aurora exhaled with relief and came over to link her arm through mine.

"There you go. You've got to be a little smoother about these things especially as a man. Know when to play the game."

"If Mark's happy, things will be a lot easier for both of us around here."

I stepped aside without a word, letting her hand fall.

I glanced at her wrist. She was wearing a couples watch the exact same one as Mark's.

"Aurora," I said. "Are you working late again this weekend?"

Her eyes shifted. She let out a dry laugh.

"Yeah... the company suddenly has this urgent thing. I really do have to go in."

"You know how it is I'm in a good stretch right now and I need to push."

I watched Mark's back as he walked away, and smiled to myself.

I wanted to see how far her "good stretch" would take her without my help.

Monday morning, I was jolted awake by Mark calling my phone.

"Thomas! Get your ass down to the lobby right now!"

"Come see what your piece of crap car has done to me!"

I took my time. Got up, washed my face, got dressed.

By the time I got downstairs, Mark was standing next to the car with his hands on his hips, a crowd of coworkers gathered around him.

I walked a full circle around the vehicle. The front bumper was caved in. One headlight was in pieces on the ground. The whole body was splattered with mud. The window had been left open, and inside there was a smell I couldn't quite name and a few used condoms sitting right there on the floor mat, out in the open.

Mark saw me coming and immediately jabbed his finger at my face.

"Thomas, what is wrong with this car?"

"I was driving just fine and the brakes suddenly gave out! I went straight into a tree!"

"You scared me half to death and I want compensation for the emotional distress!"

He caught himself mid-sentence.

Aurora, standing off to the side, chimed in to pile on.

"Thomas, how could you lend the boss a car with a safety defect?"

"What if something had seriously happened to Director Mark? Could you even take responsibility for that?"

This car had carbon-ceramic brakes a limited-edition spec. And he was telling me they failed?

I fired back directly.

"Director Mark, I never agreed to lend you this car. I'm guessing Aurora took the keys without telling me, didn't she?"

"But since the car's already damaged, shouldn't we talk about repair costs?"

Mark's voice went up an octave.

"You're asking ME for repair costs?"

"Have you lost your mind?"

The coworkers around us started whispering.

"Thomas, you're way out of line. The director drove your car that's him giving you the time of day."

"Exactly. It's a secondhand car, it's not worth anything. If it breaks, it breaks. Move on."

I almost laughed.

This car was a limited-edition custom order my dad placed overseas. It cost five million dollars. My dad only changed the exterior so I could blend in at work.

And these people were calling it a no-name secondhand car.

Then Mark reached into his pocket and pulled out two bills. He flicked them at me like he was tipping a busboy.

"Two hundred bucks. That's more than enough to fix that heap of junk."

"Keep the change. Call it a bonus."

The bills drifted to the ground. Aurora scrambled to pick them up and pressed them into my hand.

"Thomas, let it go. The director already paid you. What more do you want?"

"We all work together don't make a big deal out of nothing. It makes you look petty."

I turned around and threw the money back at her.

"Director Mark," I said, "one headlight on this car costs a hundred and eighty thousand dollars."

"The front bumper replacement is another two hundred thousand. Add depreciation this accident runs at least six hundred thousand total."

"How would you like to pay?"

Silence.

Then the whole crowd burst out laughing.

Mark stared at me like I'd lost my mind. "Thomas, are you seriously trying to scam me?"

"This random used station wagon and you want six hundred grand? What are you smoking?"

"Fine. If you can prove this car costs six hundred thousand to fix, I'll not only pay you I'll get down on my knees and call you Grandpa, right here in front of everyone."

I let the corner of my mouth lift, pulled out my phone, and sent the damage photos to the overseas dealership.

"Good. You said it."

"Director Mark, don't come crying to me later."

Back in the office, Mark called an immediate department meeting.

One agenda item only: workplace conduct.

"Certain employees," he announced, "have their minds on everything except their work. All they think about is how to cheat and extort their superiors."

"This department has zero tolerance for that kind of behavior."

"As a consequence, I'm moving Thomas's project over to Aurora effective immediately."

"Aurora has been performing exceptionally well putting in extra hours, showing real initiative. She's got potential."

The room stirred.

That project was a major account I'd been working for three months. We were weeks away from signing. Handing it over now was the same as giving away everything I'd built.

Aurora stood up without a hint of humility.

"Thank you for the trust, Director Mark. I won't let you down."

She turned to me. "Thomas, don't be discouraged. Even though the project is mine now, you're still welcome to help with some of the smaller tasks."

"After all, we're... colleagues."

She paused just long enough to imply something more.

As if I'd ever want to go public with her. Did she actually think I was proud of this?

Looking back, keeping things quiet was the right call.

A woman like that my family, the Edwards family was better off not knowing she existed.

Mark saw I wasn't fighting back and pushed harder.

"Also, given Thomas's attitude and conduct issues, his year-end bonus is canceled entirely."

"In addition, a formal written warning will be issued company-wide. This goes on record."

"If anyone disagrees, you're welcome to hand in your resignation right now."

The coworkers who'd been jealous of me for months looked over with barely concealed satisfaction.

No one spoke up. They were all waiting to watch me slink out.

I didn't flinch. I pulled out a vehicle accident liability form.

"Fine. I'll drop the project."

"All I need is a signed acknowledgment that the car damage was caused by you. Once I have that, I won't even involve the police."

Mark picked up the form and skimmed it.

"Thomas, who do you think you're threatening?"

"Call the cops? Go ahead. You think they'll actually arrest me?"

But Aurora grabbed the pen before he could even finish.

Her head was full of the commission she was about to earn, the promotion she could already taste.

"I'll sign!"

"Thomas is just throwing one last fit. Like this project can't run without him."

She scrawled her name across the form in quick, decisive strokes.

Then, helpfully, she passed the pen to Mark.

"Sign it too. Let him give up for good."

"This project is going to be the centerpiece of this department and it'll have nothing to do with Thomas."

Mark loved being fawned over. He took the pen without hesitation.

"Fine. You want the formalities? I'll give you the formalities."

"It's just a used car. The damage is a thousand dollars at most. But once this deal closes, I won't just be a director anymore."

I watched these two practically trip over themselves to hand me the project transfer form. I signed it with a smile.

These two confident idiots.

I couldn't wait for the day my dad the company's CEO came in for his inspection.

I wanted to see how they planned to present a project they couldn't even open.

Over the next few days, the two of them ran themselves ragged trying to prepare. They were too busy to bother harassing me.

And on the morning of the CEO's visit, the vehicle damage assessment landed in my inbox.

Mark summoned me with his usual arrogance.

"Thomas, go get everyone coffee. I want an iced Americano. Figure out the rest yourself."

"And stay outside once you're done. A meeting at this level isn't for someone like you."

Aurora, smoothing out the blazer she'd bought new for the occasion, added sweetly:

"Thomas, be good. Stop sulking."

"Once I close this deal, I'll throw you two hundred bucks as a reward."

I looked at these two clowns and gave a slow nod.

"Sure. Though I'd skip the coffee I have a feeling you won't be in the mood to drink it."

Mark frowned and started to say something. Then the receptionist burst in, flustered.

"Mark! The CEO is here! He's already in the elevator!"

Mark's expression flipped instantly. A wide, eager smile spread across his face.

"Move! Aurora, get the presentation ready. We need to make a strong impression."

"Thomas get to the storage room and stay there. Don't let the CEO see you looking like that. You'll embarrass the whole department."

Aurora gave me a shove toward the corner.

I laughed quietly and walked straight into the control room beside the conference room.

The meeting began. Aurora opened her laptop with full confidence and connected to the projector.

"Mr. Phillips, and distinguished leadership I'll now walk you through the core project strategy."

The screen lit up.

A giant exclamation mark appeared.

File encrypted. Please enter password.

Aurora froze. She clicked frantically, sweat breaking out across her forehead.

"What... what's going on? It was fine yesterday..."

Under the table, Mark kicked her hard. "The password! Type the password!"

Aurora's hands were shaking.

"I don't know the password! Thomas built this file!"

"But I could open it yesterday when I was reviewing the presentation why won't it open now?"

The air in the conference room turned heavy.

My dad's expression went cold.

"This is what you call being prepared?"

"You can't even open your own presentation. Do you think this company is a playground?"

"If this deal falls through, whoever is responsible will be personally liable for tens of millions in penalties."

Mark went white. He jumped to his feet and immediately pointed the blame.

"Mr. Phillips! This is all that employee Thomas's doing!"

"He's jealous of Aurora's abilities. He deliberately locked the file to sabotage us!"

"I'll fire him immediately!"

My dad raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh? Is that so?"

"In that case, bring this Thomas in."

"I'd like to see for myself who gave him the nerve."

Mark thought the CEO was going to back him up. He lit up.

He shouted toward the door. "Thomas! Get in here!"

"Come in here and explain what the hell you've done!"

The conference room door opened slowly.

Every eye in the room turned.

I walked in holding the vehicle damage report, set a cup of tea in front of my dad, and said:

"Dad. Have some tea. Take a breath."