My manager called me to a meeting with HR. «Kira, after 15 years, we’re restructuring your position,» she announced smugly. «Clean out your desk by Friday.» I smiled politely and said, «Completely understand.» They had no idea how Monday would be fun…

Board members were calling in remotely. The legal team was frantically reviewing my employment contract and the documentation around the algorithm’s development. They’re pulling every file with your name on it, Miguel reported.

Someone just wheeled in all the servers from the research division for the tech team to analyze. I could picture the scene perfectly. Victor pacing the conference room, demanding explanations from Marjorie and the legal department.

The stock would already be responding to the news. Investors hated uncertainty. And the announcement had created plenty of it.

At 10.45am, I received an email from Victor himself, the desperation practically emanating from my screen. Kira, there appears to be a misunderstanding. Please call me at your earliest convenience to discuss.

I forwarded it to Precision Systems’ legal team without responding. By noon, the industry was buzzing with speculation. TechVantage’s stock had dropped 7% since the market opened, while Precision Systems had seen a 12% increase.

Three different technology journals had requested interviews with me about the strategic coup that had shaken the accounting software industry. How are you feeling, Greg asked, stopping by my office as I settled in. Validated, I replied honestly.

15 years of watching others take credit for my work, of being told I should be grateful just to have a seat at the table. And now, finally, recognition. My new executive assistant appeared at the door.

Dr. Jennings, the development team is ready for you in the main conference room. And… she hesitated. TechVantage’s CEO has called four times in the last hour.

Please let him know I’m in meetings all day, I replied calmly. I’ll have our legal team reach out to discuss licensing options later this week. As I walked toward my first meeting as chief innovation officer, my phone buzzed with another update from Miguel.

Board just called emergency session. Victor looks like he’s about to explode. P.S. My team and I accept your offer.

When can we start? By Tuesday morning, the full impact of my departure had become clear to everyone at TechVantage. Their flagship product, AccountSphere, relied entirely on my algorithm to process the massive datasets that gave it an edge over competitors. Without licensing rights to my patent, they face two equally unpalatable options.

Negotiate with precision systems or rebuild their core technology from scratch. A process that would take years and millions in development costs. Victor has called an all-hands meeting for 2 p.m., Miguel texted.

It was his last day at TechVantage. He and the rest of my former team would be starting at precision systems next Monday. Rumor is they’re going to try to sue you.

I forwarded his message to our legal department, who responded almost immediately. Let them try. Your documentation is impeccable.

Development logs, timestamps, personal equipment usage, all clearly established. We’ve prepared for this scenario. Meanwhile, I was settling into my new role with remarkable ease.

The respect I received at precision systems was a stark contrast to my final years at TechVantage. When I spoke in meetings, people actually listened. My ideas weren’t repackaged by male colleagues and presented as their own.

My age and experience were viewed as assets rather than liabilities. The engineering team is implementing your efficiency improvements, Greg informed me during our afternoon briefing. Early testing shows a 51% performance boost, even better than we projected…