Chapter 1

My fiancée hired a new male assistant, a self-proclaimed good luck charm.

When I landed my first million-dollar project, he claimed it was because he'd been "praying for my success."

When I pulled all-nighters with the team to win a bid, he said it was his good luck that sealed the deal.

When I picked a plot of land that became a billion-dollar resort, he said it was thanks to some ridiculous "lucky charm" he gave me.

After he'd taken credit for all my achievements, HR called me in at the end of the year.

"All of your performance metrics were achieved thanks to Dylan Vance, so we're canceling your year-end bonus."

"And all of your performance bonuses will go to Dylan!"

I'd had enough. I started slacking off, just playing video games at my desk all day.

The 'lucky charm' started to panic. Without me, how could an inexperienced intern like him take credit for anything?

So, during the year-end review meeting, he smashed my computer in front of everyone, trying to throw his weight around.

"If you keep slacking off and accomplishing nothing, I'll have the boss fire you!"

My fiancée chimed in to back him up.

"The company's success is all thanks to Dylan! How dare you not even try when you don't have his luck?"

"If it weren't for the good fortune he brings, this company would've probably gone under by now."

I actually laughed. I spoke into my gaming headset to my dad, who happens to be the President of the company.

"Did you hear that? He's saying he can land projects with just his good luck!"

"If that's the case, let's see if his 'luck' can land the hundred-million-dollar deal at the end of the year!"

***

The company's year-end meeting was underway. Every employee was there, from the management down, except for me.

I was in the middle of a heated team fight at my desk when a colleague walked by.

"Stop playing games. The Vice President is calling us into the meeting. You'll get chewed out in front of everyone if you're late."

"Not going," I said flatly. "What's the point? The company has its lucky charm, Dylan. Hard work doesn't matter anymore."

My colleague was speechless. He knew what happened last time, when I closed a hundred-million-dollar deal only for Dylan to steal the credit with a single sentence.

"It was my prayers that allowed you to land that huge contract."

That was the third time Dylan had stolen credit from me. I was completely done, just playing games on the company's dime.

"You're skipping the meeting to sit here and play games?" My fiancée, Yvonne Sterling, stormed over in her high heels. "You don't even show up for meetings, just slacking off all day. Do you have any ambition at all?"

"Why can't you be more like Dylan? Even though he's a lucky charm, he was there early, focused on the company's future plans!"

I was in the middle of a heated boss raid and didn't even look up. "Sorry, I've got no ambition. He does. So let him handle it."

"Besides, isn't this meeting to honor him? What would I be doing there?"

Yvonne frowned. "He landed a million-dollar contract. Aren't you going to congratulate your colleague?"

The irony was thick. My fingers flew faster across the keyboard as I took down the boss.

"You, of all people, know how many sleepless nights I spent, how many client dinners I endured, drinking myself sick, just to land that contract. And your intern, Dylan, stole all that effort with a single, casual remark."

"And you want me to congratulate him? Congratulate some useless freeloader?"

That infuriated Yvonne. She slammed my laptop shut and dragged me toward the conference room.

"You're going today, whether you like it or not!"

As soon as we entered the conference room, I could hear the Vice President on stage, praising Dylan for bringing good luck to the company.

"The new generation is truly impressive! We have interns landing million-dollar deals now! Everyone in the company should learn from Dylan. He's our lucky charm!"

Seeing me walk in, the VP shot me a contemptuous glance.

"Unlike some people, who spend all day slacking off and playing games! Can't close a deal after half a month, while an intern gets it done with just a few words!"

My coworkers lowered their heads, whispering among themselves. Snippets of their ridicule reached my ears.

"The intern lands a deal with a single sentence. He's been here a year and is less useful than Dylan. What a loser..."

"I heard Manager Sterling is Austin Miller's fiancée, but she's promoting Dylan instead. Shows you how useless Austin is, right?"

I ignored them and found a seat in the corner. Just then, my dad messaged me to help him rank up in our game, so I immediately joined his party.

I was so absorbed in the game that I didn't notice someone tapping my shoulder. When I looked up, the entire conference room was staring at me. Only then did I hear Dylan on stage, pointing his finger at me.

"This company will never move forward with useless deadbeats like Austin on the payroll!"

"Your projects only succeeded because of my 'suggestions.' Otherwise, you'd never have achieved such high performance, would you?"

"I suggest you turn off that game, or today, on behalf of the company, I'll make sure you regret it."

I took off my headphones, completely unfazed.

"And how are you going to do that? You're just an intern. You think you can fire me?"

"Do you even have that authority?"

A murmur went through the crowd. No one expected me to confront Dylan directly, especially since everyone knew Yvonne had his back.

I looked at Yvonne, but her gaze was icy cold.

"What if I'm the one who gave him that authority?"

"The company's success is all thanks to Dylan! How dare you not even try when you don't have his luck?"

"If it weren't for the good fortune he brings, this company would've probably gone under by now."

My expression darkened. I chuckled bitterly into my gaming mic at my dad.

"You hear that? Turns out all the company's deals are signed thanks to an intern's good luck."