#cringy

Mirea placed her pen down slowly. Her gaze was sharp and unwavering. "Y/N," she said, her voice dangerously level. "I asked you to leave me alone. That was the extent of my request. You are now crying in a private meeting room. This is neither professional nor appropriate."

Y/N’s lower lip trembled, and they let out a loud sob.

Mr. Thorne, the CEO, stepped forward, his Italian suit practically radiating arrogance. "Now, look here, Mirea," he interjected, his voice dripping with condescension. "You're clearly upsetting the staff. Y/N is a sensitive soul, and you need to dial back the 'dominance,' or whatever you call it. You're new here, and you need to know your place. We humble people like you when they cause trouble."

Mirea gave a short, dry laugh the kind that makes one wonder if they're the butt of a very bad joke.

"My place?" Mirea stood, gliding to the head of the table. "Mr. Thorne, I believe you are laboring under a grave misapprehension regarding our respective positions."

She opened her sleek, leather briefcase and pulled out a single, embossed letterhead, placing it squarely in front of the CEO.

"My name is Mirea Valerius. And I am not 'new here.' My father is Mayor Valerius, and I am on the City Oversight Committee, which has been reviewing this firm's questionable bid for the new municipal project."

Thorne’s face, which had been smug a second ago, drained of all color, looking like a piece of bleached parchment.

"As for 'humbling' me, Mr. Thorne," Mirea continued, her eyes cold as ice. "I believe your time to humble anyone is officially over. Effective immediately, I am recommending the city terminate all contracts with your firm, pending a full audit of your financial and employment practices. You are fired."

She then turned to Y/N, who had stopped crying and was staring in horror.

"And Y/N," Mirea said with a sigh. "While you are not my employee, you are part of Mr. Thorne’s staff. Since Mr. Thorne no longer has a company to manage, I imagine you, too, are now unemployed."

Y/N stumbled forward, clutching their chest. "But... but Mirea! You're so powerful, so amazing! I was just... I was trying to get your attention. I’ve never met anyone like you. Maybe we could... go out? I can change!"

Mirea did not even spare them a second glance. She gathered her briefcase, dismissing them both with a final, decisive blow.

"I asked you to leave me alone, Y/N. My answer remains the same."

With that, Mirea Valerius walked out, leaving the former CEO and the weeping, rejected assistant standing in the ruins of their careers, thoroughly and completely humbled.