The morning hustle in the office of “Grand-Ver” was in full swing. Employees hurried about their business, talking to one another and running from the elevators to their offices. No one paid any attention to the young woman of about twenty-five who calmly entered the lobby and looked around.
“Alright, Anya, it’s time to act,” she whispered under her breath as she adjusted the resume clutched in her hand.
In truth, her name was Anna Belskaya, daughter of Gennady Belsky, one of the largest shareholders of “Grand-Ver,” a company dealing in ecological products and recently launched into the fitness nutrition market. But officially, no one knew this: the documents listed her mother’s surname. She decided to use this fact to get a job without any privileges and to see firsthand how the company functioned from the inside. “My father wants to place me directly on the board of directors, but I need to understand how the company operates at an ordinary employee’s level,” Anna thought as she approached the security desk.
“What is your business?” the security guard asked sharply, raising an eyebrow.
“I have an interview scheduled in the purchasing department. My name is Anna Zhukova,” she replied with a friendly smile.
“Alright, please come in. Sign in at the reception,” the guard nodded.
Anna headed to the elevator, feeling her heart pounding in her chest: “My father is one of the main shareholders of this company, and here I am, just an ordinary job applicant…” But there was no other way: she wanted to uncover the truth about how ordinary employees were treated.
On the fifth floor, she was met by HR manager Irina, who quickly skimmed through her resume:
“Anna Zhukova, right? Your experience is a bit lacking, but you do have a degree in management…”
“Yes, I recently completed my master’s degree and want to develop in the field of procurement,” Anna answered confidently. “I’m ready to learn.”
Irina thoughtfully continued:
“Our purchasing department is quite demanding. The head, Gleb Igorevich Safronov, is a demanding man who likes to do things his own way. But if you can handle it, there’s a chance for growth. Will you give it a try?”
Anna smiled:
“Of course, I will.”
Half an hour later, she was led to Gleb Igorevich—a man of about thirty-five with a haughty look. He glanced over her resume briefly and frowned:
“Your experience is minimal… Well, alright, we’re looking for a junior specialist. Let’s give it a try. Question: are you ready for overtime and irregular hours?”
“Yes, I am,” Anna nodded confidently.
Gleb shrugged indifferently:
“The salary is modest, I warn you right away. There are many projects and little time; you’ll have to work hard. If you agree, come in tomorrow.”
Anna agreed, and he merely waved his hand:
“Go ahead, get registered. That’s all.”
Leaving the office, Anna felt mixed emotions: “It seems Gleb is the typical boss who sees me as nothing more than cheap labor.” But there was no other way—she wanted to find out how the company really treated its employees.
The next day, Anna took a small desk by the window, sat down at an old computer, and began working on spreadsheets. A young woman in a business suit approached her:
“Hi, are you new? I’m Olga, the chief accountant. If you need any help with the accounts, just ask.”
“Thank you,” Anna replied with a smile.
Shortly afterward, a man of about forty with a kindly smirk came over:
“Oh, you’re new? I’m Sergey, in charge of transportation logistics. If you need help, don’t hesitate to ask; if not—well, suit yourself.”
Anna nodded politely, watching the bustle around her. She felt a slight nervousness. An hour later, she decided to ask Gleb Igorevich a question:
“Gleb Igorevich, excuse me, where can I find the archive of old contracts? I need a sample…”
“Figure it out yourself!” he snapped without even looking up from his screen. “They’re in the folders by that wall,” he added casually.
Anna understood: “No one here will train you in detail. You have to figure it out on your own.”
A week later, the first crisis occurred: a supplier missed the deadlines, and clients began to complain. Gleb Igorevich summoned Anna to his office, clearly irritated:
“Why didn’t my assistants keep an eye on the deadlines? You were supposed to call the supplier and take control of the situation!”
“But you didn’t warn me…” she began, feeling embarrassed.
“No time to warn! Handle it yourself. Learn to act quickly,” Gleb barked. “And if you want to stay here, work your mind instead of just waiting for orders!”
Anna suppressed the urge to argue, though inside she was boiling: “Is this really acceptable management? No instructions, then anger when a task isn’t completed?” Still, she pulled herself together, quickly contacted the supplier, negotiated compensation, and solved the problem. Gleb was surprised by her calmness but offered no praise.
One late evening, when Anna was staying late at work, she noticed a familiar figure in the corridor: her father, Gennady Belsky, had come for a board meeting. He glanced at her briefly, smiled with his eyes, but made no sign that they were acquainted. He only quietly asked:
“Everything alright, daughter?”
“Yes, Dad… I’m managing. There are some difficulties, but I’m holding up,” she whispered.
“Excellent. Soon the board will choose a new head for the department. Perhaps I should support you?”
“Not yet,” she shook her head. “I still want to understand how my colleagues think. And please, don’t reveal our secret!”
“Understood,” her father nodded. “Listen, if someone gets too cheeky, we can fire them.”
“No! Don’t interfere. I’ll handle it myself…”
He smiled knowingly, patted her on the shoulder, and left, murmuring, “Well done, proud of you, Anya.”
Time passed, and Anna integrated well with her colleagues; some began to appreciate her work. But Gleb continued to put pressure on her. To him, she remained “a mere assistant who must follow orders without question.” One day, a serious conflict arose between them: Anna suggested improving the procurement process by implementing a new system of electronic requests, but Gleb exploded:
“Who do you think you are, teaching me? I’ve been working at ‘Grand-Ver’ for seven years! And you’re nothing—just a girl with no experience.”
Anna replied calmly:
“But it would increase efficiency. I’ve studied numerous examples…”
“Numerous examples? Your examples are worth nothing!” he dismissed. “Shut up and work as always.”
The colleagues fell silent, watching as the boss “put his subordinate in her place.” Anna felt pain and humiliation. “But I have to endure this if I want to uncover the truth about employee treatment,” she thought.
An internal corporate event celebrating the “5th anniversary of the purchasing department” was approaching, and everyone was invited, though not everyone was enthusiastic about it. Gleb Igorevich haughtily remarked:
“Well, our newbie… may attend if she wishes. Just dress more modestly so as not to stand out.”
Laughter spread. Anna blushed but accepted the invitation:
“Thank you, I’ll be there.”
That evening at the corporate event, the atmosphere was one of drunken merriment. Colleagues were drinking, and Gleb was recounting stories about how he “started at the bottom but climbed up,” and now “inexperienced girls are trying to teach him.” Everyone laughed. Anna, sitting aside, quietly sipped juice and listened. Suddenly, Gleb called out to her loudly:
“Anna, why so quiet? Dreaming of becoming a director?” he said sarcastically.
“No, I’m just listening,” she replied dryly.
He burst into laughter:
“What’s there to listen to? Our firm has managed just fine without people like you. They took you out of pity…”
Anna felt unbearably hurt but held her tongue. She decided it was time to reveal the truth—“enough of being a spectator.” Yet she said nothing immediately.
The following week, members of the “Grand-Ver” board gathered to discuss reforms. Gennady Belsky (Anna’s father) insisted on the need for new approaches, including changes in the purchasing department. Gleb had no idea what was coming. Anna received an invitation from her father: “Come to the meeting, but you may remain incognito until the right moment.”
When the meeting began, Gleb was present as the head of the department. Anna sat in the corner, pretending to work as a stenographer. Suddenly, Gennady requested:
“I would like to introduce a young specialist who has been studying the department’s work from within these past months. Please, Anna Belskaya, come to the podium.”
Everyone turned, including Gleb: “Who is that?” Anna stood up:
“I… I am Anna Belskaya, daughter of Gennady,” she said softly, tossing her hair back. “I worked under the name ‘Anna Zhukova’ in the purchasing department to understand the real situation.”
Gasps and whispers swept through the room. Gleb paled:
“What… you… You are the shareholder’s daughter?!” he stammered. “But why did you hide it?”
“I wanted to see how new employees are treated,” she answered firmly. “To check whether there is arrogance and bureaucracy here.”
The board buzzed. Someone shouted:
“And what did you find out?”
Anna took a deep breath:
“I saw that many employees are professional and kind. But creative ideas are often suppressed. Some managers…” she looked at Gleb, “…humiliate their subordinates just to maintain their authority.”
Gleb grew agitated:
“That’s slander! I… I was merely putting her in her place because she was inexperienced…”
Gennady Belsky interrupted him:
“Enough, Gleb. Our company needs change, not people who oppress newcomers.”
Faces in the room shifted visibly: some were glad to see the arrogant Gleb put in his place, while others feared for their own positions. Anna continued:
“I don’t intend to fire everyone. I only ask for one thing: honest treatment of employees, where new ideas aren’t stifled by personal complexes. ‘Grand-Ver’ can evolve faster if it adopts fresh approaches.”
The board murmured in approval. The formal director of the company nodded:
“I agree. Talented youth must be supported. Changes in the purchasing department are in order…”
Gleb realized he was about to lose his position. He attempted to justify himself:
“I… I didn’t know she was…”
Gennady snorted disapprovingly:
“And if she weren’t the shareholder’s daughter, could you have treated people so poorly? Alas, Gleb, you will have to leave your post,” he addressed the board, “I propose appointing Anna as the deputy head of the department. She will have the opportunity to prove herself professionally.”
Anna lowered her gaze, thinking: “I never aimed for power, but now I can help the company grow.” The meeting ended with applause, and her colleagues congratulated her.
The next day, Anna entered the familiar purchasing department now in her new role as deputy head. Olga, the chief accountant, beamed widely:
“Congratulations, Anna! I always had a feeling you were special, but I could never have imagined… Fantastic!”
“Thank you,” she replied. “But I’m still just ‘plain Anna.’ Let’s work together on improvements.”
The other employees were also happy for her; many saw in her a kind and hardworking colleague. Meanwhile, Gleb Igorevich was packing his things: he had been demoted to an ordinary specialist. He looked bitterly at Anna:
“Well then… You’ve won. I didn’t know you were an heiress. Apologies if I went too far.”
She sighed:
“Gleb, it’s not about being an heiress. Any newcomer would have been treated the same way by you. I hope you understand: without respect for your colleagues, you won’t get far.”
He nodded, lowering his head:
“Yes, lesson learned…”
And he headed for the exit. Anna remained, watching as her colleagues greeted her. Of course, some began to flatter her, but the most important thing was that those who had sincerely supported her before remained true.
That evening, she held a short meeting:
“Friends, there will be no revolutions. Let’s just be more open to new ideas, agreed?” she smiled.
Her words were met with applause. In this way, a new approach was born in the department: the rejection of the “clan system” in favor of collaborative creativity. Anna realized that her experiment had succeeded. She had seen how arrogance functioned and found a way to counter it. Yes, she was the daughter of the company owner, but she had come not to command but to change the work culture for the better.
A few months later, “Grand-Ver” launched a new project focused on eco-friendly supplies, and the purchasing department under Anna’s leadership (after a transitional period) recorded record results. Seeing how she worked on the same level as them, her colleagues began to treat her with respect and trust.
When her father asked, “Well, Nastya, did you manage after all?” she smiled:
“Yes, Dad. It’s gratifying that we were able to change the mindset a bit. But if I had come in with a loud, high status from the start, nothing would have come of it.”
Her father nodded in agreement: “The main thing is that we set an example that in our company, it’s not about positions but about abilities and how you treat people.”
Thus, “the heiress with the secret surname” found her path, ridding the purchasing department of snobbery and proving to everyone that one must not judge a person by their title. After all, true values are revealed when you are seen not as a “high-ranking individual,” but as an equal colleague.