Chapter 2

The moment the words left my mouth, Norman's face flushed an ugly red. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

For a second, he looked embarrassed before quickly slipping into his usual superior tone. "Heather, I recall you have the next quarter's partnership negotiation with Vantage Corporation coming up. And it's supposed to be discussed over dinner.

"You should give rookies like Andrea more chances to learn. That's how you can train them to avoid mistakes."

I raised an eyebrow and replied, "Sure, but let me make this clear—you're responsible for whatever happens."

He seemed delighted to see me agree so readily, while Andrea practically bounced into his arms in excitement.

"Thank you for trusting me, Mr. Halt. Good thing I don't work under Ms. Walton, or I'd never get a chance to grow."

"Don't mind her," he said. "I see real potential in you, Andrea, so go ahead and handle it as you see fit."

Andrea's snide comments could barely affect me. I gave a cold laugh and shut the door in their faces.

Vantage Corporation was currently the company's largest channel partner. If the partnership fell through, our entire core business would take the hit.

I decided to grant Norman his wish since he had so much faith in Andrea's capabilities. Without me around, I was looking forward to seeing who would clean up the mess she left behind.

However, I'd clearly underestimated her level of incompetence. Andrea had booked the meeting at an incredibly remote farmhouse deep in the mountains. It was inaccessible by any vehicles.

Under the scorching 104-degree Fahrenheit sun, a group of middle-aged executives from Vantage Corporation climbed uphill. The trek nearly took their lives.

Meanwhile, Andrea held a mini fan in her hand. Totally clueless, she spun around, pointed at Frank Townsend—one of the executives—and chirped, "Looks like you've got three spare tires around your waist, mister. You should work out.

"But don't thank me; thank Ms. Walton. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have picked such a great spot."

Frank's expression darkened completely. He remained silent for the rest of the climb.

Dinner was an eye-opening experience for me.

For a business negotiation, Andrea hadn't prepared a single bottle of wine. She had stocked the table with orange juice, sparkling drinks, craft soda… There wasn't even any proper food.

Everyone sat in awkward silence. Even Norman lost his patience and angrily hissed, "What are you doing, Andrea? This is a business meeting, not a picnic!"

Her eyes instantly welled up with tears. She lowered her head and looked at me accusingly. "This is Ms. Walton's deal. She didn't teach me anything, so how would I know what to do?"

Everything suddenly clicked.

Andrea wasn't genuinely slow-witted. She was simply jealous of the high bonus I'd earned last month and wanted to pin the blame on me.

I kept my head down and ate quietly. I had no intention to step in.

Moments later, Frank slammed his fork on the table and glared at me. "Ms. Walton, if it wasn't out of respect for you, Vantage Corporation would've chosen a better partner this quarter."

Before I could respond, Norman shot to his feet, sweating profusely in panic. "Please don't get upset, Mr. Townsend. This is all—"

"Is what?" Frank snapped. "We've known Ms. Walton for years. Your company was never this ridiculous!"

With that, Frank led Vantage Corporation down the mountain without looking back. Norman was left frozen in place.

"I cost you the deal, Ms. Walton," Andrea said, sniffling beside him. "You won't blame me, will you?"

"Shut up!" Norman barked at her, finally losing his temper.

She cried even harder.

…

All three of us were summoned into the office. A senior executive, Robin Tanner, waited inside with a grim expression.

Of course, Norman immediately threw me under the bus. "You knew Andrea had no experience, yet you just watched her mess things up. Did you do that on purpose, Heather?"

"I made it clear that you're responsible for whatever happens, Mr. Halt," I replied evenly. "You insisted on giving the rookie the chance to learn, and I did exactly that. Aren't you satisfied with the result of her growth?"

Norman's lips trembled with anger. "You're twisting the truth!"

Robin's gaze shifted between us before the blame landed perfectly on me. "You're the sales manager, Heather. I'm disappointed that you watched a client walk out without stepping in. Your bonus for this quarter is canceled. Reflect on what you've done!"

Again, I was always the one held accountable, regardless of the truth. Andrea's mistakes were overlooked, and Norman's poor judgment was just a minor slip. Meanwhile, my pay kept shrinking, even though I'd been delivering better results for years.

My heart sank. Whatever hope I'd held for this company finally died.

I said nothing and simply nodded. "I understand, Mr. Tanner."

When I stepped out of the office, I took a deep breath and made a call. "Hello, this is Heather Walton. I'd like to talk when you have time."