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Chapter 3

Author: Perfect Timing
...

Seeing how confidently I spoke, my colleagues exchanged puzzled glances. Only Mark seemed to catch on, his eyes sparking with realization.

I didn't elaborate; I just moved some office supplies to the outer cubicle. My new assigned spot was in the corner of the hall, right next to the storage room and the restroom.

It was a blatant dig from Adeline, but I didn't care. Her time in the office was running out anyway.

I'd cut her slack for so long because of Elliott, figuring she'd be family one day. Not anymore.

Glancing at my phone, I replayed a video my best friend had sent. It showed Elliott and Cheryl locked in a passionate embrace outside a hotel.

A chill ran through me as I chuckled darkly. "Used me to steady the ship, then kick me overboard once it's smooth sailing? But did you ever think one word from me could sink the whole damn thing?"

I pocketed the phone and fired up my computer, using AI to whip up a sloppy self-criticism email for Adeline. Then I submitted my vacation request.

Without waiting for Elliott's approval, I grabbed my bag and headed out.

Adeline didn't care how half-hearted my self-criticism was; she posted it on the intranet and took the opportunity to mock me.

[Some folks ride the company's coattails to a bit of success and forget their place. Let this be your wake-up call, or end up like her.]

I ignored her sarcasm. Back home, I took a relaxing bath and curled up on the sofa to binge-watch TV shows.

This past year, I'd been running around for the Mason Group, working overtime on proposals and market research like it was routine. Now I finally had time to enjoy this rare leisure time.

In the office, Adeline and Cheryl weren't idle. Cheryl snatched up my client files from Mark, clearly aiming to make a splash.

By 8 a.m. the next day, Adeline started boasting in the chat group: [Congratulations to Cheryl Whitfield for securing a $500K order on her first day! Let's aim for even more success ahead!]

Cheryl chimed in with polished platitudes, the pair hyping each other like they'd closed a multimillion-dollar deal.

Mark messaged me privately: [A $500K order? Even my retail deals are bigger than that. I don't know where they get the nerve to brag in the group.]

I texted back with a laugh: [Hey, a win's a win. Let them bask for now.]

Mark: [When is your move, boss? Can't wait to see them crash and burn.]

Adeline's unpopularity was no secret.

Me: [Patience. Let it build a bit more.]

Holding the trump card, I wasn't in a hurry.

In the following days, Adeline posted several more "victory reports" in the group. Cheryl, leveraging the old clients I'd cultivated, secured multiple renewals totaling $50 million.

They dropped all pretense, constantly shading me in the group and tagging me at every opportunity. Little did they know, every client had looped me in first for approval.

Those deals were greenlit by me, and everything was going according to my plan.
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  • Commission Deducted for One Extra Meal   Chapter 10

    ...The clients arrived with contracts, demanding compensation.The total breach penalties amounted to $500 million, but the company lacked the liquidity; paying would still spell doom.After tense negotiations, the board relented, agreeing to compensate the clients with Elliott's founding shares. In one stroke, he was excised from the empire he'd built.Not long after the three were expelled, David bought those shares at half value and publicly transferred them to me.The board, ever opportunistic, unanimously elected me as the new chairman. I accepted without pause, inking a renewed chip deal with David on the spot.The dust settled, relief sweeping the board. The workforce erupted in celebration. They no longer had to worry about the future or job hunting.The only miserable ones were Elliott and Adeline. After being kicked out, they had nowhere to go.Adeline pounded the pavement for work, but her infamous clash with David blackballed her everywhere. Desperate and starving,

  • Commission Deducted for One Extra Meal   Chapter 9

    ...Adeline tumbled out, a disheveled wreck. It was a far cry from her usual haughty strut, almost comical in its pathos.Her eyes locked on me, igniting with desperate hope. "Bessie, help me out here and talk to Mr. Esposito. You can't let us sink!"She grabbed my arm, pleading, "I screwed up, I know. Forgive me this once. I'll never pull that crap again, I swear!"To them, I was the last lifeline, so the fawning made twisted sense.The ruckus drew Elliott charging out. He latched onto me, his eyes misting with feigned emotion. "Bessie, you're here! I knew you'd come through. Sort this out, and I'll propose on the spot. We'll marry, and you'll co-own the company.""Marriage?" I scoffed, yanking free. "Save that sacred thing for Cheryl. She's perfect for that 'prestigious' role."Panic flickered in his eyes, but he wasn't ready to give up. "Is there some misunderstanding? I've always loved you. Cheryl is just a friend from way back. Nothing more!"I let out a hollow laugh, whil

  • Commission Deducted for One Extra Meal   Chapter 8

    ...The video hadn't even finished when Elliott's calls started pouring in. I let them all ring out, chucking my phone aside.In just an hour, he called more than a hundred times and sent dozens of texts.[Bessie, I had no clue about your demotion. I'm sorry it upset you.]I ignored it all, knowing why he was calling. It wasn't because he had realized his mistakes, but because he knew the company was doomed.The massive penalties and the board's pressure could obliterate everything.When I kept ignoring him, he drove around frantically searching for me, even checking my old rental and everywhere I might be.But I'd anticipated this. After briefing David on the plan, I set out on a tour.I went to the cinema and watched a touching romance movie. I visited the park and rode the Ferris wheel alone. Finally, I took a tent to the suburbs for camping and hiking—the place where Elliott and I first met.Back then, he had just started the company, but funding issues nearly shut it down

  • Commission Deducted for One Extra Meal   Chapter 7

    ...What Elliott didn't know was that I'd tipped those clients off.The Mason Group's products were indeed in high demand. Plenty of people were eager to buy them, as owning one meant profit, but that hinged on having the Esposito Group's chips.Sure, the penalties tempted them, but a steady supply was the real prize. They knew short-term gains paled against long-haul wins.One message from me, and they pounced, eager to carve up the carcass.The hits kept coming. More partners bailed via phone, all citing the chip cutoff. If the Masion Group couldn't get chips from the Esposito Group, they'd terminate the partnership.After a dozen rejections, Elliott unraveled. Worse still, the board had gotten wind of it and bombarded his phone with calls."Elliott, you owe us an explanation.""You have half a day to fix this, or your time as chairman is over."The board's pressure and the clients' rejections left him reeling. Beside him, Adeline griped bitterly, "A bunch of fools! When the

  • Commission Deducted for One Extra Meal   Chapter 6

    ..."Sir, these chips won't work," said the production manager grimly. "They're completely incompatible with our products. Forcing them in reduces output by 60%. In the past, this would count as defective goods."He presented the test data to Elliott, who scanned the data and went rigid. No clients would accept products like this."Stop production immediately!" he ordered. "Return these chips if possible."Producing such items was just throwing money away."What do we do now?" Adeline sank into despair, and Cheryl grew tense.The two had, in their rush to oust me and establish authority, made huge concessions on delivery dates and prices during contract negotiations. By tomorrow, they had to deliver a batch of orders worth nearly $10 million.That question struck a nerve. Elliott glared at Adeline like a furious lion.She shrank back, ducking behind Cheryl. Elliott looked at Cheryl with complicated emotions, regretting his decisions."If I'd known Bessie was this important, I

  • Commission Deducted for One Extra Meal   Chapter 5

    ...Elliott furrowed his brow, finally noticing Adeline's pallor. "What's with that look? Is something wrong?"Adeline's voice trembled. "He's in his fifties, right? And he knows Bessie?"Elliott nodded, looking at her wonderingly. "Yeah, Bessie brokered our deal with him. They're close. That's why I held off on bringing Cheryl aboard for so long."Adeline broke down mentally. "I-I met him. He was at the office three days ago."She recounted the whole fiasco, then gritted her teeth. "Bessie knew he was our most important supplier, but she didn't say a peep. She's sabotaging us on purpose!"Elliott froze, then slapped her across the face. "Are you dumb? The Esposito Group is our most vital supplier, and you insulted David like that? Do you understand the situation? Without their chips, we can't produce anything. The deals Cheryl secured? The penalties will bury us!"Adeline clutched her stinging cheek, not daring to utter a sound. She finally realized the gravity of the situation

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