“That’s unfair, Bert. I run the projects that you turn down. It all came down to my ability to close deals with these clients and secure more work for my team.“Ms. Quint isn’t playing favorites when distributing the projects. It’s just about who can get the job done.” Kaze was not going to let Bert get away with slander. Instead of using his energy to argue, he simply told the managers that their lack of competence was to blame. Bert grimaced hard after Kaze challenged him. Even though Kaze excelled at his work, Bert doubted a newly hired manager could land even the most difficult deals. Darcy was probably helping Kaze in secret, or something else was going on. In short, the managers were skeptical of Kaze’s capabilities. There was no way Kaze was capable. “I’m not buying it. We don’t believe that it’s fair. Why aren’t the rest of us getting anything while you have more than you can handle?“We won’t be convinced until you give us a straight answer. What say you, Jordy?
“That’s a good suggestion. While the approach won’t cost the company much, it was a huge risk for you to take.” Darcy shook her head, dismissing the idea. She did not doubt her staff’s abilities, but there had to be a better solution that did not involve a lot of manual labor. Jordy was displeased. He made a compromise, only to be shot down by Darcy. He simply nodded politely, willing to hear Darcy out. “I’m going away on a business trip to meet some of my former business partners. If I can convince them, we might find the answer to our problems.” Sensing the employees’ anxiety, Darcy assured them. If they were willing to wait, Darcy could have their backs and take care of their jobs. Jordy was a little upset at first, but Darcy just said the magic words. “Do you need help, Ms. Quint? We can go with you and help with networking,” Bert said eagerly, trying his luck to get on the business trip. “It’s okay. They are my friends. I’m pretty friendly with them. I can hand
After much thought, Agnes decided to pay Darcy’s office a visit to see if there were any opportunities. Since Kaze was a nuisance to the company, Agnes had to get rid of him. She must be careful not to come on too strong, though. In normal circumstances, Agnes was the type to make sure Kaze was gone once and for all. Agnes had not shown her face around the branch office since upsetting her daughter. This time, she felt anxious, worried that she would not be welcomed. Nevertheless, Agnes understood that she had made her bed. “Hello there, Mrs. Quint.” The receptionists approached Agnes enthusiastically. It had been a while since Agnes last came by. Picking up on the noise outside, Luca emerged in a fluster. She was taken aback to see Agnes. Darcy had been in a foul mood lately, and Luca had a feeling that Agnes was the cause. Still, it was not Luca’s place to ask questions. In fact, Darcy’s sulkiness often had to do with Agnes. Even when Darcy put in all the work
“I honestly feel for your daughter. You’re the mother, but instead of caring for her, you insist on putting her down and using her.” Irene had no idea whether it was her place to make the comment. Agnes might not even take her seriously, but Irene could not keep her thoughts to herself. “I know that you’re looking out for my daughter, but you don’t know her.” Agnes dismissed Irene’s remark as wrong, thinking that Darcy had been playing the victim for sympathy. Irene knew right there and then that her advice was pointless. Agnes was beyond help. “You’ve made your decision, so I’ll let it at that. Your family’s affairs are none of my business anyway. “But from what I know, gender doesn’t matter when it comes to business. It’s all about competence. “I think you should reconsider. Stop favoring your son over your daughter,” Irene said from a place of kindness. It was a shame because Darcy put in a lot of effort in building a relationship with her mother, but the latter never
Agnes assumed that since the Hanbergs were powerful, there would always be a fix to a problem. However, the public jumped at the opportunity to kick the Hanbergs while they were down, eager to tear them down. Sure enough, a marriage alliance was always fragile because no one could predict what would happen next. It was anybody’s guess whether the partnership could last. Agnes smiled and chatted with the other wealthy ladies. Despite her nerves, Agnes did not show her emotions on her face. She knew that Irene was taking a dig at her, but so what? So long as Agnes denied everything, the whole thing would be irrelevant to her. Agnes had gotten into the circle with the help of Irene, so she needed to be on Irene’s good side. Irene’s little antics would not get to Agnes. “Of course, it takes a lot of work to raise a son. My daughter is a breeze. She’s the chairwoman of Quintessential Group. I’d love to meet any potential man for my daughter if you know one.” Agnes took the o
“It’s about the Hanbergs.” Irene could not hide the smile on her face. Agnes was taken aback. “As in Julian of the Hanbergs?“What happened? What did the family get into?” Agnes was curious as to the situation with the Hanbergs. Julian was a decent guy. Sure, he was a little plump and rude, but his family was rich, and that itself was enough for Agnes to cozy up to Julian. Pride was not something that mattered a lot to Agnes as she was only after what she could get out of it. Everything else was expendable. “Weren’t the Hanbergs at the auction too? Word is that they are in a bit of financial trouble. They need a large amount of capital to keep the operations running, or the business might fall.” Irene was forthright about the situation. The news was bound to get out even if Irene kept it a secret. Surely, word would travel to Agnes. “That doesn’t make sense. Didn’t the Hanbergs flaunt their wealth? I recall that they were in the running when the bids went up to billio