Chapter 4

"Mr. Lawrence, I’ll be there, but not as your employee."

…

The intern, Logan, walked in and took the files.

I followed him out, and he immediately assumed I was trying to steal credit. He stopped me.

"James, this project is extremely important. Mr. Lawrence said I’ll be leading the negotiations, and you’ll assist me. So please don’t overstep."

The moment I heard that, the weight on my shoulders disappeared.

I had been wondering how I was going to distance myself from this project.

It looked like I did not have to do anything at all.

A while later, I deliberately brought it up in the office.

"Helen, I heard this project is a huge deal. The entire management team is paying close attention to it. If it goes well, the intern could get a full‑time position, and senior employees could even get promoted."

My coworkers immediately agreed.

Logan, who sat across from me, did not say anything.

However, his eyes kept darting around.

By the time we were almost off work, he came straight to my desk. "James, you know I’m the person in charge of this project, right?"

I nodded.

He continued, "Then you don’t need to be involved anymore. I’ll tell Mr. Lawrence."

I almost laughed. He had taken the bait exactly as I expected, but I kept my expression furious.

"Logan, what do you mean? Are you messing with me? What happens if something goes wrong later and they blame me for it?"

As I continued pressing the issue, his composure began to crack. Frustrated and irritated, he snapped, "Then what do you expect me to do?"

I smiled.

"Provide me with a written statement confirming that, during my employment with the company, I had no involvement whatsoever in this project. Not the bidding process, the pricing, the proposals, or any related matters.

"Only then can I make sure nobody tries to shift the blame onto me later."

After arguing back and forth for a long time, he finally agreed.

Before leaving work, I had the statement in my hands.

With that, I would not have to worry about anyone coming after me in the future.

For the next few days, Logan worked with the team he assembled, trying to handle the project.

Meanwhile, I focused on preparing for my resignation.

Every day, I took screenshots from the work‑group chats, documenting that I had no involvement with the project.

Finally, my contract expired. I officially resigned.

When I left, many of my coworkers were reluctant to see me go. Some even offered to take me out for dinner.

However, Logan looked completely smug. He thought I had been fired.

Before I left, he walked over to my desk.

I did not need to look at him to know exactly what kind of expression he had.

"James, are you really resigning? Or did you actually get fired? If you ever need anything in the future, you may come to find me. Maybe I can help you out. I do have some connections, you know."

I ignored him and walked straight out of the building.

Things had not ended well between us, but I had to admit that this place had witnessed my growth. Now, it was time to start a new chapter.

The bidding was only three days away. I did not waste a single moment resting. Instead, I used every bit of time I had to prepare.

This was not just about proving them wrong.

It was about proving my own worth, earning the respect, and earning the compensation I deserved.

Soon enough, the day arrived.

I entered the building alongside Company Y’s team. Logan and his team followed closely behind us.

Just before the bidding began, a sudden pain twisted in my stomach. I had no choice but to make a quick trip to the bathroom.

I never crossed paths with them because of that. More importantly, Mr. Lawrence never saw me.

When I returned, the bidding was about to begin.

I dared not look too obviously, but I could still sense the panic written all over Logan’s face beside me.

There were three companies competing for the contract. The first presentation ended quickly. Then, it was Logan’s team’s turn.

That was when Mr. Lawrence and the company president finally arrived, late as always.

The moment Mr. Lawrence stepped through the door, his eyes landed on me. "James, get up there right now. Do you have any idea how it looks for you to be standing with our rival?!"