Chapter 2

My voice was soft. “What?”

Linda gripped my sleeve tightly. “Ms. Yates said your three-million-dollar bonus this quarter has been transferred to her.

"She’s also ordered that all 32 senior staff on your team be transferred to the Facilities Department to carry out janitorial work.”

My fingernails dug deep into my palm, and I pursed my lips.

Those 32 senior staff members had been with the company since the very beginning.

There was Wayne. Three years ago, he had worked 72 consecutive hours to meet a project deadline and collapsed in the conference room.

He was still undergoing chemotherapy, yet he was always the first one to arrive at the office every morning just to get more work done.

Another employee, Zach, once waited three days at an airport to close a deal with an overseas client. His sincerity had won them over, and he had ultimately secured the contract.

He had just bought a new apartment for himself and his fiancée and hadn’t even taken his honeymoon leave. He worked overtime all the time to keep projects on track.

There was also Leo...

Those 32 employees had brought in countless big accounts and made the company millions.

They had never once bragged. None of them complained or quit. They gave everything they had.

Now, they were being assigned to carry out janitorial work on a woman's whim.

It was beyond ridiculous.

Just then, a loud commotion came from the doorway.

A group of college students in trendy streetwear strolled in, all laughing and chatting.

They plopped down in the seats where Wayne and Zach used to work.

“Wow, this office is amazing!” a blond guy exclaimed before knocking Wayne’s framed photo off the desk.

“Claire’s fiancé is seriously awesome. He’s paying us over ten grand a month and doesn’t even care when we clock in or out. We have total freedom!”

My face turned pale when I heard that.

Just a few weeks ago, my team had worked nonstop for three months to secure a ten-billion-dollar contract.

At the celebration dinner a few days ago, I mustered the courage to ask Harry to give everyone a five-grand raise.

He had slammed his glass down and scowled.

“The company just landed a big deal, but our funds are tight. You all need to understand the situation. How can you demand a raise like that? You think closing a ten-billion deal makes you untouchable? Have you even considered labor costs?”

I believed him and his talk about the company's financial struggles. I believed we couldn’t afford raises.

Now, he was paying these clueless college students who probably couldn’t even read a balance sheet tens of thousands a month.

Was this why he said the company was on a tight budget?

It was one thing to be heartless toward me, but to treat the people who had helped him build his empire like this was unacceptable. Did he even have a conscience?

Wayne carefully picked up the fallen photo of his daughter from the floor.

“Hey, old man.” One of the boys kicked Wayne's chair and sneered. “Pack up your junk and move it. Don’t get in the way. We’re trying to play games here.”

I clenched my fists tightly.

I dialed a number I hadn’t dialed in years, and my voice was ice-cold.

“Mr. Hansen, about your offer to have me lead your company as CEO in Demarcia, I’ll take it, but I have two conditions.”

I stared at the college students tearing up our project files and made sure to enunciate each word clearly.

“First, I’m bringing my entire team with me. All 32 of them, and not one less.

“Second, each of them gets a salary increase of at least five grand.”

The man on the other end laughed with excitement.

“Ms. Wesley, I’ll give every one of them a 50-grand raise. Welcome aboard!”

I turned to Wayne, who still looked upset, and gathered everyone who’d been sent to carry out janitorial work.

After a quick discussion, a few key members and I went to the HR Department.

“Ms. Lewitt, all 32 of us are resigning," I said.