Chapter 3

At half past eight in the morning at Ascendant Tower's main entrance, it was rush hour, and many people were filing into the building.

I was standing under the tree shade as I checked the evidence gathered yesterday, just as a Bentley loudly screeched to a halt outside the entrance, almost knocking into an intern.

Kevin got off first, wearing an ill-fitting suit, while his hair was slicked back until it gleamed.

He reached out, helping Yvie out of the car.

With her Chanel suit and Birkin bag in hand, she held her head so high that she wasn't looking at the floor.

When an intern brushed against her Birkin bag, she leaped backward, scowling in disdain as she patted the surface of the bag and snapped, "Are you blind?! Can you afford this?!"

Kevin put a hand around her waist as he kicked the intern. "Go away, bum. You can prostitute yourself, but you'd still be unable to afford my girlfriend's bag."

The intern hung his head, teary-eyed as he hurried away, while I fiddled with my phone, taking my time to walk toward them.

Yvie spotted me first, her eyes widening before she burst out laughing.

"Oh, if it isn't Carl Lloyd!" She gave me a once-over. "What, did you really come for that security job? I told you—beg me, and I might ask Kevin to arrange for it. There's no point in showing up here, since they'd see how skinny you are and refuse to hire you."

Kevin saw me too and waved the offer letter at me.

Laughing, he stepped forward and looked down at me. "What, you have the balls to show up? Wasn't yesterday humiliating enough? Do you want more or something? Well, fine—I'm starting work here today, so I'm in a good mood. Now kneel so I won't tell security to throw you out."

Everyone around us paused to look, whispering and pointing at us curiously.

I ignored them and checked my watch.

It was forty minutes past eight.

Joshua said he would be here on time.

In fact, at the very next moment, the glass doors were pushed open from inside, and Joshua stepped out with a handful of senior executives, all of them wearing formal suits.

Another two security guards were there too, holding the ashen-faced Mandy by the arms as they followed Joshua.

As the group of bigwigs marched toward me, everyone around watched as they all bowed to me. "Greetings, board chair."

Suddenly, every whisper stopped, and one could actually hear the wind.

Kevin's smile turned stiff, while Yvie's mouth widened so much that it could fit an egg, as she just couldn't process what was happening.

Eventually, Kevin recovered and was smiling as he offered Joshua a handshake. "M-Mr. King? I'm Kevin Zims. I'm here to start work today. My dad is CEO of Zims Construction, and we've met at a dinner before…"

Joshua never bothered looking Kevin's way as he received a document envelope from his assistant, his voice clear as he spoke.

"I'm hereby announcing two issues. First of all, former HR director Mandy Teller abused her position to manipulate interview scores, take bribes, and issue an offer letter in violation of company policy.

"She is hence terminated with immediate effect, and her misconduct will be reported throughout the industry, and Ascendant will never rehire her. Legal will be handling the details and punishment for her involvement in bribery."

And with that, two security guards dragged Mandy away, even as she kept wailing.

Joshua paused and turned toward the deathly-pale Kevin.

"Secondly, Kevin's offer letter is hereby revoked. He is hence permanently blacklisted by Ascendant Group as well as any subsidiaries and affiliated companies, while any partnership with Zims Construction will cease right away. Any accounts will be frozen as our legal team will pursue Zims Construction's liability for the bribery."

Kevin's knees buckled, and he collapsed in a heap on the floor.