Chapter 3

Every seat around the round table was filled with unfamiliar faces. Those of us who'd been with the company for years were seated in chairs lined up outside the main conference table.

Neal Chapman, the CFO, was the first to crack. He stood up and said, "Daniel, as the CFO, don't I even get a seat at the main table? Since when do I not get a say at board meetings?"

Daniel waved him off, signaling him to be patient. Then, he walked over and sat down in the head chair.

The moment his backside touched the seat, the chair collapsed with a crack, and he fell flat on his face.

The other colleagues quickly helped him up and swapped in a sturdier chair.

"Alright, stop your fussing. It's just a little hiccup, nothing to worry about! Eloise, pull out the prospectus and print ten copies for the new board members."

I pressed my lips together and connected my computer to the printer.

Ten copies came out, but they were all gibberish.

The expressions on the new board members' faces were a sight to behold.

"Eloise, are you doing this on purpose? Where are the documents?" Daniel demanded.

"Daniel, the files look fine on my computer. I don't know why they come out garbled."

"Print it from my computer instead!" he said through gritted teeth.

Then, he stood up and accidentally knocked over the mug beside him, spilling coffee all over the computer.

The screen went black. It was completely dead.

"Use the projector!" he roared.

But the moment the projector turned on, his expression changed dramatically. He clutched his stomach and let out a few awkward, muffled groans.

"S-Sorry! I'm going to have to pause the meeting for a moment. I'll be right back."

He was gone for three hours.

When he returned, his face was ashen. He was in so much pain that he lay slumped over the table and didn't pay attention to the meeting at all.

The new board members, on the other hand, nodded frequently with all the seriousness in the world.

Only I could hear the ceiling light whisper to me, "They could nod all they want. But three of them are playing games, two are listening to music with headphones, and one is secretly checking stocks!"

I rambled through my presentations.

Daniel barely managed to prop himself up and said weakly, "Now then, I'd like to announce the personnel changes following the company's public listing. For the company's better development, certain long-time employees will need to have their positions optimized.

"Neal, you're being transferred to logistics. Joseph Hooper, you're being reassigned to the janitorial team. Our newly recruited top talent will be stepping into your old management roles."

All hell broke loose in the conference room.

"Daniel, I've been working for you for over a decade, and you're putting me in charge of cleaning toilets?"

"Even if you're going to burn the bridge, you don't do it like this!"

"Security? I'm going from technical supervisor to running the security team?"

Clutching his stomach, Daniel said in a weak but ruthless voice, "You're not seeing the big picture. The company's facing bigger challenges now that we're going public, and your skills and credentials just aren't cutting it anymore.

"I hired this new team at a premium for the company's own good. You're not being fired, but reassigned. So, you're still getting paid. What, you think cleaning the toilets is beneath you? You think security isn't important? You're all still contributing to the company!"

I chuckled and said mockingly, "I'm afraid that once the new team gets us through the transition, we'll be completely pushed out."

"Eloise! Quit trying to pit us against each other! I've been meaning to call you out for ages! You show up late every day, do nothing useful, and just coast on a fat paycheck.

"For old times' sake, I found spots for everyone else. But you? You're fired the moment we go public. The company appreciates everything you've done, but we've got no use for you going forward," Daniel barked.

Even though I'd mentally prepared for this, watching him discard me like trash still stung.

However, the other veteran employees couldn't take it. Their outcries nearly lifted the roof off the room.

Daniel shouted toward the doorway, "Anyone else who speaks up can get the hell out with Eloise!"

At this, any last bit of sympathy I had left vanished entirely.