Chapter 3

I picked up Rachel's phone and glanced at it.

Almost everyone was tagging Savannah.

"Ms. Sadler canceled our month-long paid Christmas and New Year holiday! What's going on?"

"End the livestream! Stop running your mouth!"

"Oh, my God. Is it too late for me to rush back to the office now? I don't want to lose a whole month of paid leave!"

"Get back there and apologize to Ms. Sadler! Make her retract the notice!"

"Ms. Sadler would've compensated us if we'd gone to work today, anyway. Now, we've lost all our perks!"

I stared at the messages with a poker face.

The labor inspectors finished taking notes. As they were leaving, one of them reminded me. "We hope your company strictly follows the labor laws going forward."

"We will," I agreed. "We'll follow them to a T."

…

Almost as soon as they were gone, Jeremy showed up with a dark look. He immediately started reprimanding me loudly. "Vi, what you did was way over the line! Sav was just trying to defend her legal rights.

"How could you cancel the month-long paid leave for Christmas and New Year? Do you know how many people that affects? Can you be rational for once?"

Rational? Who was it who was stirring up the employees behind my back to fight the company when I needed help most?

I held up the tablet showing Savannah's livestream and said coldly, "I was just acting in accordance with the law. How is that over the line? Since she knows the law so well, I'll show her what it's like when a company strictly abides by it. If you have a problem with it, you can resign."

Jeremy clearly didn't expect me to respond like that. He froze for a heartbeat. But soon, his expression became even darker. "Don't forget that we're about to get married, Violet! How can you talk to me like that? I'm doing this for the good of the company and for your good!

"Sav is young and hot-headed, nor does she understand the gravity of things. As the boss, how can you stoop to her level? Right now, the internet is full of people cursing you, yet you're adding fuel to the fire. What exactly are you trying to do?"

I sneered. "I'm adding fuel to the fire? And who's been fanning the flames behind my back? Do you think I'm oblivious to the things you said in the group chat, Jeremy? You'll take the heat if anything happens, huh? With what? With my money, or the company's future?"

Jeremy went rigid. He obviously hadn't expected me to know about the group chat. He averted his eyes diffidently and said, "I was just trying to calm everyone down. Don't get me wrong!"

Suddenly, sobbing came from outside the door. Savannah walked in with reddened eyes, her phone aimed at us. The livestream was ongoing.

"Ms. Sadler, I really didn't do anything wrong!" she said through her tears, sounding utterly aggrieved. "I was only protecting my legal rights. You're abusing your authority to force employees to comply—this is a test of obedience that all tyrannical bosses pull!

"Now, you're deliberately sowing discord among employees and making them all hate me. They're all cursing me in the group chat! I'm just a fresh graduate—what did I do wrong?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke, making her look pitiful.

Jeremy immediately stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, his eyes filled with heartache. "Don't cry. This isn't your fault."

He turned to me and barked, "Vi, look what you've driven Sav to! She's a top university graduate with a master's in law—the company is lucky to have her!

"Not only do you owe her an apology, but you also need to promote her two levels as compensation for this incident. Otherwise, the online community won't let this matter slide. The damage to the company will only get worse!"

I watched them, finding the whole situation absurd.

Water was still seeping out of the warehouse, and piles of parts were soaked in muddy water. Equipment worth hundreds of millions of dollars was on the verge of total ruin.

Yet here these two pieces of trash were, putting on a show.

At my silence, Jeremy suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my wrist. "Violet Sadler, apologize to Sav and the viewers now! Make it clear that this is your fault and that you're deliberately making things hard for the employees!"

Savannah immediately pointed her phone right at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "Babes, are you seeing this? Ms. Sadler still won't admit she's wrong. I knew it—this is what all capitalists are like. They bully the weak and fear the strong!"

I struggled to wrest free of Jeremy's grip, but he clamped down hard.

Savannah continued to stir the pot. "Ms. Sadler, just own up to your mistakes if you realize that you're at fault! Look at all the people who are watching you right now. If you don't apologize, the damage to the company's reputation will only get worse!"

Just then, the screech of a car's brakes came from beyond the warehouse door.

A moment later, my childhood friend and Sadler Group's biggest business partner, Isaac Goodwin, strode in quickly. He yelled, "What on earth is going on here?"