Chapter 3

Monday morning, 9:00 AM.

The branch's main conference room was decorated with banners, flowers, and platters of fresh fruit.

Richard had dressed up in a flashy burgundy suit, his hair slicked back with so much gel it shone.

Today was the mass-signing event with our three biggest clients: Apex Group, Oceanic Trade, and Keystone Tech.

If these three contracts were signed, the branch would meet its annual target ahead of schedule.

Richard would get his promotion, a massive bonus, and a transfer back to headquarters.

Right now, he was standing at the door, rubbing his hands together with a sycophantic smile as he welcomed the client representatives.

"Ah! Mr. Henderson! Mr. Davis! Mr. Bennett! Welcome, welcome! It is an absolute honor to have you all here!"

However, the moment the three executives stepped into the room, they didn't reach out to shake his hand. Instead, they looked around.

"Mr. Miller, where is Charlotte?"

Mr. Henderson of Apex Group frowned, his tone laced with displeasure.

"Charlotte was the one handling our contract renewal. I still have a few details I need to confirm with her."

Richard’s smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before he recovered.

"Oh, Charlotte... she... she wasn't feeling well today and took sick leave. I will be personally hosting today's signing ceremony, and my brilliant assistant, Chloe, will be at your service."

With that, he gently pushed Chloe forward.

Chloe was wearing a tight, low-cut dress today, her face plastered with a sweet, sickening smile.

"Hello, Mr. Henderson. I'm Chloe. You can call me Coco. I've taken over all of Charlotte's responsibilities. Please let me know if you need anything at all."

As she spoke, she leaned in slightly, trying to use her cleavage to grab Mr. Henderson's attention.

But who was Mr. Henderson?

He was a seasoned shark in the business world. He had seen every trick in the book.

He didn't even spare Chloe a glance. His face darkened instantly.

"Sick leave? I saw her post on Snapchat yesterday showing she was working on a business trip. Mr. Miller, are you playing games with me?"

The other two executives chimed in immediately.

"Yes, Charlotte is the only one who knows the exact terms of our contracts. If you replace her with a rookie, who's going to take responsibility if something goes wrong?"

"Get Charlotte in here, or we aren't signing anything."

The atmosphere in the room turned incredibly awkward.

Cold sweat began to bead on Richard's forehead.

He hadn't expected these clients to be so stubborn. They actually refused to sign without Charlotte.

He shot Chloe a frantic look, signaling her to do something.

Chloe grit her teeth, picked up a cup of tea, and offered it to Mr. Henderson.

"Mr. Henderson, please don't be angry. Charlotte... she was actually suspended by the company due to some serious moral misconduct. You have no idea what she's really like behind closed doors..."

*Slam!*

Mr. Henderson slammed his hand on the table, sending the teacup flying. The hot tea splashed all over Chloe's expensive dress.

"Shut up! I know exactly what kind of person Charlotte is! Slandering your own colleague in front of clients? Is this your company's 'culture'?"

Mr. Henderson stood up, grabbed his briefcase, and prepared to leave.

"Mr. Miller, since your company lacks any shred of sincerity, we won't be renewing our contract. We will be re-evaluating our partnership with your firm."

Seeing this, the other two executives stood up to leave as well.

Now, Richard was in a complete panic.

If these three major deals fell through, forget about a promotion—he’d be fired on the spot.

Without even wiping the sweat from his face, he rushed out of the conference room and ran straight to the open office area.

I was sitting at my cluttered desk, casually filing my nails.

"Charlotte Vance! Get your ass in here right now!"

Richard’s roar echoed through the entire office.

I slowly spun my chair around.

"Oh, Mr. Miller. Why so angry? Did the signing not go well?"

Richard was trembling with rage, pointing a finger at my nose.

"Stop playing dumb! Mr. Henderson and the others demanded to see you! Get in there right now and sign those contracts! If you ruin this, I will destroy you!"

I blew the dust off my nails, looking completely innocent.

"Mr. Miller, is your memory failing you? I am currently suspended for 'moral misconduct.' As a 'dirty sinner,' how could I possibly be allowed to see our prestigious clients?"

"Besides, my computer was confiscated, and my proposal was shredded by Chloe. I have nothing. What am I supposed to sign?"

Richard gasped, completely choked by my words.

He looked back toward the conference room. Mr. Henderson and the others were already walking toward the elevator.

"Charlotte Vance! I am not joking with you! If you don't fix this right now, I will report you to the Chairman of the parent company! I'll tell him you're sabotaging our business! And I will sue you for stealing that five million dollars!"

His eyes were bloodshot, looking like a rabid dog cornered in an alley.

"Do you want to keep that five million, or do you want a career? Choose!"

Looking at his pathetic, desperate face, I couldn't help but smile.

Well, you brought this on yourself.

I stood up, brushed the dust off my hands, pulled out my phone, and dialed a number right in front of Richard.

"Hey, Dad. Someone is trying to sue me. Yeah. Okay, I'll wait for you."

I hung up the phone and looked at the utterly bewildered Richard. The smile on my face widened.

"Mr. Miller, you better get all your evidence ready."