Chapter 2

In a certain sense, Rachel wasn't wrong.

The group wasn't mine. But without me, there would be no Tenglong Technology as it stood today.

"Even a condemned man gets to bow his head first. You have to give Director Simmons a chance to explain herself."

Nigel's smile never reached his eyes, the mockery riding under every word.

"Before Chairman Lawrence left, I asked him directly. Anything to do with R&D, he's leaving entirely in my hands."

"I know you don't trust me, Director Simmons. But I have the authorization agreement right here, signed by his own hand."

Nigel picked up a document envelope from the tea table and held it out to me.

"Open it. Take a look."

I didn't lift a hand. The doubt sat in me, and I asked it plainly.

"Vice President Donaldson, what is this whole performance really about today? Just say it."

I'd spent years in R&D. It wasn't as if no one had ever raised complaints about me.

Contracts like the ones in Rachel's hands, and no end of anonymous reports, had always been buried by the chairman long before they ever reached me.

Whether this authorization agreement was real or forged, I had no interest in digging into it.

"It seems Director Simmons still doesn't grasp her own mistakes. Rachel, show her all the evidence."

Nigel didn't rise to it. He set the envelope down and went back to his tea.

Rachel gave a cold snort, tossed aside the contracts she'd been holding, and stepped out the door.

She came back before long, a thick stack of documents in her hands.

She slammed them down in front of me and looked down at me from where she stood.

"I told you in your interview, I have a sharp eye for financial figures. These are all your holes."

"Add up everything siphoned out of R&D over these past few years, and it's enough to put you away for twenty."

"The evidence is airtight. What do you have left to say?"

I had nothing to explain, and I didn't look at the documents.

Facing the two of them trading lines back and forth, I took out my phone and called Chairman Lawrence.

It rang twice, then he hung up.

"Calling Chairman Lawrence, are you? He can't be bothered with you right now."

Rachel sat down beside Nigel and crossed her legs.

"If Director Simmons still refuses to see sense, then I'll have to call the police."

I ignored her and called Chairman Lawrence again.

But this time, too, the line was cut.

I had my suspicions, though I still needed more to confirm them.

"Then call the police. And I'm formally notifying you, Vice President Donaldson. I resign."

With that, I rose and left under the two of them's stunned stares.

On the way back to my office, I passed a lot of familiar old faces.

But now they not only shied from me like I was poison, they didn't bother hiding their sneering talk.

"Never would've guessed! Such a beautiful woman, with a devil's heart."

"So tell me, how do you all think Edith Simmons made R&D director in the first place, hm?"

"You really shouldn't be saying that—"

"Afraid of what? Chairman Lawrence isn't even here today. Can't you read what that means?"

Back in my office, I sat down in my custom ergonomic chair and called Richard Lawrence for the third time.

He hung up again.

After a long silence, I called R&D.

"Pack up all the data and files. It's time for us to go."