Chapter 3
"If you can get Mr. Dalton to sign the papers, I'll give you half the company. No, screw it, the whole company is yours!" Melvin said.
The whole place went dead silent.
Everyone was floored by this shocking scene that turned everything upside down.
I glanced at Melvin, still kneeling on the floor, then at Randy, whose face was drained of all color.
I reached into my bag and slowly pulled out a document.
It was the employment contract I'd signed when I joined the company.
The paper was already yellowed with age.
I flashed them a bright, toothy smile.
"Sorry, Mr. Fischer." My voice rang out clearly, reaching everyone in the room. "I'm afraid I can't help you anymore."
Melvin looked up, his eyes bloodshot, looking completely lost and bewildered.
"Why? What do you want? Money? Shares? I'll give you whatever you want!" he cried out.
He was like a gambler who'd gone off the deep end, throwing everything he had on the table in a last, desperate bid.
I shook my head. "I don't want any of it anymore."
I set the old contract down gently on the floor in front of Melvin.
Then I pulled out another document from my bag.
It was brand new, still smelling of fresh ink.
On the cover, a few words embossed in gold caught everyone's eye. "Advanced Partner Employment Agreement, Innova Tech."
My position was written out in bold letters. "Head of Projects, Claera, Innova Tech."
I placed the new contract side by side with the old one for everyone to see.
Old and new, black and white. It was like a silent verdict.
"Because I've already joined Innova Tech," I said.
My words exploded in the silent crowd like a grenade, blowing everyone away.
"What? She's with Innova Tech now?" someone blurted out.
"Holy crap, what a plot twist..." another person muttered.
"No wonder Mr. Dalton wouldn't see anyone. He was waiting for her all along!" someone else exclaimed.
Randy's face turned ashen. Every bit of color vanished in a heartbeat.
He stumbled back, his lips quivering, and he couldn't even get a word out.
Melvin looked like he'd been hit by a bolt from the blue. He just crumpled right there on the floor.
He stared at me in disbelief, then glanced at the partner contract.
His eyes shifted from begging to despair, and finally, to bitter hatred.
"It was you! You're behind all this!" Melvin shouted, his face twisted with rage.
He let out a guttural scream, his features contorted in fury.
"You've been scheming with William from the start! You damn traitor!" he spat.
I smiled. It was a light, untroubled smile, as if nothing could touch me.
I said, "Watch your mouth, Mr. Fischer. You can eat whatever you want, but you can't just throw accusations around.
"You were the ones who kicked me out yourselves. I just found myself a better boss, that's all."
I paused, staring down at him with a smug look. "Oh, and by the way, Mr. Dalton didn't just hire me. He also gave me all the evidence of Summit Group's breach of contract to deal with personally.
"That includes every dirty trick you pulled to land the project, like faked financial reports, rigged bids, and all the incriminating paperwork.
"According to the contract, Summit Group won't get a single penny. And Innova Tech is hitting you with a breach claim for a whopping 300 million dollars."
I added, "Mr. Fischer, looks like the rest of your life is about to get really interesting."
Melvin's eyes bulged in shock, and he couldn't catch his breath. His head slumped to the side, and he collapsed, completely unconscious.
The scene erupted into utter chaos.
Some people rushed over, trying to bring Melvin around by pinching his philtrum, while others were already dialing 911 for an ambulance.
Randy stood there, hollow and broken, like a lifeless statue.
I didn't spare them another glance.
I slipped my new contract back into my bag and turned to leave.
Barbara appeared out of nowhere and stepped right in front of me.
Her makeup was flawless, but her face was now etched with panic and fear.
"Diana, please..." she stammered.
She forced a smile that looked even worse than if she'd just burst into tears.
Barbara said, "Look, I was just following orders, okay? Please don't take it out on me... Didn't we have a good relationship before?"
I looked at her and remembered that day at the company entrance, when she tossed my things aside with that arrogant, condescending expression.
"Get lost," I said coldly.
Barbara's face turned white as a sheet.
I stepped around her and kept walking.
A black Bentley silently rolled up in front of me.
The door opened. A man in a gray cashmere coat got out.
He was tall and graceful, with a cultured vibe and eyes as deep as the sea.
It was none other than William, CEO of Innova Tech.
He walked up to me, slipped off his overcoat, and gently settled it around my shoulders.
The overcoat carried his fresh, woody scent and the lingering warmth of his body.
"Don't catch a cold out here in the snow," William said, his voice soft but full of quiet authority.
All eyes were on us, everyone in the crowd staring.
My old coworkers were staring at me with a blend of awe, envy, and fear, looks I'd never seen from them before.
William seemed oblivious to everyone else. His gaze was locked on me alone.
He reached out and, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, gently tucked a wind-blown strand of hair behind my ear.
William said with a smile, "Come on, Ms. Clayton. We've got plenty of things at the company that need your attention."
I nodded. "Okay, Mr. Dalton."
He opened the car door for me, holding his hand above my head to make sure I didn't hit it as I got in.
Once I was inside, he walked around and got in from the other side.