Chapter 6

I could not tell if Webster was pleased or upset, but I was certain of one thing. He had to be furious.

Of course, it wasn't with me, but with Baxter.

A man like Webster treated time like money, and this mess had wasted his entire afternoon.

That alone was enough to push him past his limit.

"Hello, Mr. Benson. I'm sorry the internal issues at my former company took up your time," I said, keeping my tone polite and low.

"Ms. Andrus, you don't need to apologize." Webster's voice softened. "I've reviewed all your project reports. You're professional, and your work is excellent. I know it wasn't your fault."

"I only need to know one thing," he continued. "What's the current status of my project?

"Can you guarantee it will be delivered on time and at the standard we agreed on?"

That was what he cared about most.

"Yes," I replied.

It was just one word, but I meant every bit of it.

I added, "The plans and data are with me. I can guarantee the final result will be even better than what we originally planned."

There was a short silence on the line.

"Alright. I believe you," Webster said. "But here's the issue. My contract is with your former company.

"You've resigned. I can't continue working with someone who isn't even part of that company anymore."

He tossed the problem straight back to me.

I smiled. "Mr. Benson, you're absolutely right. That's why I have a proposal."

"What proposal?" he asked.

"Cancel your contract with Baxter's company. Then sign a new one with me," I said.

That made him pause. "With you?"

"Yes. Or more precisely, with my new company," I said.

"A new company?" The surprise in his voice was clear.

I said, "Yes. It's already registered. All the paperwork is done.

"The name is Pathward Ventures. The core team is the same group that's been working on your project. I'm bringing them with me."

I said it calmly, as if it were no big deal. But every word hit like a shockwave.

Webster went quiet again, and this time it lasted longer.

He was sharp and was already doing the math in his head.

Walking away from an established company midway through a project just to start with a new one was risky.

But staying with Baxter was worse. A company that drove away its best people and could not keep track of its own project data could not be trusted.

And I was the one who built that 300-million-dollar project from the ground up.

As long as I was in control, it would not fail.

"Your team?" Webster finally spoke up. "Can you guarantee they'll follow you?"

"I can," I answered without hesitation. "I trained Jeffrey and the others myself. We think the same way.

"And more importantly, I can give them what Baxter never could. Respect and the pay they deserve."

"Alright." Webster sounded like he had made his decision. "I'm willing to consider it. But Ms. Andrus, you're overlooking one key issue."

"What is it?" I asked.

"The contract," he said. "My agreement with Baxter's company is legally binding. If I cancel it on my own, I'll have to pay a very large penalty. That's not something I'm willing to do."

He pushed the hardest part back onto me.

If I could not solve that, everything I said meant nothing.

"You don't need to worry about that, Mr. Benson." My voice stayed calm. "I drafted that contract myself. To cover potential risks, I included a Core Personnel clause in the seventeenth attachment."

I paused, making sure every word landed. "It states that if the core project manager—which is me—leaves under unfair circumstances and the project is affected, your company has the right to terminate the contract without paying any penalty.

"On top of that, you have the right to pursue compensation from Baxter's company for any losses you've already suffered."

The line went completely silent.

I could picture Webster staring at his phone, stunned.

No one expected a manager to bury something like that in a contract signed on behalf of her own company.

Most of the time, that clause would sit there and do nothing.

But if they pushed me, it would go off and tear everything apart.

After a long pause, Webster let out a slow, complicated sigh.

Then he laughed, and there was both respect and caution in it. "Ms. Andrus, you're something else. Alright. Let's work together."