Chapter 3

The executive office door slammed shut with a bang that echoed through the building.

Downstairs, colleagues exchanged worried glances.

A few colleagues who Derek had previously given a hard time, and who I sometimes talked to, sent me messages on SnapChat, advising me to let it go, saying jobs were hard to find now, and since I had a child, I should apologize to Derek.

Why should I apologize?

Yes, I was on maternity leave and divorced, and it was only two months ago that I transferred to the procurement department after my leave ended.

But ever since I took over R&D project procurement, I realized it was a complete mess.

When I first started, they took advantage of my inexperience, even including toilet paper for the department's restrooms in their purchase orders. I got yelled at a lot for it.

Later, they would cite the urgency of R&D projects and ask me to front the money for purchases.

At first, they were polite, playing on my emotions.

"Ava, this project is really urgent, we just need this one thing. Could you help us out and pay for it? We'll reimburse you from the R&D petty cash next month after I sign off."

My heart softened, and I believed them. After all, why would a dignified R&D Director make things difficult for a divorced mom raising a child?

But when I took the reimbursement receipts to him for a signature, he refused to acknowledge the money I'd paid out of pocket.

After several attempts, I finally saw his true colors.

Later, when people from his department asked me to front funds, I flat-out refused.

Then he started threatening me subtly with performance reviews.

"Ava, raising a kid on your own must be tough financially, right? Work hard, and I'll put in a good word for you with Mr. Stone for a promotion and raise."

"But if the project is delayed, don't say I didn't warn you. Pay out of pocket when needed, and you won't lose a penny once the project funds are in."

He said it nicely, but he still hasn't reimbursed me for even a mere three hundred bucks worth of consumables.

Just yesterday, I went to him again for reimbursement. He not only cursed at me in front of the entire office but also turned around and accused me of trying to seduce him.

"You were the one who eagerly volunteered to pay for me, right?"

"I felt your intentions weren't pure back then, but for the project, I just put up with it."

"But you? Always looking for shortcuts, if you put the same effort you put into pestering me for three or five hundred bucks into your work, maybe you wouldn't have gotten divorced right after having a baby?"

I trembled with rage.

I couldn't believe a supposedly dignified R&D Director could be so utterly shameless.

As of today, I've paid over ten thousand dollars for the R&D department, even some paid for with my credit card. And my salary was cut in half because he reassigned me after my maternity leave.

I'm at that age with elderly parents and young children to support. My child's baby formula was almost empty, my mortgage was three months overdue, and if I didn't get that money, my whole family would starve.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.

Overnight, I reviewed all historical purchasing contracts and organized a list of procurement items handled by Derek for R&D projects.

It was shocking. The contracts and invoices clearly showed exorbitant overpricing everywhere.

Even many materials were replaced with cheaper substitutes.

I then compared the delivery details against the purchase records. It turned out the R&D project was far more corrupt than I had imagined.

Derek thought I was just an ignorant mom, unable to do anything to him. He even spread rumors in the company that I was deliberately pestering him with such tricks because I failed to hook up with him.

So, when he came in this morning, he felt no guilt about owing me money. Instead, he was even more arrogant.

At this moment, his thunderous roars and whining complaints to Mr. Stone echoed from the executive office upstairs.

Everyone whispered, as if waiting for a big show.

And I was waiting too.

Waiting for Derek to blow things up.

Waiting for him to play with fire and dig his own grave.