Chapter 3

The next day at work, I submitted my annual leave request. I'd been with the company for eight years and hadn't taken a single day of annual leave.

When I submitted the request, Brandon looked at me. "What's the meaning of this, Alex? I just started, and you want to take time off? Are you deliberately trying to go against me?"

"Director Brandon, you're overreacting. Under your leadership, I'm sure we'll turn things around. I haven't had a break in so many years, I just can't take it anymore. I plan to take some annual leave to truly relax and recover. My body can't handle it."

He sized me up, his eyes full of disdain. "Right, I suppose you do have to service all those big clients. People over thirty certainly can't keep up."

His words had a hidden meaning, I knew. He was implying I'd used improper methods to land those clients.

Once people form a prejudice, it's hard to change their minds.

But for now, I wouldn't explain myself further. Brandon still signed it.

"Remember the end-of-month evaluation! If you don't meet it, your base salary will be docked!"

"Fail for three consecutive months, and you'll be packing your bags and out the door!"

"Understood. Don't worry, I'm not leaving."

Because the ones leaving would have to be them!

After completing the paperwork, I packed my things and started my vacation. First stop: the state capital. Today was the day of the show I'd been waiting for; I couldn't miss it.

Two hours later, as soon as I got off the high-speed train, Leo sent me a message: "Alex, the Luminar Group contract is finalized, and Victoria says the credit for this achievement will go to Brandon."

"By the end of the year, they're going to push for Brandon to be the head of the sales department. That way, Victoria herself can get another promotion!"

"The nerve! Are you just going to let them get away with it?"

"Not yet. They can't handle it. Just wait!"

I sent that message and smiled. Renewing the Luminar contract wasn't something you could just achieve by wining and dining.

I ignored it, put my phone on silent, and sat in the auditorium, looking at the stage just a meter away. I felt incredibly excited.

My emotions ebbed and flowed with the play, laughing at times, crying at others.

Two hours later, I walked out of the auditorium, pulled out my phone, and saw over a hundred missed calls and countless company chat messages.

The most recent one was from Victoria, sent just moments ago.

"Alex, Mr. Miller from Luminar Group says there's a problem with the contract, and they're backing out! The direct loss is over $3 billion! You can expect to be fired!"

I scoffed, and simply replied, "The contract was handed over to Brandon. If he can't handle it, am I supposed to take the blame?"

"Manager Victoria, if you want to fire me, remember to give me my severance."

After sending it, I shoved my phone back into my pocket. Even Leo couldn't reach me.

I wandered around, eating and shopping, and the constant stream of messages on my phone gave me a pretty good idea of what was happening.

After I left, Brandon decided to "build rapport" with the major client and went to Luminar Group, bringing gifts.

He ran into Mr. Miller, who, upon learning he was the new director, asked a few technical questions. Brandon couldn't answer a single one. Mr. Miller felt the company was unprofessional and insisted on an on-site visit.

I'd personally taken him to that site 800 times. Brandon had never been there. When they arrived, they happened to find a machine broken.

Brandon told an engineer to come fix it.

But no one could fix the new machine. Whenever there was a problem, I was the one who called in my contacts to repair it.

Brandon used this as an excuse, claiming I had deliberately sabotaged the machine.

Mr. Miller immediately declared that our company was a fraud and he wouldn't renew the contract.

Not only had Brandon botched the contract, costing the company $3 billion, but Mr. Miller also ridiculed Brandon, and it even reached Mr. Sterling, the old chairman.

Just then, Leo called. "Alex, you need to come back! They're about to call the police, saying you committed malicious fraud!"