Chapter 34
Stella’s face fell in an instant. She threw a panicked glance at Tamara and then snapped, “I didn’t!”
I was done with this drama. At this company, I did have the authority to fire an intern.
Not wanting to talk more to her, I just said, “Go to accounting to settle your pay. You’re done today.”
Her panic flared up. Tamara jumped in, trying to smooth things over. “This is too harsh, Charlene! Stella just speaks her mind. She doesn’t mean any harm.
I gave a faint smile. “You said it yourself. She can’t keep her mouth shut. What happens when she leaks critical project details?” I raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer.
Admittedly, I was targeting Stella. She’d started this whole mess.
Caught off guard, Tamara froze. After a beat, she mumbled, “No, Stella wouldn’t do that.”
“Exactly!” Stella latched onto Tamara’s defense, glaring at me. “You’re twisting my words! I only spoke up because you bullied Tamara!”
1 shrugged and said with a smile, “Fine. Then I’m firing you for incompetence. Any objections?”
Stella’s face flushed beet red. She stared at me hatefully before storming out. Her heels clicked furiously on the floor.
Tamara hurried after her, calling out to her.
Finally, I could focus on the event plan.
Pulling out my phone, I texted Ivan. [The flowers? Thanks, but stop sending them.]
The message from Ivan pinged almost immediately. [You don’t like them?]
[No.] I sent him 150 dollars. My fingers moved quickly over the screen.
He instantly refunded it. [I’ll try something else next time.]
I sighed but didn’t respond. I just put my phone back in my pocket.
Tamara didn’t return all morning.
At the break room at noon, I overheard Tamara comforting Stella.
“It’s okay. Harlan wouldn’t intervene, but he agreed to let you stay for the team activity. Use that time to job hunt,” she said to Stella, trying to reassure her.
My brows lifted because I didn’t expect Harlan to refuse Tamara’s request.
I wondered since when he said no to her. I was surprised, to say the least.
My wheelchair’s squeak alerted them. Stella whirled around, her eyes swollen like walnuts, burning with hatred. She looked like she wanted to tear me apart.
Since she was leaving anyway, she screamed at me, saying, “Are you happy now?!”
“Very,” I said, my smile widening.
Stella’s jaw dropped as she never expected that I would say so. With her eyes bulging, she said through gritted teeth, “No wonder Mr. Shannon doesn’t love you! You deserve it!”
She was trying to hurt me by saying that.
Too bad it didn’t work. I nodded calmly. “True enough.
Her face twisted when she didn’t get the reaction she wanted.
Ignoring her, I turned to leave because I had better things to do.
Busy making money, I didn’t have time to quarrel with her like kids.
But my ignoring her only seemed to fuel her anger. I’d barely taken a few steps when the sound of shattering glass rang out.
I glanced back. There was Stella, her face twisted in rage. At her feet lay a pile of glass shards.
1/2
11:44 AM
Chapter 34
“Clean it up,” I said with a light smile. “Or I’ll deduct your final pay.”
Her screams followed me down the hall. I could hear her all the way to my office.
Now I wondered if the company arranged the team activity Tamara mentioned.
Weirdly, I never caught wind of it.
After all, I always planned company events.
2/2
