Chapter 2

2

Ignoring Zackary's attempts to stop me, I turned and walked out.

It was almost lunch break anyway. I didn't stay to work overtime like I usually did; I just left the building.

Before lunch was even over, my phone started blowing up with calls from the higher-ups.

In the department group chat, my boss, Vera Sterling, tagged me directly.

"Calvin Reed, get to my office right now!"

I didn't rush. I walked back into the office at the very last minute of the lunch hour.

Aside from Vera, several other department heads were there. It looked like a public execution.

Seeing how calm I was, Vera slammed her hand on the desk.

"Calvin, I've received multiple complaints about you today. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I didn't rush to speak. I just found a chair and sat down.

Before I could open my mouth, Zackary added fuel to the fire.

"Ms. Sterling, look at his attitude. He clearly has no respect for you!"

Vera's face turned red with rage.

"Calvin Reed, show some respect! Don't think your seniority gives you the right to act like this!"

I smiled faintly.

When this company only had a dozen employees, I was the Accounting Manager.

Now that there were over a thousand people, I was still the Accounting Manager.

I carried the same legal risks as the CEO, but my salary was barely higher than the janitor's.

I thought that as the company grew, I would be promoted and given a raise.

Instead, they brought in Vera Sterling as the new CFO.

Vera was the CEO's wife. I had no choice but to endure her.

On her first day, she asked me to reimburse her for a new LV bag.

She didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

"What's with that look? My husband owns this company. He let me manage the money, so using our own money to buy a bag is perfectly normal."

I had to force a smile back then.

"For an amount this large, we need a formal receipt."

She was busy applying lipstick in the mirror and looked at me with a blank stare.

"What's a formal receipt?"

"Can't you figure it out yourself?"

She waved me off like I was a fly.

"And here I thought you were a professional. If you have to bother me with such small things, you're just a useless hack!"

Facing a boss like that, I couldn't fake any respect anymore.

Vera's attack was quickly supported by the other managers.

Leo Grant, the Sales Director, said solemnly.

"Calvin, I've been wanting to talk to you for a while."

"Times have changed. You're still holding onto those old-school rules and picking fights with the sales team every day. Is there something wrong with your head?"

I gave him a cold look.

"Picking fights?"

"Are you talking about the time your team signed a million-dollar contract, but spent four hundred thousand on dinners and six hundred thousand on gifts for the client's bosses?"

"Or are you talking about when you asked me to help you fake a two-million-dollar invoice and I refused?"

"You..." Leo pointed a finger at me, his face turning a deep shade of crimson.

He looked like he was about to explode from embarrassment.

"Accounting only exists because we sales guys bring in the money!"

"I'm the top earner! Calvin, you're just a waiter serving me. It's not your place to tell me what to do!"

I didn't argue with him. I just looked down at my phone.

The message I sent the CEO this morning still hadn't received a reply.

The office was loud. People kept throwing criticisms at me.

"The Logistics team has complaints too. You ask for details every time we submit a receipt. What, you think we're stealing from the company?"

"And Procurement. You're always checking the contracts. Who do you think you are, the police?"

"HR also thinks..."

It was just too much noise.

I typed a follow-up message to the CEO, who was currently out of town.

"Sir, can you please approve my resignation today?"