Chapter 2

2

Ignoring Brianna's attempts to stop me, I walked out.

It was almost lunch break anyway, so 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 management.

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

"Cynthia, get to my office right now!"

I didn't rush. I walked back into the office at the very last minute before the afternoon shift started.

Besides Victoria, several other department heads were there.

It looked like a public trial.

Seeing my calm face, Victoria slammed her hand on the desk.

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

I took my time finding a chair and sat down.

Before I could speak, Brianna added fuel to the fire.

"Victoria, look at her attitude! She clearly doesn't respect you at all!"

Victoria turned red with rage.

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

I smiled faintly.

When this company only had fifteen people, I was the Accounting Manager.

Now that it had over a thousand employees, I was still the Accounting Manager.

I took on as much risk as the legal representative but earned a salary barely higher than the janitor.

I thought as the company grew, I'd get a promotion and a raise.

Instead, they hired Victoria as the CFO.

Victoria was the CEO's wife, so I had to suck it up.

On her first day, she tried to expense a $10,000 LV bag.

She didn't see any problem with it.

"Why are you looking at me like that? My husband owns this place. He put me in charge of the money. Using my own money to buy a bag is only natural."

I had to force a smile back then.

"For an amount this large, I need a proper business invoice."

She had been busy applying lipstick in the mirror and looked at me blankly.

"What's an invoice?"

"Can't you just figure it out yourself?"

She waved me away like a fly.

"And here I thought you were a professional. You're bothering me with such tiny details. You're useless!"

Facing a boss like her, I couldn't pretend to be respectful anymore.

Victoria's attack was supported by the other department heads.

Liam, the Sales Manager, said sternly, "Cynthia, I've wanted to say this for a while."

"The times have changed, but you're still clinging to those old-school rules. You're always picking on the sales team. Is there something wrong with your brain?"

I gave him a cold look.

"Picking on you?"

"Are you talking about the time your team signed a $1 million contract but spent $400,000 on entertainment and $600,000 on gifts for the client?"

"And then you applied for a $200,000 bonus, which I rejected?"

"Or was it the time you asked me to forge $2 million in invoices and I said no?"

"You…" Liam 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 people bring in the money!"

"I'm the top closer! You're just a maid serving us, Cynthia. You don't get to tell me what to do!"

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

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

The office was noisy, with people constantly throwing accusations at me.

"The logistics team has a problem too. You always ask for itemized lists. What, you think we're stealing?"

"And procurement! You're always auditing our contracts. Who are you trying to catch?"

"Human Resources also thinks…"

It was just too much noise.

I typed a follow-up message to the CEO, who was currently on a business trip.

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