Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I did not give him a chance to answer and cut the call.

A notification flashed on my screen―a text from my protégé, Megan.

【Janelle, are you okay? Vincent is losing his mind, smashing things in his office.】

【Please do not be impulsive. If something happens to Mr. Ross's deal, the company's cash flow for this quarter is finished.】

Staring at the word "impulsive," my fingers pressed hard against the glass.

【Megan, I trained you from scratch. Over the last two years, have I ever been impulsive when closing deals or signing contracts?】

【You were sitting right there at the gala. Do you honestly think Vincent was in the right?】

A few seconds later, she sent a reply that shattered my remaining goodwill.

【Janelle, Vincent has the whole department to consider. He has to balance things out.】

【Everyone knows you are talented, but you shouldn't steal the spotlight from junior employees all the time. Otherwise, why would anyone else work hard?】

I stared at those sentences for a full minute.

I had personally hired Megan and mentored her like a little sister.

To help her grow, I handed her easy accounts on a silver platter while I wrestled with the most demanding clients myself.

She had assisted me throughout this entire fifty-million-dollar deal.

And now, she had the nerve to accuse me of stealing the spotlight from newcomers.

I suddenly recalled what Vincent said at the gala when rewarding Lily at the front desk.

"Our company must give young talent more opportunities. Hard work will always be rewarded!"

It turns out Vincent simply thought his top sales director was earning too much and held too much sway, standing in the way of promoting his own favorites.

I blocked Megan and sent a blast message to the sales department group chat.

【Attention everyone: All follow-ups regarding Mr. Ross's project will be handled exclusively by me.】

【Without my written authorization, no one is permitted to contact Mr. Ross's team under the company's name for any reason.】

【Violate this, and you will bear the consequences alone.】

After hitting send, I disbanded the chat group entirely.

I was too exhausted and furious to go home and fight with Justin, so I checked into a nearby hotel.

In the middle of the night, Justin's call woke me up.

I swiped answer, cutting straight to the point.

"If you are calling to lecture me about being immature again, don't bother."

Justin did not argue. His voice was frantic.

"Where are you? Your mom took a bad fall, and she is in the hospital right now. The doctors say she needs emergency surgery!"

"Which hospital? I am coming right now!"

My stomach dropped, and I grabbed my car keys, sprinting toward the door.

Justin gave me the address, then added awkwardly, "About the surgical fees…"

I snapped, "Pay it from our joint account first!"

I sped all the way to the hospital, finding my father standing outside the operating room with bloodshot eyes.

"Justin said you ran off after a fight, and your mother rushed out into the night looking for you. That is how she tripped on the stairs."

"The doctors said her femur is fractured. She needs surgery immediately, or she might never walk properly again."

Justin tugged at my sleeve, ignoring my cold glare.

"Janelle, the surgery deposit is twenty-five thousand dollars. We…"

"I will handle the money!"

I pulled out my phone to authorize the payment.

Right then, the operating room doors swung open.

A nurse stepped out, scanning the hallway with a grave expression.

"Who is Janelle Mercer?"

My heart skipped a beat.

"I am."

The nurse looked at me intently before walking over.

"Your mother is refusing the anesthesia. She insists on speaking with you right away."

"She said there is something critical about your husband that you must know before she goes under."