Chapter 11 The Boss Looks A Little Like Curtis

The supervisor was sweating buckets. Despite the optimal air-conditioning, he felt a shiver run down his spine. "I'm sorry, Mr. Walton! I should have conducted a more thorough investigation! Please, give me one more chance! I'll do better!" Curtis hated should-haves. Anyone could appear competent in retrospect, but not everyone could demonstrate it when needed. He responded sternly, "Enough. This situation indicates that your abilities are clearly inadequate for this position. You're fired. Collect your severance pay on your way out." The supervisor was stunned by the abrupt decision. It had taken him seven to eight years to reach his current position, and he had harbored dreams of eventually joining HQ. One embezzlement issue was all it took for all of that to get flushed down the drain. He should not have underestimated the problem. While the culprit came from an upper-class background, they paled in comparison to the CEO's influence. The CEO had the power to cost him his job. "Wait, Mr. Walton, please—" "Any disputes or requests for reconsideration can be made through my secretary. This company no longer requires your services." The supervisor knew if he argued any further, Curtis would tarnish his resume and complicate future job searches. With his head hung low, he left the room. The remaining executives were drenched in sweat, fearing that they might be next in line on the chopping block. Curtis addressed them firmly, "None of you are exempt from this scrutiny. In three days, I expect an explanation for what happened in this company. Failure to provide one will result in the termination of your employment." Curtis was known for keeping his word, and this reputation instilled both fear and respect. His success at a young age was attributed to his unwavering commitment to accountability, and he consistently held individuals responsible for their errors. The executives nodded vigorously. They knew that if they could not fix this well enough, they would get a worse end than the man Curtis had just fired. After the meeting, Curtis delved into the arduous task of salvaging what appeared to be a sinking ship. To his dismay, he discovered that the situation was even graver than he had anticipated. "Duke!" Duke Langdon was Curtis' personal assistant and his invaluable aid in the office right now. "Whoever embezzled the company funds had to be backed by someone powerful. He wouldn't have dared otherwise. Find out who is behind this." "Yes, sir." As the morning came to an end, Curtis got up and stretched his neck slightly. He decided to check on these branch companies once a year moving forward. He suspected that his leniency had allowed individuals to exploit the company's vulnerabilities. Many people relied on the stability and prosperity of these branch companies for their livelihoods, so he had to be more strict moving forward. Although Curtis was not known for his empathy, he prided himself on his strong sense of responsibility. Once he had steered this branch company back on course, he intended to extend his oversight to other branches. "Mr. Walton? We have a lunch appointment with the CEO of S&C. We should leave now to avoid traffic." Curtis nodded. He grabbed his coat and headed out. * During lunchtime, Sabrina and Felicia decided to have their meals together. Sabrina was busy replying to texts when Felicia suddenly shook her hard and cried out excitedly, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! It's our boss from HQ!" Felicia's enthusiasm caused Sabrina to mistype. Annoyed, she raised her head. Why did the back of their boss look so much like Curtis's? Sabrina tilted her head sideways in confusion. Daniel had mentioned that Curtis worked in a tech company. Could this be him? But if that were the case, why had she never seen him before, despite working here for so long? Felicia had referred to the person as "our boss from HQ。" Well, that settled it, then. These two looked similar from the back, but they were not the same person after all. "God, he looks so hot!!! If I could just have a meal with him, I think I'd die from the gloriousness of it all!" Felicia gushed. From Sabrina's perspective, she could only see the man from behind, but her colleague's description left her wondering just how "hot" this guy was. "You missed it! Ugh, if only you had looked up from your phone when he passed by! I caught a glimpse of his profile, and maaaaaan, he's hot as hell!" "Alright, that's enough. Even if he were Timothee Chalemet, it wouldn't be any of your business, Felicia!" Sabrina quipped, laughing. "Come on, lunchtime isn't gonna last forever. We've still have work to do for the rest of the day." Felicia's mood immediately soured. When would the day come when she did not need to work? As they headed to the cafeteria, Sabrina stole another glance over her shoulder. The big boss was now too far away to get a good view. * It was only when both of them were in the car that Duke suddenly mentioned, "I think I saw your wife back there, Mr. Walton." It had come as earth-shattering news to Duke this morning when he heard that his boss had gotten married. Curtis, in his mind, was pretty much a working machine and did not seem the type to think about anything else. Even more surprising was the fact that Curtis's wife worked in the same company as they did. Curtis frowned. He had no knowledge of Sabrina's job, so Duke's observation surprised him. "Make sure we arrive 20 minutes before work begins tomorrow in the morning. I don't want her to know who I am," he said after some thought, "And find out what her job is. Check my schedule and make the necessary arrangements to ensure that we never cross paths in any formal settings." Duke was a bit puzzled as to why his boss seemed so determined to keep the marriage a secret, but he was in no position to argue. "Of course, sir."