Chapter 118: The new team leader.

Words : 1135 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

Chapter 118: The new team leader. Lorie’s heart thudded painfully. A public confession would destroy whatever shred of dignity she had left. Her name, her reputation—it would all be in ruins. But what choice did she have? If she refused, she wouldn’t just lose her job—her career would be over. Her pride screamed, but her fear was louder. With a heavy breath, she dropped her gaze and gave a reluctant nod. "I-I’ll do that." Kate gave a curt nod. "Good. You’re officially removed from your post as the CEO’s secretary. He doesn’t want you in his office when he returns. Leave immediately. And make your statement publicly right away." Then, with a dismissive flick of her fingers, she gestured to the guards. "Take her away." Lorie didn’t fight back this time. Her legs felt numb, her mind hazy with dread as the guards seized her arms and walked her out. Kate’s cold eyes followed them until they vanished from view. She pulled out her phone and dialed Augustine. "Hello, sir," she said crisply when the call connected. "The matter has been handled. Lorie will issue a formal apology soon." "Well done, Kate," came Augustine’s voice from the other end. He ended the call and turned toward Gustave. "Let’s go back." He strode away, eager to meet Anne. ~~~~~~~~~~ Anne trudged back to her desk like a shadow of herself, her steps heavy, her gaze blank. She sank into her chair slowly as if every movement drained the little strength she had left. Megan is Augustine’s fiancée. They are getting married.’ Those words haunted her, echoing in her head. A knot twisted in her chest. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to vanish, to disappear into a place where no one knew her name, where the world didn’t hurt like this. Around her, hushed voices began to stir. "I saw the new general manager summon her after the meeting," one whispered. "She looked tense." "Probably got reprimanded because of all those rumors," another added. Rose, sitting nearby, had had enough. "Don’t you people have work to do?" she snapped. "Stop gossiping and get back to it." The whispers died quickly, and everyone turned their attention back to their screens. Rose stood, her face creased with concern, as she made her way over to Anne. She tapped her gently on the shoulder. "Hey...Are you okay?" Anne blinked, the sound of Rose’s voice shaking her out of her daze. She quickly blinked away the tear that had been threatening to fall and straightened up. "I’m fine. Just disagreed with the manager." Rose didn’t back down. "What happened?" Anne let out a sigh, her eyes briefly meeting Rose’s before falling to her desk. "I requested extra pay for the overtime the workers have been putting in," she said with resignation. "But she rejected it. Said the project is still too new and can’t handle the extra expense right now." A quiet gasp rippled through the room. "But the former manager had already approved it," Luke said sharply in disbelief. "How can she just revoke it now?" Anne gave a small, tired shrug. "She said the company won’t allocate extra funds this quarter until the project starts turning a profit." Luke looked ready to explode. "That’s ridiculous. Did you tell her how demanding the client is? We can’t meet those expectations without putting in extra hours." "I told her everything," Anne said, the irritation finally surfacing. "She didn’t care." A heavy silence descended over the team. The discomfort hung in the air. Then a firm voice rang out, breaking the silence. "I see there is some confusion," came Megan’s cool tone. Heads whipped around. She was walking toward them with confident, measured steps, her presence commanding the room. Anne stiffened. Her instincts screamed that Megan wasn’t here to help. As Megan approached, Anne stood, her eyes narrowing slightly. Something about Megan’s calmness felt sharp, calculated—like the silence before a storm. Megan looked around the room before settling her gaze on Luke. "You’re under pressure to meet the client’s demands," she said. "But your team won’t work overtime without the extra pay. Isn’t that correct?" Luke and the rest nodded quickly, almost in unison. "Then please, ma’am," Luke said, desperate but polite, "approve the extra pay request. We need it." Megan arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms. "I can approve it," she said slowly, turning her eyes to Anne. "But I have a condition." Everyone froze. "I don’t like your team leader," Megan said with icy precision. "A woman like her—who uses seduction to climb the ranks—doesn’t deserve the position she is in." The office went deathly still. Anne’s face paled, her jaw tightening. Every eye in the room was on her. A flush of anger burned beneath her skin. This wasn’t just a challenge—it was an insult. "Excuse me?" Anne snapped. "Do you have any proof? Don’t smear my name based on rumors." But Megan didn’t even glance her way. She turned instead to the team. "Do you want this issue resolved or not?" she asked coldly. "If yes, raise your voice." A hushed wave of murmurs swept through the group. No one wanted to clash with the general manager. Then Luke spoke up, hesitant but firm. "Anne, you should step down." His words hit like a slap. "What did you say?" Anne blinked, stunned. One by one, others chimed in with quiet agreement. But not everyone supported Luke. "This is absurd," Rose snapped, stepping forward. "She is the best person for this role. Don’t forget—she gave the idea to save the project in the first place. Now you are turning on her?" "I agree with Rose," Lily added. "I won’t support removing her because of some rumors. This is unfair." But Megan wasn’t fazed. She simply raised her hand to silence them. "Let’s settle this. Those who think Anne should step down, raise your hand." There was a beat of hesitation. Then, slowly, one by one, hands began to rise. All of them. Except Rose and Lily. Anne’s chest tightened as she watched the team members she had trusted turn against her. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, but she didn’t speak. Megan’s lips curved into a small, satisfied smirk. "It’s decided. Anne, you are no longer the team leader." Anne stood motionless, staring at Megan with quiet defiance. She saw right through the game. It was a calculated move to push her out. And deep down, Anne knew it was just the beginning. Megan wouldn’t rest until she was completely driven out of the company. "You can still work on the project, Anne," Megan added. "With your experience, I’m sure your input will be valuable." Then she turned to Luke with a pleased nod. "Luke, you’ll be the new team leader."

Chapter 118: The new team leader.

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