Behind the Office Glass

This Company Bears the Name Zeller

When I returned to the office, the information my lawyer friend had gathered was already waiting for me. But the more I read, the more alarmed I became.

Three years ago, when I first sponsored Connor, his family had been dirt poor. They couldn't even afford his tuition. I still remembered meeting him for the first time. He had stood before me in a faded, well-worn shirt, nervous and awkward, but his eyes had been filled with ambition and hunger.

When he found out I was willing to fund his education, he was so moved that he cried on the spot, swearing that one day he would make something of himself. But now, he was dressed head to toe in designer brands, spending money freely and frequenting exclusive clubs.

His unemployed older brother had also somehow acquired a company under his name, along with multiple luxury villas and high-end cars.

My heart sank, and a bad feeling began to creep in.

As I continued reading, my suspicions were confirmed. Amanda had started secretly transferring assets as early as six months ago.

Using her position within the company, she had funneled corporate funds through shell companies and transferred them into overseas accounts. The recipient was none other than Connor. What she left behind for me was a massive financial hole.

Then, there was the guarantee agreement sitting on my desk, waiting for my signature. The moment I signed it, once the company collapsed, I would not just go bankrupt. I would be saddled with tens of millions in debt and might even end up in prison.

Meanwhile, Amanda and Connor had already completed their immigration paperwork. All they were waiting for was for me to take the fall. Once I was behind bars, they would take my money and live comfortably overseas.

Suppressing the fury boiling inside me, I texted my assistant. 'Make sure the renovation team finishes installing by tonight. Also notify the legal department to prepare the entire chain of evidence. I want to catch them red-handed.'

Before I could make my move, however, the company's million-dollar core project ran into a major problem.

While Connor had been busy flirting with Amanda in the break room, he had entered a decimal point incorrectly on the quotation sheet, instantly turning a profitable project into a massive eight-million-dollar loss.

I grabbed the contract and slammed it onto the conference table. In front of every senior executive present, I announced coldly, "Connor Lawson committed a major professional error that caused substantial losses to the company. Effective immediately, he is terminated, and the company will pursue legal action against him."

Connor's face turned pale as he stood in the conference room. He looked like the victim of some terrible injustice. "Mr. Zeller, I didn't do it on purpose… I was just exhausted. Besides, you reviewed it too…"

Amanda abruptly slammed her hand on the table and shot to her feet. "Tobias, nobody's perfect. Connor has been working overtime for this project day and night. A small mistake is completely understandable! The company can absorb the loss, can't it? Do you really have to push him this far? You're a grown man. Why are you picking on a kid who just graduated?"

The moment Amanda took a stand, several female employees who were close to Connor immediately spoke up as well.

"Mr. Zeller, Connor has been working himself to exhaustion lately. He's been so busy that he's developed dark circles under his eyes. Making a small mistake is only natural."

"If one mistake is enough to get someone fired, that's completely unreasonable. How are we supposed to work for the company without constantly looking over our shoulders?"

"Exactly. This is obviously because you're jealous of how close Ms. Sutton and Connor are. What kind of boss acts like this? Following someone so petty isn't worth it."

I almost laughed as I listened to them. Amanda was truly confident. She thought stirring up employee sentiment would force me to back down.

"If anyone doesn't want to work here, you're welcome to collect your paycheck from Finance and leave right now."

My gaze swept coldly across the room. "This company bears the name Zeller, not Sutton. And it sure as hell isn't Lawson."