Jackpot in the Office, Pink Slip in Reality

"Rebecca, Giselle was only trying to do what's best for everyone. Why are you being so harsh with her?"

"Yeah, Rebecca, we've all worked under you for so many years. Now that you're leaving, isn't it normal to give us a little benefit?"

I took a deep breath.

Just as I was about to respond, Vincent arrived, shielding Giselle, whose eyes were red from crying.

"Rebecca, you're picking on Giselle again! She only cares about the company, and you have to go out of your way to upset her. How can you be so vile? If it happens one more time, you're out of this company for good. Don't imagine your executive position gives you immunity. Gallagher Group won't tolerate someone this rotten, at any level."

Vincent's unquestioning defense of Giselle pushed me over the edge. I threw my resignation report at him. "Fool! I'm done listening to you. I quit!"

With Vincent's furious glare behind me, I walked out without a word. After leaving the company, I headed straight to Clarke Group, Leona's company, to finalize my employment.

Leona valued my skills and immediately offered me a base salary of 100 thousand dollars with no cap, plus she arranged for the company's legal team to help me recover the wages Giselle had withheld.

While I was communicating with project investors, I received a message from Giselle.

"Rebecca, I was wrong earlier. I shouldn't have taken the liberty to turn your salary into a bonus. Mr. Gallagher and I will come to settle your remaining wages and apologize in person."

Since Giselle had agreed to return my salary, involving Clarke Group's legal team was unnecessary. I breathed a sigh of relief and sent her my location.

When I got into Vincent's Rolls-Royce, Giselle was lounging casually in the passenger seat, sticking cartoon stickers onto the interior. "Rebecca, wait a second. I'm decorating the car for Mr. Gallagher—he gave me the important job of making it look cute!"

I recalled how I once tried to add a cartoon sticker to Vincent's car and was immediately rebuked. "I don't like childish things. Don't ever put something like that in my car."

It wasn't childish things he disliked—it was me.

I closed my eyes and leaned against the seat, ignoring Giselle's playful antics with Vincent in the passenger seat.

Soon, the Rolls-Royce came to a stop. I opened my eyes, only to find that we weren't at the Gallagher Group headquarters but in front of a hotel.

A sense of dread immediately rose in my chest. I refused to get out. "I thought we were just settling my salary. Why are we here?"

Vincent grabbed my wrist and yanked me out of the car. "Rebecca, Mr. Plimpton specifically requested you to entertain him. If you handle him properly tonight, I can overlook your past mistakes and let you return to Gallagher Group as an executive."

Vincent's words sent a chill straight through me. Justin Plimpton was a name I knew all too well.

At every dinner, he had tried to grope me, and each time I asked Vincent for help, he dismissed me with impatience. "You're 35 and hardly special. Why would a prominent investor like Mr. Plimpton even notice you? You're imagining things."

I struggled violently and slapped Vincent across the face. "Are you insane, Vincent? I've already joined another company! I don't care about going back as an executive. I'm not entertaining Mr. Plimpton. Let go of me!"

Vincent's jaw clenched, and his eyes turned cold.

"Stop this, Rebecca. You're 35. No other company will hire you. Just do as I say, entertain Mr. Plimpton properly, and I'll give you a raise when you return."

I kept struggling, hurling curses as I went. Vincent lost all patience, grabbed my hair, and dragged me into the private room.