Josefina continued, her voice firm and resolute, "Noel, the company gave you the chance to be a manager, and instead, you lined your own pockets with its money. Effective immediately, you are terminated! The company will pursue legal action to hold you accountable for your actions!"
Before Noel could muster a response, the police arrived and whisked him away without delay. Caught off guard, Noel had met his downfall.
A murmur rippled through the gathered employees; none had expected Josefina to act with such swift decisiveness. Once again, the staff had witnessed Josefina's shrewd tactics, and none dared challenge her authority now.
Josefina's gaze settled on a thirty-six-year-old woman, Angel, and she addressed her, "Angel, as of this moment, you're the new manager of the procurement department."
Angel stood, stunned, hardly believing what she was hearing. "Ms. Josefina, are you serious? You want me to take Noel's place? To be the manager?" For years, she had been just another face in the crowd of employees.
Undeterred by the surprised looks around her, Josefina pressed on, "Although you've been just a regular member of our staff, I've taken note of your contributions over the years. You've never been a brown-noser and always stuck to your own moral compass, and that's no small feat. When our design plans were stolen, you stayed with the company through thick and thin, showing a passion and responsibility that makes you worthy of the manager's title."
Some employees blushed with shame, having abandoned ship too early, thinking Josefina wouldn't be able to turn the tide. To not be fired was a stroke of luck for them.
They watched Angel ascend to the managerial role, their feelings a tangled mix of envy and resignation. After all, their own lack of effort had led them here.
...
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