Chapter 159
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In the president’s office at Funtime Games, Ash stared at the four resignation letters on her desk, deep in thought.
“What’s going on? Are you unsatisfied with all the people assigned to you?” Ash questioned as she pinched the bridge of her nose and looked at Finn, eager to know the reason. She had granted Vanessa authority to manage the team, thinking that the Triple–A team she had helped assemble would be fine. Yet within less than a week, four people decided to leave.
Finn glanced at the resignation letters on the desk. “Well, they want to go. What does that have to do with me? Am I supposed to stop them?” Finn replied coolly. “If they aren’t performing as expected, shouldn’t I at least say something?”
“Their attitudes don’t seem right for Triple–A, and frankly, they don’t deserve the pay. It’s better they leave on their own instead of causing trouble for the company,” Finn said with a shrug.
Ash felt a little helpless. “So, what’re you going to do now? Your team isn’t complete, and our companies have a meeting next Monday to discuss the progress. What’s your plan?”
“I’ve got people for rendering and aesthetics, so that’s covered. We need to recruit a new department assistant, but we can hold off on filling the other vacant position for now. The assistant needs strong interpersonal skills, someone who can coordinate well, and gender doesn’t matter,” Finn said plainly.
He pulled out a chair and sat across from her. “I won’t let you down with Monday’s report. By the way, when will you send Vanessa over to help me?” This was the real purpose of his visit.
Ash rolled her eyes dramatically. “Vanessa is overwhelmed right now. If she’s free, she’ll definitely help you out. Coming to me is pointless.”
“Why don’t you just lessen her workload a bit? Triple–A is important and urgently needs people right now.” Finn’s tone was firm, as if driven solely by duty to the project.
“Oh?” Ash raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a smirk. “Seriously, what is it that’s important here–Triple–A or Vanessa? If it’s just Triple–A, I can assign someone else from the company to help you.”
“You and Calvert are truly two of a kind. You both need everything to be laid bare.” Finn sighed, wondering if it was a mistake to agree to help.
Ash clicked her tongue. “Don’t compare me to him. We’re nothing alike. I can’t do anything about Vanessa’s schedule. You’ll have to work that out yourself. And I expect no further changes to your team in the near future.”
Finn stood up, looking effortlessly stylish in his loose white T–shirt. “Alright, Ms. Turner. Don’t worry. Nobody in the team likes constant changes,” he said. “Next Monday, I’ll present a comprehensive plan. I also propose switching the bi–weekly reports to monthly. It’ll reduce pressure on the team.” While Finn was strict, he wasn’t unreasonable.
Ash agreed. The bi–weekly reports were initially a temporary arrangement when the team was still forming. Now that a leader was in place, the reporting frequency could adjust accordingly.
As she got back to her work, her phone buzzed on the desk. It was a message from Brooke. [Ash, can you clear your schedule for tomorrow? Let’s go shopping, just the two of us.]
Tomorrow was the weekend, and Ash felt like she hadn’t had a break in forever.
[Sure, the whole day’s yours. She replied after checking her schedule. If she worked overtime today, she could free up the entire day.
During her lunch break, Ash’s eyes were sore, and she was just about to rest her eyes for a while when her phone started ringing incessantly. She frowned, suppressing the urge to lash out as she answered, “What’s up? This better be important.”
“I just saw Samantha. Half her face was covered with gauze–it looked like she’s been disfigured.” Bailey’s voice cracked,
11:06 Sat, Feb 14
Chapter 159
revealing her shock.
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Ash wasn’t surprised. Being with Samuel, this was inevitable. If her face was hurt now, it was only a matter of time before things got even worse. Samantha’s taste in men had always been terrible–first Tristan, a scumbag, then Samuel, a complete psycho.
On the other end of the line, Bailey continued to speak in a breathless rush, “But this time, she was alone. Her expression was terrifying; it was as if she wanted to kill someone.”
“Where did you see her?” Ash recalled the last time she saw Samantha; she had been covered in bruises, and her personality had changed.
Bailey’s voice rose over the background noise. “On the street near Dream Couture. I was just getting lunch and saw her come out of a restaurant, but she didn’t recognize me.”
“Was she alone?” Ash asked.
“Yes, I waited for a while just to be sure. No one else showed up,” Bailey replied. “But with the way she looked, I doubt she would leave the house if she wasn’t meeting someone.”
Ash lowered her gaze, her eyes darkening. “Increase security at the store for the time being. If anything seems out of the ordinary, call me immediately. Alright?”
“Got it. Do you think she’s planning something?” Bailey sounded unsettled by Ash’s order.
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