Chapter 12 Ruthless Mr. Kersey

Javier’s promotion to the position of vice general manager ruffled Terry’s feathers. It prompted him to snatch the opportunity and show off his hard work and accomplishments, even requesting an increment and better benefits in the process.

He believed that everyone at the table shared his sentiment, so he felt that he would definitely have their support. Reality proved that he was right but he had not expected Javier to step up in the final moment and voice out his disagreement.

“What right do you have to disagree? You got promoted to vice GM with that meager investment you managed to pull in based on your sh*tty luck. Did you hear us say anything about that?

“Ask everyone here today. Which of us hasn’t worked diligently all these years? Which of us hasn’t put in hard work and the merits to show for it? The total contributions from any one of us are greater than yours!

“And you want to voice a disagreement? Did you even ask if we agree with you becoming the vice GM?!”

Terry’s words brought with it a chorus of assent from the other executives present. The calm of the meeting room broke as people began complaining about their displeasures aloud and joined the side that asked for increments and better benefits.

Jade repeatedly asked for them to quiet down but even as general manager, she could not suppress the collective fervor Terry had instigated because everyone wanted to look out for their own.

The meeting turned into a denouncing rally and things got out of hand.

Javier scanned the group and finally landed on Terry. The latter’s gaze glowed with victory and even a hint of a challenge. It was as if he was telling Javier, “Let’s see if Jade eliminates you to appease everyone, or gives us all a raise!”

Terry’s farcical, silly taunt of a trick made Javier scoff and stand up. He strode toward the printer in the corner of the meeting room and connected his cellphone to the machine. After a few swipes, he had printed out a small stack of documents.

As everyone continued arguing their case, he distributed said stack of papers. Everyone except for Terry received a set of documents. This caused the man to be taken aback as he had no idea what Javier had printed.

What was even more shocking was that anyone who was done browsing the document clamped their mouth shut and proceeded to remain seated in silence. It did not take long before the meeting room fell into a state of pin-drop silence.

“What are you guys rea—”

“Terry Hamer!”

With a slam of the table, Jade sprang up, not giving Terry a chance to finish his question. Enraged and shaking, she pointed a finger at him. “I trusted you and this is how you treat me and the company?!”

Alarmed, Terry snatched the document from the person beside him. As his eyes scanned the document, he felt his legs giving out from the panic that was starting to rise once he realized what was written in it.

The embezzlement of company funds he had been involved in, bribes and commissions he had accepted, the accounting numbers that he had manipulated, and whatnot were recorded in detail on the document before him. All of it was real, including some older entries that even the perpetrator himself had forgotten.

Terry had kept all of this information to himself and had never mentioned a word to anyone before. How did Javier manage to find them?

“Hamer, what else do you have to say for yourself?!”

Terry, who was inwardly panicking, forced himself to maintain his composure and cried loudly in defense of his innocence despite Jade’s shout.

“This is slander! Someone’s framing me! I’ve toiled for years in this company, making many contributions, if not accomplishments. My conscience is clear, you can’t humiliate and defame me like this!”

Javier was not in the mood to fight Terry’s vehement denial, so he turned to Jade and said, “Ms. Odell, please call the police. Who knows, the police might actually find Mr. Hamer innocent.”

Jade nodded and picked up her phone to do just that.

At his wit’s end, Terry tried to run toward Jade but got tripped by the leg of a chair and fell to the floor. As he heard the sound of numbers being dialed, he wailed, “Don’t call the police! Don’t call the police!”

The man was fearful. He did not want to be put behind bars. Staying on the floor, he begged for mercy, “Ms. Odell, Ms. Odell, I’m in the wrong. I admit it. I got greedy and it blinded me. I’m sorry, I’ve disappointed you, I’ve broken your trust. I’m guilty toward the company. I’m scum, I’m worthless. Please… Please don’t call the police…”

Jade shook with fury. It had never crossed her mind that her company was keeping such a rotten apple.

“Enough! Keep whatever you have to say for the police!”

Hearing that Jade insisted on calling the police, Terry scrambled to his knees. He pleaded and begged tearfully, even bringing up a sob story about his limp in an attempt to score pity points. As he got on his knees, he was indeed a pitiful sight.

Jade’s heart softened and she put down her phone. She decided not to call the police. Instead, she told Terry to put the money he had embezzled back into the company account and leave.

“Oh, and bring Sean Johnson, your accomplice, out of this company as well!”

“Yes, of course, yes. Thank you, Ms. Odell, thank you.”

Terry scurried out of the meeting room as quickly as he could.

Javier was not bothered to watch the man leave. Instead, he turned to look at those who were still in the meeting room.

“Ms. Odell won’t allow me to put everything up here but that doesn’t mean that I have no proof. A sincere word of advice to you guys, get a clear conscience, and do your job as you should. The company won’t mistreat you, your reward will go up with the results you produce.

“But if you try to execute any nefarious plan you may have in your head… Well then… Ha!”

The last word came out as more of a scoff that sounded so grating to the ears that it put everyone on pins and needles. When Jade finally dismissed them, they all left the meeting room like they were fleeing for their lives.

After Javier had used Terry to set a precedent, it was obvious that they were all afraid of the man. As someone at the management level, no one dared to say that they had no hidden dirt. What happened today had truly alarmed them, making them realize that their new vice general manager, Mr. Kersey, was ruthless!

After the others had scrambled off, Javier was about to leave the meeting room as well but Jade stopped him.

“Javier, hold on for a minute. I’d like to talk to you.”

At the same time, Sean stood outside the meeting room in the common area, boasting to his coworker.

“I knew about Javier’s promotion to being vice general manager right after lunch. Don’t worry. He won’t last. Who knows, maybe he’ll even be sacked today? We have Mr. Hamer, y’know. He is Beacon Tires’ head of finance. Do you think that Ms. Odell would dare offend him? Hah!

“Let me tell you. There’s no use bootlicking anyone else in the office. You gotta be like me, just pander to Mr. Hamer.”

As he spoke, Terry walked up to Sean and said, “Let’s go!”

“Sure!” Sean tossed a preening gaze to his coworker and got up to follow Terry. “Where to, Mr. Hamer?”

Terry ignored him and kept marching ahead with a glower on his face. But since his face was mostly covered in bandages, Sean did not realize the ugly mood the man was in. Eager to know where they were headed, Sean kept repeatedly asking Terry where they were going.

Annoyed by the constant questions, Terry turned to growl at the man, “We’ve both just been fired! We have to get out of the office right now. Are you happy?”

Sean was astounded. He was just bragging to his coworker about how wonderful it was to follow Terry and now they were fired? Snapping back to reality, he continued to ask Terry why but the man paid no attention to him.

When they reached the company entrance, Terry pulled out his phone to call Zack. After some pleading humbly and servilely for a few minutes, he got himself a new job and would be starting immediately at Zack’s company. As he thanked the man repeatedly, Sean kept poking Terry’s chest to remind him, “Me, me. What about me?”

Once Terry hung up, he shoved Sean away. “F*ck off! P*ss of wherever you want!”

Sean froze from shock.

After a few moments, Selena exited the building and came after Terry. The man left with an arm around the woman. He had lost his job, but lucky for him, he still had a beauty in his arm.

As they walked away, Selena asked, “Was Javier…really promoted to vice general manager?”