Chapter 60
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“Now, would you mind stepping aside? I need to accept my award.”
Still stunned, Stefan moved aside to let Hayden pass. But as soon as the daze wore off, he spun toward me, rage flashing in his eyes.
“Caitlyn Sinclair, what did you do? How the hell is my company not number one?” He snatched up the evaluation report, eyes widening at the glaring performance gap between his company and Hayden’s.”
“You gave him my project, didn’t you? That’s how he beat me!“}
I said nothing, only meeting his eyes with quiet contempt.
But Stefan, misreading my silence as guilt, grew louder and more frantic. He began shouting for an immediate re–evaluation of both companies‘ sales and profit figures.”
Someone in the back of the room muttered in disbelief, “Seriously? He used to be number one and no one ever questioned the results. Now that someone else takes the top spot, suddenly it needs verification? Can’t he handle losing?”
Stefan’s face flushed red, then drained of color.
The same people who had been fawning over him moments ago now turned on him, their tone thick with disdain.
“Really, Stefan Hawthorne? You’re asking for a recount just because the gap is this wide? Are you that bitter about losing?“\ “Exactly. Everything was fine when you were in the lead, but now that someone else ranks first, you’re crying foul? Mr. Aldrich doesn’t have time for your drama.“}
Hayden stood still, composed and unfazed.\
“I don’t mind,” he said coolly. “If the Hawthorne Group insists, let them double–check. I’d rather lose with dignity than walk away bitter.”
The backend team immediately pulled up the profit data of both companies on the main screen. Stefan stared at the figures, eyes glued to the numbers, desperately searching for any hint of error.”
But the results were clear. Nothing was wrong.
Just when it looked like he was about to give up, Alicia jabbed her finger at two projects listed under the Aldrich Group–ones I had personally handled back when I worked for the Hawthorne Group.
“These two don’t count!” she protested. “They were approved by Mr. Hawthorne. How can they be credited the Aldrich Group?“%
Stefan leaned in. His eyes narrowed at the documents until a flicker of recognition crossed his face. Then he straightened with a sense of triumph and pointed at the screen.
“Caitlyn Sinclair, what do you have to say for yourself?”
I did not flinch. Calmly, I pulled out my phone and opened the archived project files–complete with real–time drafts.
“I personally designed and negotiated both of these projects,” I said evenly. “For the record, I had already resigned from the Hawthorne Group by that time.“”
Alicia quickly did the math and snapped, “That’s not true! You were still officially under Mr. Hawthorne. You hadn’t been fired yet–those deals still belong to him.”%
Stefan, emboldened by her outburst, pulled her into a protective embrace. His voice rose with righteous fury. “Even if you want to end the engagement, that doesn’t give you the right to steal two projects worth millions of dollars just to hand them over to your new man.”Z
His slanderous accusation hung in the air, thickening the room with judgment and contempt.
I said nothing. I simply tapped the screen and played a piece of surveillance footage I had copied in advance.\
“When I brought this project to Stefan for approval, he was too busy teaching Alicia how to use office software. He never signed off on anything. I handled the negotiations myself. By the time I returned, I’d already been fired–before any documentation was processed,”
“These two contracts were entirely my work.”
The video showed two familiar figures entangled behind the office blinds. As soon as their images flickered onto the screen, Alicia and Stefan lunged forward in a panic, scrambling to shut it off. Their faces turned pale.
With no way to refute the evidence, they glared at the floor, humiliated and defeated. Just as they turned to leave in shame, Hayden stepped forward, stopping them in their tracks.
“You’ve had your say,” he said calmly. “Now let’s talk about the project you stole from Caitlyn.”
He laid out the draft plans and detailed proposals he had prepared beforehand.
“This was a contract between Caitlyn and YF Group. Yet somehow, it ended up on your sales report. Don’t you think you owe us an explanation–and a return?*%
Stefan’s face tumed crimson. He lashed out in desperation This was Alicia’s work She stole it from us!‘”
12:19 AM
Stefan’s face turned crimson. He lashed out in desperation. “This was Alicia’s work. She stole it from us!“}
C
Unfazed, Hayden presented even more documents–rough sketches, notes, email threads and multiple versions of PowerPoint slides. “I’d love to see your version then, Mr. Hawthorne. Do you have any drafts?“}
He turned to Alicia with a slow, mocking smile. “Didn’t you say you stayed up two days and nights working on this? Go on, show us your proof.“”
Caught off guard, Alicia struggled to keep her composure. “Only petty thieves keep drafts. I always work straight through–no need for backups.”
The room went still before dissolving into soft, scornful laughter.”
N let out a cold smile.}
“So what you’re saying is, you completed over fifty drafts and forty detailed PowerPoint slides–all in one go, without even a single rough sketch?“}
