My Bully Mocked Me in Front of the CEO So I Destroyed Her in Seven Languages Chapter 09

My Bully Mocked Me in Front of the CEO So I Destroyed Her in Seven Languages Chapter 09

Joseph sat there listening, not lifting a finger.

Julian looked like he was watching a train wreck.

Wendy took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“Fine. New question then,” she said, turning to Joseph. “Joseph, the bonuses for the East Ridge project are split among the team members, right?”

“Correct.”

“Hazel was a last-minute addition. She only handled the coordination. She wasn’t on the original roster. So when it

comes time to cut the checks, she shouldn’t get a full share.”

Now that was a “low blow.”

She’d stopped attacking my resume because she knew she couldn’t win. Instead, she went for the throat-the money.

Joseph thought for a moment. “Well… Wendy has a point. Hazel, since you joined mid-way-”

“Caleb Sterling personally demanded her.”

The voice came from someone I hadn’t even noticed.

Everyone’s head snapped around.

There was a man standing in the doorway.

Caleb.

He was in a navy overcoat, clutching a courier envelope, looking totally unfazed.

“Mr. Sterling!” Joseph was clearly blindsided. “What are you doing here?”

“Dropping off the contract. I was in the neighborhood.” Caleb walked in and tossed the envelope on the table. “I caught

your meeting. The door was ajar.”

He gave Wendy a look that could kill.

“Hazel is the one who handled the core of this negotiation. On the first day, she’s the one who salvaged the deal in the final five minutes. At the UAE meeting, her Arabic secured an eight-million-dollar margin for me. How you split your bonuses is your business, but I’d suggest you figure out who the actual ‘MVP’ of this project is.”

Wendy’s face was a mess of red and white.

“Mr. Sterling, I didn’t mean-”

“And one more thing.” Caleb looked at Joseph. “There’s a clause in this contract. I’ve specified Hazel to oversee all future work for East Ridge. If she leaves this company, the deal is ‘automatically’ void.”

Everyone was floored.

Joseph picked up the contract and flipped through a few pages.

His hands were actually shaking.

“Mr. Sterling, are you saying-”

“I’m being crystal clear. This contract is worth a hundred and twenty million a year. The coordinator is Hazel. You replace her, the deal is dead.”

A hundred and twenty million.

Every single person in that room was staring at me now.

Wendy looked like she was about to faint.

Joseph set the contract down and looked at me.

“Hazel…”

“Mr. Harrison?”

“As of today, you’re no longer entry-level.”

“Then what am I?”

He paused for a second.

“Deputy Director of Translation. Salary… we’ll talk about that in private.”

Wendy bolted up.

“Joseph! She’s only been here three years! I’ve been here for seven!”

Joseph didn’t even give her a glance.

“Wendy, sit down.”

Wendy just stood there, her lips turning blue.

Caleb was already on his way out.

As he passed me, he whispered something.

In Spanish.

“You deserve a better position.”

I froze.

He was already out the door.

After the meeting adjourned, the department went absolutely nuclear.

Everyone was talking about me.

“She really speaks eight languages?”

“Eighty grand for three years? Is she crazy?”

“Did you see the contract Caleb brought? He named her specifically! A hundred and twenty million bucks!”

“Wendy’s face was a masterpiece. The color was incredible.”

I went back to my desk and straightened things up.

My phone buzzed.

It was a text from Caleb.

“The Spanish line. Did you catch it?”

“I did.”

“So, what’s the verdict?”

“I’m thinking about it.”

“No rush. Take your time.”

I put my phone down.

Chloe came bouncing over.

“Hazel!!! You’re the Deputy Director!!! Deputy Director!!! We’re celebrating tonight. Dinner’s on me!!!”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. This ‘Deputy Director’ gig is going to be a headache.”

“Why?”

“Because Wendy isn’t just going to ‘let it go’.”

I was right.

At 3 PM, Wendy came looking for me.

Not in the office-at the cafe downstairs.

She was the one who called the meeting.

“Hazel, we need to talk.”

I sat down.

“You played dumb for three years and then blew your cover in one shot. You really think life’s gonna be a walk in the park from here on out?”

“Is that a threat?”

“It’s a wake-up call.” She stirred her coffee. “You think being ‘Deputy Director’ means you’ve got it made? The connections, the clients, the internal resources-I own all of it. You’re just some rookie who got lucky. You’re gonna drop the ball.”

“What’s your point?”

“Simple. Hand over the Deputy Director spot to me. You keep being the ‘star translator’ and pocket your bonuses. I run

the show, you do the grunt work. Everyone wins.”

“And if I say no?”

Wendy’s smile went stone-cold.