Darnell didn’t ask Tia who wanted to see him. Since Tia didn’t want him to meet the person, he didn’t bother to inquire further.
After finishing their pudding, Darnell took Tia for a stroll around the place, then they exchanged contact information and went their separate ways.
As Tia turned to leave, she looked at the big banyan tree and the dessert shop, feeling a deep sense of happiness. She remembered how she fell for someone not because he had a house or a car, but because the afternoon sun was perfect, and he wore a white shirt.
The next morning, Darnell arrived at the office half an hour early to avoid Areli’s wrath.
Perhaps due to the events of the previous day, the three women were exceptionally gentle and caring towards Darnell. One was wiping tables, another making tea, and the third bringing breakfast.
Compared to yesterday’s formal attire, today, the three women were dressed much more casually.
Casey wore a white crop top with a sheer outer layer, paired with denim shorts and high-heeled sandals that showcased her stunning figure.
After making tea, she twirled in front of Darnell, catching the eyes of everyone in the business hall.
Bailee wore white slim-fit capris and a loose-knit sweater. While she was vigorously wiping tables for Darnell, her curves formed an enticing silhouette.
Darnell almost reacted but managed to suppress his body’s heat by taking a sip of tea.
Darnell sighed, “You two are such enchantresses. Why don’t you learn from Shayla? She’s so dignified and proper.”
Today, Shayla wore a business skirt suit with a white blouse and high heels, looking very formal.
Bailee and Casey laughed and whispered to Darnell, “We hid Shayla’s underwear and stockings to get back at her for betraying us.”
“She’s not wearing anything underneath. If you don’t believe us, you can check.”
Darnell’s eyes widened as he felt his blood boiling.
Shayla sat at the table with her legs tightly crossed, pouting with a look of grievance. “Mr. Halford, they’re bullying me.”
Darnell looked at Casey and Bailee reproachfully. “You two have gone too far.”
The two women were stunned before Darnell continued, “Why didn’t you call me when you did it?”
Casey and Bailee laughed while Shayla playfully hit Darnell. The scene turned chaotic.
The other employees envied Darnell’s luck with women but knew well that such fortune came with a price.
Almost everyone knew that Phoenix Team was essentially Eliezer’s harem, a place where he exploited female subordinates. Anyone who got involved would be doomed.
This was why none of the nearly hundred men dared to pursue these three women.
They preferred keeping their jobs at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals over winning over beauties.
At that moment, Bailee’s phone rang. Her cheerful face turned somber as she stepped out to answer it with a forced smile on her face. She seemed deeply troubled by something weighing heavily on her mind.
Darnell noticed it and frowned slightly. He then found an excuse to leave for the restroom.
Outside, he saw Bailee enter the stairwell with a cold and angry look on her face.
“I told you I have no money. I’ve given you all my earnings from part-time jobs and credit cards over the past two years,” Bailee snapped as soon as Darnell approached the slightly ajar door. “I can’t even afford rent without my friends’ help. How could I possibly have $30, 000? I can’t even come up with $3, 000! Without my friends, I’d have starved long ago.”
“What did I do in my past life to deserve parents like you?” she cried out. “You left me with Grandma when I was little and now you’re living off me.”
“I’m warning you. Don’t push me any further,” she threatened. “Or I’ll kill myself!.”
After shouting, Bailee pounded the wall in frustration and broke down in tears, looking utterly helpless and vulnerable.
Darnell felt pity but chose not to enter and comfort her. This was Bailee’s personal matter, and she certainly wouldn’t want anyone to know it.
He decided to ask Shayla or Casey about it later and find a way to help Bailee indirectly.
After crying for a while, Bailee wiped her tears, touched up her makeup using a small mirror, and forced a smile before leaving the stairwell.
Darnell discreetly left ahead of her.
“Two weeks left. Make sure everything is ready,” Eliezer announced loudly as he entered with his deputies after Darnell had returned to his seat.
“In two weeks, it’s the quarterly assessment. Anyone who ranks low will be fired without mercy,” Eliezer continued sternly. “If you’re fired by the company, you’ll lose your job, your high salary, and your status. Understood?”
Nearly two hundred people responded in unison, “Understood!”
Eliezer seemed pleased with their response before turning his gaze to Darnell sipping tea. “Mr. Halford,” he said with a smirk. “Work hard. Don’t disappoint Miss Fanshaw.”
Darnell looked up nonchalantly. “Don’t worry, Mr. Izzard. Under my leadership, Phoenix Team will thrive.”
Eliezer smiled insincerely, “Brave words. But the reality is harsh. Mr. Halford, if you need any help, feel free to come to me.”
“Thank you, Mr. Izzard,” Darnell replied lazily. “I’ll come begging if I’m out of options.”
Eliezer sneered before leaving with his deputies.
After they left, Casey hesitated before speaking up, “Mr. Halford, you’re a good person, so I need to tell you something. Mr. Izzard has set you up.”
“He set me up?” Darnell said indignantly, “How could someone as smart as me fall for his trap? What did he do?”
With worry etched on her face, Bailee tugged at Darnell’s sleeve, whispering, “Phoenix Team is made up entirely of newbies hired by Mr. Izzard just to inflate numbers and claim subsidies.”
“In fourteen days, it’ll be time for our quarterly performance review. If we fail to achieve $500, 000 in sales…”
“We’ll all be fired, including you,” she said sadly as her voice trailed off along with her usual sweet scent.
Casey and Shayla nodded in agreement. “That’s right. We’ve been here for two-and-a-half months now, and the quarterly assessment is coming up.”
The sales department’s evaluation was straightforward. Each quarter, the total performance of each team had to exceed $1 million, with at least $500, 000 in one month alone.
Darnell asked, “How much have you achieved so far?”
The three women responded simultaneously, “Zero!”
Darnell was shocked. “Zero?”