Returning to the sales department, Darnell had just clocked in when he heard applause coming from a distance. Startled, he turned his head to see Casey and Bailee smiling at him and clapping their hands, while the rest of the team watched him with excitement.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Thinking about the affectionate moment he had with Shayla earlier made Darnell’s heart skip a beat. Did someone from the company see their embarrassing encounter in the elevator?
But it was only him and Shayla in the elevator. He looked around, his eyes darting, and shouted to Casey and the others, “Why are you applauding so early in the morning?”
“Congratulations, Mr. Halford,” Casey and Bailee shouted in unison. “Two-billion-dollar contract signed.”
At that moment, Shayla walked in through the door and heard the news with great excitement. “Two-billion-dollar contract? What’s going on?”
“Mr. Halford went out with Miss Fanshaw this weekend and secured a two-billion-dollar order from Jazmine.”
Casey gleefully informed Shayla, “The contract has been finalized, and execution begins today. Assistant Snow just told me.”
“Is it true?” Shayla exclaimed.
Darnell smirked and boasted, “It’s just a small contract. Don’t forget, I’m good at signing contracts. What’s a contract worth two hundred million? I can easily handle ten billion.”
With a smack, Shayla kissed Darnell on the cheek and said, “Mr. Halford, you’re amazing.”
This meant that their performance assessment for this quarter, and even for the whole year, was now guaranteed.
With her kiss and body brushing against his, Darnell felt a surge of excitement. “What part of me is amazing?” he teased.
“You scoundrel,” Shayla playfully scolded him as she remembered their intimate encounter in the elevator and her mistaken assumption about the carrot.
Darnell exaggeratedly cried out in response.
Casey giggled and said, “Mr. Halford, you rogue! Let go of Shayla and come at me!”
“What’s all this noise about?” Eliezer’s figure appeared, leading his subordinates towards them. He looked at Darnell and Casey with a stern face and scolded them, “This is a company, not your home or a hotel. What kind of discipline do you have? How can your attitude and behavior benefit the company? How many contracts can you sign?”
Casey weakly retorted, “Mr. Halford just signed a two-billion-dollar contract. We’re happy for him.”
“Two billion dollars?” Eliezer’s mouth twitched slightly before he snorted, “Yes, Miss Fanshaw did indeed secure a two-billion-dollar contract with the Harmony Hospital this weekend.”
“But that was Miss Fanshaw’s achievement. Darnell is just a chauffeur. It has nothing to do with him. If it weren’t for Miss Fanshaw, he wouldn’t even know Ms. Picton,” Eliezer taunted.
“Just because he drove Miss Fanshaw to the golf course, you say he secured a two-billion-dollar contract? Are you insulting my intelligence or have you lost your mind?”
“I can now tell everyone that the two-billion-dollar contract from the Harmony Hospital has nothing to do with Darnell.”
“The Python Team’s performance is still at six million one hundred thousand, and if you don’t reach ten million by the end of the month, next Monday, all of you can get lost.”
Hearing this, Casey, Bailee, and Shayla were all stunned, struggling to believe the outcome.
Casey instinctively responded, “Mr. Izzard, Assistant Snow didn’t say it like that. She said Mr. Halford was the one who contributed the most to this deal.”
“That two-billion-dollar contract will also be credited to Mr. Halford.”
She displayed a strong demeanor. “It’s fine if the Python Team has to leave. We don’t care. But you can’t take credit for Mr. Halford’s accomplishments.”
“It’s unfair to him.”
Bailee chimed in, “Yeah, it’s unfair. Without Mr. Halford’s efforts, Assistant Snow wouldn’t have said that.”
Shayla’s pretty face was anxious. “Mr. Izzard, two hundred million in commissions is no small amount. You can’t just take it all!”
“Shut up!”
Seeing the three women rebel, Eliezer yelled, “Whether this performance counts as Darnell’s is up to me, not you.”
“It’s only valid when Miss Fanshaw, the party involved, and the general manager say so. Miss Fanshaw just told me that the two-billion-dollar order has nothing to do with Darnell.”
“If you’re not satisfied, take it up with her.”
“As long as I haven’t received any written notice from Miss Fanshaw, the two-billion-dollar contract has no connection to Darnell.”
Upon hearing that it was Areli’s decision, Casey and the three fell silent. Regardless of fairness, Areli’s word was final.
Seeing their silence, Eliezer felt a sense of triumph. He pointed at Darnell and called out, “Mr. Halford, do you have a problem with Miss Fanshaw’s decision?”
Darnell didn’t respond directly. He leisurely took a sip of tea, sighed contentedly, then looked at Eliezer and smiled.
“That mere two-billion-dollar order doesn’t even catch my eye. If Miss Fanshaw says it has nothing to do with me, then it has nothing to do with me.”
He pointed to himself and then to the performance chart on the wall. “There are still five days left. Don’t worry. Reaching ten million is absolutely no problem.”
“Mr. Izzard, you better be ready to fulfill our bet.”
Eliezer was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Darnell to be so confident. He sneered, “As long as you reach ten million first.”
“Remember, you only have five days left. If you don’t reach ten million, the Python Team is out, and your commission from the African deal will all go to me.”
Casey and the others were fuming but didn’t know how to respond.
Eliezer continued to glare at Casey and the others. “If I were you, I’d stay far away from Darnell right now.”
“Chandler’s deal was just a fluke. He won’t have any more luck.”
“If you want to stay in the sales department and enjoy the benefits of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, clinging to me is your best bet.”
Casey and the others looked at him with disdain, deeply unimpressed.
“Fine. You all wait and see.”
Eliezer sneered, “When it’s time for you to leave next week, don’t come crying.”
“Mr. Izzard, you look like a mess, with dark circles under your eyes. Haven’t you been sleeping well these past few weeks?”
Noticing that Eliezer had the habit of picking on him and his group every morning and seeing Casey and the others were upset, Darnell chuckled and said, “You’re showing symptoms of excessive drinking, thick blood, and blocked airways.”
“If you don’t adjust your eating habits or seek timely treatment for bodily ailments, you might end up with a stroke.”
Eliezer’s steps faltered. He had indeed been sleeping poorly lately, and his skin had suffered as a result. He often felt exhausted as soon as he got to work.
“There’s an acupoint in the human body you can try massaging to help you feel better.”
To Casey and the others’ surprise, Darnell added, “This acupoint is located in the upper abdomen, four inches above the belly button.”
Eliezer, half-convinced, felt for the acupoint. Darnell looked serious. “The effect is definitely good.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Eliezer pressed down hard on it.
Pop!
A sharp sound echoed, followed by a loud bang, like a bomb being dropped from an airplane. The noise continued, resembling multiple landmines going off, filling the office with a terrible stench.
Eliezer’s mouth opened uncontrollably, releasing a foul odor.
Casey and the others instinctively stepped back, while the other onlookers quickly moved away. Even Eliezer’s allies held their breath.
“Mr. Izzard, you’re full of waste gas!”
Darnell covered his mouth and nose. “You’ve polluted the entire office. Bailee, open the windows!”
Eliezer’s face turned ashen, his mind blank as he slowly processed what just happened.
So embarrassing! He made a complete fool of himself!