In the director of the sales department’s office, Darnell leaned back in his chair after a busy half-day.
Casey, Shayla, and Bailee worked in an orderly manner. Bailee helped Darnell tidy up the room, clearing out all traces of Eliezer. Shayla moved Darnell’s belongings in and arranged them meticulously.
Casey massaged Darnell’s head.
Darnell had fired more than twenty people, including Paul and Gia, which immediately served as a warning to others.
Seeing the eighty resignation letters, those related to Eliezer gave up their plans to leave with Gia and Paul.
Nowadays, good jobs were hard to come by.
So, until the situation became clear, they wouldn’t act rashly to avoid being fired by Darnell and losing their salary and bonuses to others.
Darnell said that the benefits of those who resigned would be divided among those who stayed, which was no small amount. So, most people decided not to go up against Darnell for now.
Some even began to think about how to curry favor with Darnell.
Darnell seemed completely unconcerned about the turmoil outside. He lay in his chair enjoying Casey’s massage without care.
He didn’t mind the gossip about him being greedy and lecherous, using his position for personal gain by having beautiful women serve him. What fun was there in being a director if he didn’t abuse his power?
“Mr. Halford, are you enjoying the view?”
After massaging for over ten minutes, Casey brought a cup of tea and placed it in front of Darnell. “Do you need me to lower the collar further?” she complained coquettishly.
Clearly, she had already noticed Darnell sneaking a peek at her cleavage. How could someone with closed eyes enjoying a massage, whose Adam’s apple keeps bobbing up and down, not arouse suspicion?
“What?”
Darnell suddenly sat up, looking a bit drowsy. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You just keep pretending.”
Casey poked Darnell’s forehead playfully. “You’re the best at playing dumb at Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.”
Darnell took the tea and sipped it before putting on a stern face. “How dare you talk to the director of the department like that? You better watch your words, or I’ll take advantage of you.”
“Go ahead, please.”
Shayla laughed mischievously, “Mr. Halford, you’re the department’s director now. You can do anything you want to do with Casey right here.”
“Bailee and I will guard the door for you. This office is soundproof. No one will hear Casey shout for help.”
“Shout for help? How could that be? She’d probably moan with satisfaction.”
Bailee chimed in with a laugh, “At the celebration party, she said she wanted to marry Mr. Halford.”
“If Mr. Halford beckons her over, she’ll strip while saying no.”
“Are you two my good friends? How can you tease me like this?”
Casey yelled as she charged at her friends, laughing and wrestling with them. “Bad girls!”
Watching the three women playfully tussle, Darnell felt an urge to join in.
Just then, someone burst into the room. Lillian appeared in a panic and grabbed Darnell’s arm.
“Darnell, take me back to Woodsea.”
Darnell was taken aback. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Lillian looked anxious. “The Apex went to Woodsea. I’m worried about my godmother.”
Darnell shivered.
At Woodsea’s village hall, which could hold five thousand people, tensions were high.
On the left were Noemi, Leroy, and hundreds of male villagers of all ages mixed with burly security guards holding batons.
On the right were over five hundred members of the Apex in black clothes with various wooden clubs.
They also carried machetes but wouldn’t use them unless absolutely necessary.
Nick, Gisselle, and Callum were also in the crowd. But the most eye-catching was an old man in white among them.
The man appeared to be in his fifties with a kind face and calm eyes.
He exuded an air of a scholar, but everyone knew he was Luca Dane, the Apex’s leader.
Luca sat at one end of the conference table opposite Noemi. While Noemi’s gaze grew sharper, Luca maintained a harmless smile.
Behind them stood their respective groups, glaring at each other and gripping their weapons tightly as if ready for battle at any moment.
Leroy stood tall despite his age. For the future of the village, he still took it upon himself without hesitation.
“Luca,” Noemi slammed her hand on the table angrily.
“We will never let the Apex take over Woodsea.”
The air conditioner blew across them as if waking Noemi from a trance.
“We can protect ourselves or call the police if needed. Why do we need your gang? You’re asking us to give you fifty shops rent-free, demanding a 30% stake in all the village’s entertainment venues. You also want us to give you 20% of the annual profit from our village?! You think we’re stupid enough to give away our money like that?”
Woodsea villagers roared in agreement pointing fingers at the Apex,
“That’s right! Fifty shops would amount to twenty million in rent per month. If we give you a rent-free deal, how are we supposed to make money?”
“The village has thirty entertainment venues, and a 30% share of their profits would also amount to twenty million a year, plus the profits from the village itself, it’s over a hundred million a year.”
“You guys are just too greedy!”
“And if you take over Woodsea, crime rates will skyrocket!”
Concerned about their livelihoods, every villager protested vehemently against the Apex. For this confrontation, Noemi called almost everyone back to the village.
If it were anywhere else, these villagers might hide when facing these gangsters. But this negotiation concerned their own interests, so everyone got worked up.
“What are you yelling about? Wanting a fight?”
Nick banged on tables furiously, pointing at specific villagers who were challenging the Apex.
“How dare you guys give us attitude?! If you’ve got the guts, come and one-up me… No, fight Callum one-on-one!”
He said arrogantly until Luca suddenly slammed down his own hand, glaring at Nick.
“Shut up! Where were your manners?”
“We’re here today for peace talks, not to fight. Everything should be about harmony. Do you understand? What good would it do for the Apex to destroy Woodsea?”
The statement had a double meaning. It both reprimanded his son for acting impulsively and warned Noemi to be sensible, or else they would destroy Woodsea.
Nick grumbled as he sat down, but still said,
“Woodsea must submit to the Apex today. Otherwise, I’ll destroy this place.”