Isabella's POV
How dare a mere sales director from a third-rate company raise her voice at me?
I immediately called my father.
"DAD!"
"Sweetheart, calm down. What now?"
"I want you to deal with someone. She insulted me."
"Who?"
"One of the sales directors from Adkins."
"WHAT?"
"Yes! She insulted me even after knowing I'm your daughter. Make sure she gets fired and never finds a job in this city again!"
"Uh… dear…"
"What? Can't you do this for your daughter?"
"Of course, I can do anything for my daughter, but…" He hesitated.
"But what?"
"This situation has serious consequences."
"Oh, come on. You're saying you can't fire a mere employee?"
"Not in Adkins. They don't just have strict policies—they're nearly untouchable. Rumor has it they're backed by Madoc Inc. No one dares to mess with them. And besides, the project you're handling is crucial for both Drakos and us."
"Daddddd..."
"I wasted a lot of resources to get you this project. Don't mess up." He hung up before I could protest.
I clenched my fists. This humiliation is unbearable. Susan, just wait. I'll find another way to make you pay.
Aurora's POV
I got a call from Daniel, one of our top sales directors. He primarily manages our sales executives who handle affordable housing clients but steps in to assist with elite buyers when needed. We have separate divisions simply for customer convenience, nothing more.
"Ms. Adkins," Daniel said over the phone. "Imperium Holdings contacted us regarding our hot property."
"And?"
"The client who approached them specifically mentioned that they want the land we're currently bidding on."
"Which company is it?"
"It's AETOS."
"Oh…" My voice trailed off.
"Aurora, are you okay?" he asked.
"Of course."
"We don't need to deal with them if you don't want to."
"It's okay, Uncle. Let them bid—business should always be business."
"If you say so. But I'll never allow you to meet those people alone." He hung up without another word.
Daniel is like a father to me. Once a top salesman in the industry, his life crumbled when his wife betrayed him and his daughter abandoned him. He lost everything his wealth, his home and was left on the streets. That was around the time my company was struggling to stay afloat. I saw potential in him, brought him into Adkins, and together, we rebuilt. Adkins Real Estate wouldn't be where it is today without people like Daniel. Everyone in my company has some kind of backstory.
I trust him to handle this better than I ever could.
Two Days Later – At the Office
I headed to the economic division, where Daniel had arranged a small meeting for our new hires. Most of them start in this department because middle-class clients tend to be more understanding, making it a great training ground to build relationships.
As I entered the room, the crowd greeted me in unison, "Good morning, Ms. Adkins."
"Good morning," I said with a smile. "It's great to see fresh faces. It reminds me of my own early days. You all make me feel refreshed! I'm always dealing with these serious people." I pointed at Daniel.
The crowd chuckled.
"Unlike other companies, you can openly address your concerns here. While we do have hierarchies, my door is always open if you need to discuss something directly. At Adkins, we never discriminate—whether it's customers or employees. In fact, one of our core policies prioritizes employees over customers when the mistake is on the customer's side."
A few of them exchanged surprised glances.
"You'll never be forced to work overtime because I believe efficiency matters more than hours worked. And in rare cases where extra effort is needed, you'll be fairly compensated. The team will explain all allowances and benefits in detail. In return, we expect just one thing—a fair business approach. Enthusiasm matters. I hope to see all of you grow with us."
The room erupted in applause.
I chuckled and stepped out, only to receive a call.
"Hello?"
"Ms. Adkins," Susan's voice sounded exasperated. "Where are you?"
"I'm on the eighth floor."
"Please come to the fifteenth-floor meeting room now."
"Why? What happened?"
"Things are getting out of hand. Ms. Wilson is becoming impossible to deal with."
"I'm on my way."
I stepped into the elevator, already bracing myself. Isabella is proving to be just as much of a headache as expected. Mr. Brown was originally supposed to handle this project—why on earth is she involved? She truly lives up to her reputation.
The elevator chimed as it reached the fifteenth floor.
I walked into the meeting room... only to be greeted by empty chairs.
The only ones there were my team.
"What the... what happened?" I asked.
Susan was pressing a damp towel to her forehead like it was some kind of magical pain reliever.
I stared at her for a moment… and then burst out laughing.
"Pfft... Susan, what is that?!"
She scowled. "You're laughing at my suffering?"
"Not at your suffering… at your look! Your hair is a mess, something's hanging over your forehead, and you're trying to look serious? It's tragic."
Susan groaned. "It's all thanks to Isabella."
"What happened this time? Weren't you just supposed to negotiate the terms and set a contract signing date?"
"Exactly! Everything was supposed to be done within a week. This week, we should be moving on to preparing legal documents."
"And?"
"And she vanished. No calls, no emails, no messages—her entire team just disappeared off the face of the earth."
"WHAT?!"
Susan threw her hands in the air. "Like poof! Gone! At first, I thought they were just slow, so I followed up politely. Nothing. Then, I got firm. Still nothing. So, I decided, fine, let's just wait. And guess what?"
"What?"
"When I finally tracked down their assistant, he acted like I was some crazy stalker! He was like, 'Oh, we thought the contract wasn't urgent!' What do they think this is? A high school group project?"
I sighed. "Typical."
"And when Isabella finally showed up today?" Susan pointed at herself. "This was the result!"
I examined her closely. Her usually neat ponytail was half undone, her glasses were slightly crooked, and there were distinct creases on her forehead as if she had been frowning non-stop.
"She didn't even apologize," Susan continued. "She just smirked and said, 'Oh, I was busy with personal matters. Let's talk next week.' NEXT WEEK? I nearly lost my mind."
I shook my head. "We'll handle it."
Susan sighed dramatically. "You know what? I think she was put on this earth just to give me stress wrinkles and taking revenge on me for my earlier behavior."
I chuckled. "Well, we can't let that happen, can we?"