Chapter 21 Chapter twenty one
I grinned as I put the last touch on the bracelet. I let out a groan as I sat up,
stretching my arms and yawning.
I sighed as I checked the time. It was past working hours again. But I was com-
forted by the knowledge that I accomplished a lot today.
I looked down at the n*ecklace and bracelet. They were gorgeous. Infact, gor- geous is an understatement. It looked like something out of this world. It was how Atelier studios had become a household name. I always enjoy putting my best in every Jewelry, even if the orders were made by assholes. And it was what I had inculcated in our employees in the production department too.
I got to work early today. After last night’s drama, I surprisingly had a peaceful sleep afterward. I felt so energized this morning. I suspected it was due to the
determination to get out of the marriage.
I encased the bracelet and n*ecklace by myself then I rang for my assistant.
As usual, she was knocking on my door in a few seconds. “Come in.”
I handed her the boxes, “Have the client who ordered this know that it’s ready.”
She nodded, taking the boxes from me like they were eggs.
“The price for both of them is two million dollars.”
She tried to hide her gasp as her eyes widened but it was too late,I already
heard. I decided to ignore it though.
“Remember, the payments have to be made before the delivery of the jewelry
pieces.”
“Yes ma’am.”
I smiled at her, “Thank you, you can leave now. I’ve got more designs to work
on.”
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I would have personally oversaw the payment of his orders but I had too much work to waste too much time on one. Though it cost a lot, I grinned; the price was enough for my break up fee and some change would still be left, it wasn’t enough. We needed more sales.
I quickly got onto Grace’s Jewelry. Her birthday was getting closer.
I had specifically ordered the gemstones I was using for her piece; I ordered them in her favorite color. I took my time on it; carving it to the right shape and
size.
I was deeply pulled into what I was doing; my focus fully on it when I got star- tled by the noise my door made as it slammed against the wall.
I furiously removed the work google I had on and glared at Richie who was al-
ready in front of me.
“Sydney, it is one thing for you to fight these old guys into coordination, it is an- other to mercilessly snatch people’s means of livelihood from them.” He ranted, “How could you lay off the whole department?!” He threw his hands up in the air, “There’s no way the department will work without half of the team!”
My anger at the way he had barged in was gone. Now I was left observing him.
I had been sure that I was making the right choice when I took him in. He had tal-
ent, raw talent. He was hardworking and ambitious, even a blind person would
have seen that he was an asset.
Richie is one of the original employees that were taken in after the creation of Luxe vogue. He was the perfect man to help grow the company with us. He did well, he worked so hard you’d think he owned the company so we had rewarded him by giving him one percent of the company’s share and making him the head of the customer service department. It was enough drive for him to work even harder. Soon, he was living in grand houses, away from the slum I had picked him from.
Now, after three years away from the company, for the first time, I was tempted to doubt my decision.
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“Did you knock before you came in?” I lifted an icily arched brow, “or rather be- fore you barged in.”
I dropped the goggles and leisurely perched on my desk.
“It’s been just a few years and you’ve become this rude?” I tutted and shook my head.
He stood there, his gaze holding onto mine as he hesitated. Was he contemplat- ing talking back or going back to the door? I wondered.
Indignantly, he turned and strutted to the door, his shoulders hanging in the air. I watched his back as he left the room.
My God, how had he become this proud? Where is the humble Richie I knew? Just because I had left and trusted him for three years, he had become pompous and conceited; a stark shadow of his former self.
His incessant knocks pulled me out of my thoughts.
“Come in,” I said calmly, taking my time before I answered him.
He still barged in, but didn’t knock my door on the wall. “Why did you lay off half of the team?!” He demanded arrogantly.
I watched him incredulously. In those three years, the lean Richie was gone, now he was sporting bulging muscles and a toned b*dy. His face told of how
well he took care of it and his expensive attire screamed the tales of the lavish
life he must be living.
I shook my head. I can see where it was all coming from. The pride, the confi-
dence.
“First of all, Richie, you’re well aware that I am the CEO of this company,” I start- ed, making sure to sound as authoritative and cold as I could; enough to put him in his place. “I have every damn right to make any decision. And you?” I
pointed at him, arching my brows, “You’re just a department head,” I enunciated on the ‘just‘. “You’re just a mere manager,” I reiterated condescendingly.
His face could barely contain his fury as his jaw worked and his fists clenched
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and unclenched.
“Your role as a manager, Richie, if you’ve forgotten, is to ensure your team is ef- fective and also to steer them into being more efficient. You have no damn right neither is it any of your duty to whine about the orders I issue out.” I held his rag- ing gaze afterward, making sure every word stuck.
I twisted back and reached for the list. I threw it at him and he efficiently caught it. “There is the layoff list of your department. I don’t want to get a whiff of any of them in this company.”
His eyes rapidly perused the list, his grip on it creasing the edges where he
held it.
“Secondly,” he looked up, “You very well know how incapable these laid off em- ployees are, don’t you?” I met his gaze, daring him to say a word in denial. “They wouldn’t even pass the first step if a proper interview had been conducted. They only got this position because they aced the tests in your bed, right?”
He seemed stunned by my words, he stood there dumbfounded for a while.
I smirked, glad that Grace had been thoughtful enough to fill me in about every-
thing head of department.
He awkwardly cleared his throat, his eyes refused to meet mine. Then he seemed to summon up the courage to face me, “So what now? Almost every em- ployee in the department is gone. With one employee trying to get the job of three workers done, it’s practically a mess right now. We can’t operate normally or efficiently like that.”
I nodded, impressed and relieved. Atleast, he still cared about work.
“I will have HR recruit new employees for your department as soon as possi-
ble,” I assured him then with a glare, I warned him, “I hope you don’t make a move on the new batch of new employees too. I reiterate my bottom line, I hate unfaithful men and playboys. I hate slackers and you know that. Richie, you are capable, I still believe that and the company has grown with your help, but I don’t want your wrong and impulsive choices and actions to end our friend-
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ship,” I held his gaze, Or your stay in this company.”
The fury and shock that crossed his eyes were expected. Then the shock was gone and it was just a silent fury as he processed my words.
–
I knew my words or maybe I should classify them as threats were riling him up. The power play I was pulling made him feel belittled and he hated it. I could see it in his glares and the hard set of his jaw but I didn’t give an eff. If that was the way he would come back to his senses and not turn the firm into a whore- house then so be it.
“You can go now, I’m busy.” I said coldly, without sparing him another glance. I turned my back to him and focused on the design I was working on before he in- terrupted me.
For a while, he remained there. I saw his fist clench around the list I handed
him and I felt his angry gaze on my back but I was sure he would get over it. It
can be quite embarrassing and infuriating to get knocked off your horse.
