Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Begging for Mercy
"Oh, getting angry out of embarrassment? Seeing you still have the energy to talk back to me, I know you’ve been doing well recently. It makes me happy to see you thriving; it’s a relief for the elders at home." Xu Ke’s smile became genuine.
But in Chairman Hu’s eyes, Xu Ke’s demeanor was nothing short of bizarre and provocative, reminding him of the old man who had controlled the Xu Corporation for decades. Chairman Hu’s face gradually turned pale, his heart pounding relentlessly.
At the time of action, he simply felt a rush of success, but as time passed, fear began to gnaw at his mind, especially after Xu Ke’s prior words. For a whole week, he was plagued by nightmares; every time he closed his eyes, images of the Xu family’s deaths would flash in his mind. They called for justice in his dreams every night, leaving him tortured and sleepless.
"Hmph, I won’t argue with you, a mere brat, right here. We’ll see each other later!" Chairman Hu said, struggling to maintain his commanding presence.
"See you later, then." Having achieved his goal, Xu Ke lost interest in speaking further, his smirk quickly fading as he replied coldly.
Watching Chairman Hu enter the elevator, Xu Ke finally turned around to face the receptionist who had stopped him.
"Go collect this month’s salary from finance later. You don’t need to come back anymore." Xu Ke told her.
"What do you mean? I don’t quite understand." The receptionist’s smile could no longer be maintained; her eyes filled with fear and desperation, hoping what she just heard was false. But the truth is often cruel.
"It means I’m firing you as the company’s president. Starting today, you’re no longer an employee of the Xu Corporation." Xu Ke bluntly repeated.
"No, you can’t fire me. I have an employment contract with the company; I’m protected by labor laws." The receptionist said, her voice slightly agitated.
"I almost forgot about your contract. I’ll have finance arrange three extra months’ salary for you as compensation. Now you can pack your things and leave." Xu Ke said with cold indifference in his eyes.
It was clear that Xu Ke genuinely wanted her to leave. The receptionist’s expression turned utterly panic-stricken.
"Please, President, I was wrong earlier. I’ll never fail to recognize you again. Please don’t make me leave. I beg you. I really, really need this job. Without it, I won’t survive. I beg you, forgive me this once." The receptionist, caring no longer about others watching, grabbed Xu Ke’s hand resting on the table, her perfectly manicured nails sinking into his flesh, drawing a trickle of blood.
Xu Ke glanced at their entwined hands and frowned.
The receptionist, always watching Xu Ke’s every expression and move, immediately noticed his frown. Following his gaze, she saw the scene of her pinching Xu Ke’s hand to the point of drawing blood, feeling her blood freeze and breathing becoming difficult.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, it was an accident. Please don’t be mad, I’ll cover your medical expenses. Just please, don’t fire me." Her demeanor became even more frantic, tears pooling in her eyes.
The tears wet her lashes, making her look exceptionally pitiful, like a lilac drenched in rain, evoking sympathy.
"Let go." Xu Ke said coldly, looking at her hand still gripping his.
"Sorry, I was too nervous. But I really need this job. Please don’t fire me, okay? I know what I did was wrong today. I promise I’ll do whatever you say if you let me stay. Please?" The receptionist released his hand, biting her lip and looking at Xu Ke with a beseeching, puppy-like gaze, hoping for some leniency.
"I think you don’t even realize what you did wrong. I’m not firing you today because you stopped me from going upstairs, but because you picked a side and chose the wrong one. No company leader wants employees forming cliques to split the company. After leaving the Xu Corporation, I hope you won’t make this fatal mistake again." Xu Ke looked at her face, his eyes void of pity, only coldness.
After speaking, Xu Ke left immediately. The receptionist stood there dumbfounded, watching Xu Ke’s figure disappear into the elevator. Only then did she burst into tears, but none of her colleagues who had previously socialized with her came over to comfort her.
Only the manager, informed of the situation, approached slowly in high heels, followed by a newcomer to take her place.
Through her tears, the receptionist saw her replacement, feeling as though all the bones in her body had been removed, collapsing onto the ground. She realized that she was truly finished this time.
As long as any future employers knew she was fired from the Xu Corporation, no one in Shangjing would be willing to hire her. All her paths in Shangjing were blocked. She was utterly ruined, yet she couldn’t hold any resentment toward the man who ruined her, not even anger.
Sitting on the ground, the receptionist once again shed tears of regret.
"Rather than crying here, you should prepare your resume and apply for new jobs. Get up from the floor quickly. I need to take you to HR to process your resignation, then go to finance to collect your wages. I’m pressed for time and can’t waste it here with you. Hurry up." The manager spoke without any courtesy.
Xu Ke, after entering the elevator, had no idea what would happen after he left, as it was entirely outside his concern.
Xu Ke appeared directly at the company executives’ meeting.
Chairman Hu was still passionately speaking when suddenly everyone’s gaze focused on the entrance. Then came a voice he found most unforgettable and detestable, lazily saying, "Why didn’t anyone inform me about today’s company meeting? If I hadn’t come by, wouldn’t I have missed it?"
Under the complex gazes of everyone, Xu Ke walked straight in, looking at Chairman Hu seated at the head of the table. Xu Ke’s mouth slowly curved into a smile.
The office chairs were arranged according to the number of people, and no one had anticipated Xu Ke’s return, so no extra chairs were prepared.
Xu Ke’s eyes swept around the meeting room with a smile, finally landing back on Chairman Hu.
For a moment, the meeting room plunged into extreme silence, the air so heavy it was hard to breathe.
As the tension rose, someone among the executives couldn’t help but send an assistant out to bring in a chair for Xu Ke, placing it next to Chairman Hu.