Chapter 12

Chief Director Michael’s gaze swept over the room, lingering on each person, his eyes sharp and unyielding. “This company depends on the efficiency of every department. We cannot afford this level of incompetence. There will be changes — and consequences — for those responsible.”

The tension in the room deepened, the sense of impending judgment settling over them like a storm cloud. Daniel knew that this was only the beginning. The reckoning they all feared was finally here.

The room felt like a pressure cooker, every second stretching out unbearably. Chief Director Michael’s eyes remained fixed on Leo, his gaze unwavering, his voice cold and deliberate.

“I understand that overseeing multiple departments is a challenge, Leo,” Michael said, his tone sharp but measured. “But this level of failure is simply intolerable. If you can’t manage your responsibilities, then you are no longer fit for your role.”

Leo’s face tightened, the color draining from his cheeks. He nodded stiffly, his jaw locked. It was clear he was hanging on by a thread, barely holding back the panic swelling in his chest.

Chief Director Michael then turned his gaze to Ray, who was visibly shaking, his hands clenched into white-knuckled fists.

“And you,” Michael continued, his voice steely, “your incompetence in leading the IT section has cost this company dearly. Missed deadlines, constant failures, and a lack of accountability — it ends now.”

Ray’s eyes widened, his face going ghostly pale. A low tremor ran through his body.

“Because of these repeated failures, you are hereby dismissed as Head of the IT Section,” Michael said, each word landing like a hammer blow. “The position will be announced on an online job portal later today.”

Ray’s composure shattered. His breathing turned ragged, panic overtaking him. “No, please!” he begged, his voice trembling. “Please, Chief Director Michael, give me another chance! I can fix this, I swear! Just give me a little more time!”

His desperate pleas filled the room, but they landed on deaf ears. Chief Director Michael’s expression didn’t waver, his gaze cold and resolute. “Enough,” he said firmly. “Gather your things and leave the company building. Now.”

Ray’s eyes glistened with tears. The reality of the situation crashed down on him like a tidal wave. He turned toward the door, his movements sluggish, his shoulders hunched in defeat.

Joe and Graham froze in their seats, the blood draining from their faces. Panic flickered in their eyes as the fear of exposure clawed at them. Ray knew their dirty little secrets — how they disappeared for hours, how Daniel had covered for them. He could ruin them with a single sentence.

As Ray took his first step toward the door, he paused abruptly. His eyes narrowed, a glimmer of bitterness flashing through the tears. Desperation drove him to one final, reckless gamble.

“It wasn’t just me!” Ray blurted, his voice cracking. He turned back to Chief Director Michael, his eyes wild. “The IT section was failing because Joe, Graham, and Daniel weren’t doing their work! They’ve been slacking off, disappearing during office hours, and—”

“Enough!” Chief Director Michael’s voice sliced through Ray’s frantic accusations, cold and final. His eyes flashed with irritation. “Your input is no longer valid. You’ve had your chance to lead, and you’ve failed. Leave, now.”

Ray’s shoulders sagged, the fight draining from him. His eyes briefly met Joe’s and Graham’s, their expressions etched with horror and betrayal. Without another word, he turned away, his steps heavy with defeat. He walked out of the room, the door closing behind him with a quiet finality that echoed louder than any words.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Joe and Graham sat rigidly in their seats, fear gripping them like a vice. Their world was crumbling, the safety net of Ray’s leadership gone.

Daniel, on the other hand, remained calm, his expression unreadable. The storm was tearing through the office, and he stood at its eye — untouched, unshaken.

The reckoning has begun, he thought. And there was more to come.

The room was heavy with tension, the silence only broken by the faint ticking of a clock on the wall. The door had barely closed behind Ray when Leo shot up from his seat, his face etched with desperation. His usual arrogant demeanor was gone, replaced by a pleading vulnerability.

“Chief Director Michael, please reconsider,” Leo begged, his voice shaking slightly. “Firing Ray is too extreme. It’ll be incredibly difficult to find someone else who can fit into his position. He knows the team; he knows the systems. Just give him one more chance!”

Chief Director Michael’s eyes narrowed, his gaze cold and assessing. His fingers drummed slowly on the desk, each tap like a countdown to judgment. He leaned forward slightly, his voice steady and firm.

“The decision is final, Leo. Ray’s performance has been consistently poor, and his inability to lead has cost this company too much.”

Leo’s face paled, the color draining away as if he’d been struck. He swallowed hard, his hands gripping the back of his chair so tightly his knuckles turned white.

“But Leo,” Chief Director Michael continued, his tone dropping to an icy calm, “you should be more concerned about your own position. You think you’re safe? You’re not. The only reason you’re still here is because I’m extending you a final courtesy.”

Leo’s eyes widened, fear flickering across his face. His mind raced. He had been so wrapped up in saving Ray that he’d failed to see how close he was to the edge himself.

Michael’s gaze bored into him. “You’ve already committed enough infractions to justify termination. Your favoritism, your neglect of duties, your destruction of employee morale — it’s all documented. If you fail to fix this, if you slip up even once more, you’ll be out the door as quickly as Ray.”

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

The weight of those words sank into Leo’s chest like a stone. His lips trembled slightly, and for a moment, it seemed like he might crumble completely. But then he nodded rapidly, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Thank you, Chief Director Michael,” Leo stammered. “I… I appreciate it. I won’t let you down. I swear.”

Relief washed over his face like a wave, his shoulders sagging slightly as he realized he’d been given a sliver of hope — a thin, fragile thread to cling to. He knew that he couldn’t afford to be worrying about anyone else now. His survival depended entirely on his own actions.

Chief Director Michael leaned back in his chair, his eyes still cold. “Don’t thank me yet, Leo. Earn it.”

Leo nodded again, swallowing hard. He sank back into his chair, his mind a whirlwind of anxiety and desperate resolve. The walls were closing in, and he knew he had only one chance left to keep from being crushed.

The room fell into silence again, the weight of the unspoken threat hanging in the air. Joe and Graham sat frozen, dread etched into their faces. Daniel watched calmly, the edges of his lips curling into the faintest of smiles.

Chief Director Michael’s gaze swept over Daniel, Joe, and Graham, his eyes sharp and unwavering. The room seemed to constrict under the weight of his scrutiny, the silence stretching into an unbearable void. When he spoke, his voice was cold and final.

“From this point forward, the three of you will be closely monitored,” he said. “Any further issues, any sign of incompetence or slacking, and you will be dismissed immediately.”

Daniel’s small smile faded, his heart sinking like a stone. What? The words echoed in his mind, each syllable a jarring blow. His fingers clenched tightly on his knees. He had doubled the file server storage within an hour. He had upgraded the network seamlessly. He had proven his worth — far beyond anyone else in the IT section. And yet, here he was, lumped together with Joe and Graham, two people who had spent more time chatting and disappearing than actually working.

A cold wave of disappointment washed over him. His accomplishments, his tireless effort, his quiet brilliance — all of it swept aside, ignored in favor of blanket punishment. He had expected recognition, maybe even an opportunity to step into Ray’s role. Instead, he was being treated as though his contributions meant nothing.

Chief Director Michael continued, his voice carrying an edge of frustration. “A temporary Head of IT will be selected from our countryside division. We need fresh leadership, someone removed from the dysfunction that’s festered here.”

The words hit Daniel harder than he expected. His jaw tightened, disappointment coiling in his chest like a viper. He had done everything right. He had shown his value, his capability. And yet, they were bringing in someone from the outside — as if his efforts weren’t even worth considering.

Next to him, Joe and Graham were visibly shaken. Graham’s eyes darted nervously, his fingers tapping on the armrest of his chair. Joe stared at his feet, his face pale. They deserved this scrutiny. But Daniel? He swallowed the bitter frustration building in his throat.

How can they not see the difference? he thought. How can they not see that I’m the one keeping this section afloat?

He forced himself to remain composed, his face carefully neutral. The last thing he wanted was to show weakness now. His mind was already spinning, calculating his next steps, his escape route. He had been patient, biding his time, working toward making them realize his value. But this? This was the final insult.

They’ll regret this, he thought, his eyes hardening. I’ve carried this department on my back, and they’re still blind to it. But when I’m gone, they’ll see just how much they needed me.

Chief Director Michael’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, as if expecting a reaction. But Daniel stayed silent, his expression unyielding. Inside, the fire of determination burned brighter than ever.

The house of cards was already collapsing. Soon, he would step away and let it fall completely — and they’d have no one to blame but themselves.

Just as Chief Director Michael was about to close the meeting, Director Brian Ortega cleared his throat and leaned forward, his face lined with frustration.

“Before we wrap up, Chief Director,” Brian began, his voice carrying an edge of exasperation, “I want to address something. The IT section needs to be much better than it’s been. We can’t keep relying on external developers and spending exorbitant amounts of company funds just to create basic portals. I’ve already handed the task down to the IT section, and I expect results.”

The words hit like a hammer. Joe and Graham stiffened in their seats, their eyes wide with panic. Daniel didn’t need to look closely to see the fear etched across their faces — the realization that they were way out of their depth was sinking in fast. Joe’s hands fidgeted on his lap, while Graham’s gaze darted nervously around the room, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

Brian’s frustration was clear, and his statement seemed to hang in the air like a challenge. Chief Director Michael nodded, his expression unreadable.

“I agree with Director Brian,” Michael said, his eyes narrowing slightly. “The reliance on external developers is unacceptable. The IT section should be capable of handling these tasks in-house.”

He turned his gaze to the three of them — Joe, Graham, and Daniel — his eyes cold and assessing.

“Can you handle the development of these portals or websites?” he asked, his voice firm and expectant.

The question hit Joe and Graham like a freight train. Their mouths opened slightly, but no words came out. The color drained from their faces, and the weight of the expectation settled heavily on their shoulders. They knew the answer, and so did Daniel. They couldn’t handle it — they lacked the skills, the knowledge, and the drive.

Daniel’s moment had arrived.

He took a breath, his voice calm and confident. “It won’t be a challenge for me at all.”

The words were clear, cutting through the silence like a knife. All eyes turned to him — Chief Director Michael’s gaze sharpened, Brian’s brow lifted slightly, and even Leo’s worried expression faltered, replaced by a flicker of surprise.

Joe and Graham turned to stare at Daniel, their shock palpable. The fear in their eyes deepened as they realized the gap between their abilities and his. They were cornered, and they knew it.

Chief Director Michael’s eyes narrowed as he studied Daniel. “You’re saying you can handle these projects internally?”

Daniel nodded, his voice unwavering. “Yes, sir. I’ve developed and refined my skills for exactly this kind of work. I can build the portals and websites you need efficiently and to the company’s specifications.”

A tense silence followed, the weight of his words settling over the room. Chief Director Michael exchanged a glance with Director Brian, who gave a small, approving nod.

“Good,” Michael said, his voice measured. “I want to see results, Daniel. If you can deliver on this, it’ll save this company a lot of time and money.”

“I understand, sir,” Daniel replied confidently. “You won’t be disappointed.”

The meeting room was charged with unspoken tension. Joe and Graham shrank in their seats, their anxiety etched into their faces. They had relied on the system, on favoritism and luck, but that was crumbling before their eyes. Daniel had just proven himself to be indispensable — the one person who could do what they never could.

As the meeting finally concluded, Daniel felt a quiet surge of satisfaction. The pieces were falling into place, and his value was undeniable. This was the moment he had been waiting for, the beginning of a new chapter where he held the power.

They wanted competence, he thought, and they’ve got it. Now, let’s see if they can handle it.