Chapter 5
768 Words
Over the next four days, the atmosphere in the law firm was bizarre to the extreme.
I clocked in on time every day, sat in that moldy storage room right next to the restroom, stared blankly at the computer screen, and clocked out on time.
No one dared to assign me any work; everyone treated me like a jinx about to be swept out the door.
Meanwhile, the newly appointed "VIP Client Director," Amy, completely turned the senior partner's office into her personal runway.
She wore flashy designer clothes every day, walked around the office holding Starbucks, and posted various t****k shorts with tags like "Legally Blonde" and "Winning the Richest's Multi-Million Contract."
However, the surface glamour couldn't cover up the truth of the firm rotting rapidly from the inside.
Only four days had passed.
Because I had handed over the contact book and stopped all personal relationship maintenance, the firm's originally stable fifty mid-sized corporate legal counsel contracts had all come to a standstill. Calls to corporate legal departments simply couldn't get through, and several advance payments that were supposed to arrive this week had vanished into thin air.
The firm's cash flow was broken.
At 3 PM on Thursday, Jack rushed out of the partner's office like a rabid dog.
Clutching several overdue bills in his hand, his eyes bloodshot, he strode over to the storage room door and slammed the bills violently onto my keyboard.
"Selina! What the hell have you been doing these past few days?!"
Jack's spit almost sprayed onto my face, his voice revealing the extreme anxiety and rage of a broken capital chain.
"Why aren't those three clients from the East District even answering their phones? Why hasn't the retainer fee been transferred yet? Are you intentionally sabotaging things behind my back, trying to see my law firm go bankrupt?!"
The entire main office area was dead silent, all the assistant lawyers stopping their work to gloat and watch this good show.
I pulled out a few tissues, wiped my keyboard in disgust, and didn't even bother to stand up.
"Jack, I think you've got one thing wrong."
I leaned back in my chair, my voice icy.
"You were the one who personally announced at the partners' meeting that I am suspended for half a month, on unpaid leave, and you confiscated all my contact books."
I lifted my eyelids, looking at his cheeks twitching slightly from guilt, and spoke word by word: "Maintaining major clients is Director Amy's job now. If you can't pay salaries, go ask her. Why are you yelling at me?"
This sentence was like a resounding slap, viciously striking Jack's proud dignity as a founder.
His proud "uniformly and properly kept" had become a massive joke.
Jack exploded in anger; he absolutely could not tolerate me tearing off his fig leaf of incompetence in front of everyone.
"Fine! Very well! Since you refuse to repent, then the firm can no longer accommodate a 'big Buddha' like you!"
Jack pointed his finger at my nose, his roar echoing through the entire floor.
"Selina, you are officially fired! Pack up your garbage immediately and get the hell out of the law firm! Get out of my territory!"
Hearing the word "fired," Amy walked out of the office in her high heels, her face carrying unconcealed ecstasy, as if she could already see the miserable sight of me living on the streets.
I didn't get angry, much less break down and cry like they expected.
"As you wish."
I calmly stood up, didn't even grab the cardboard box that only contained two photo frames, and walked right past Jack empty-handed.
As I was about to walk out the main door, I stopped and looked back at him.
"Remember what you said today. Get out of your territory."
Getting into my car, I closed the door.
I picked up my phone and called the real estate agency directly.
"Take action." I said only two words.
"Understood, Miss Selina." The agent's voice on the other end was excited. "The boss of the rival law firm is already on the way with their legal department and private security. Tomorrow at 5 PM when the lease expires, we will cut water and power on the dot, and forcefully clear the premises to repossess."
I put down my phone and glanced at the time.
It was 4:30 PM on Thursday.
Only the last eighteen hours remained until tomorrow morning's multi-million-dollar signing at Pinecrest Estate.
Tomorrow's signing setup and tomorrow's eviction order—both fuses were fully lit.
Jack, Amy, your double doomsday has arrived.
- Writer
