Nuisance

I began to subtly manipulate the situation at hand as soon as I got into work the next day by planting seeds of doubt and uncertainty in Mr. Thompson's staffs mind. I fed him false information and made subtle comments, leading them to believe that I was onto their scheme and that their actions had not gone unnoticed.

The effect was immediate. Mr. Thompson grew increasingly paranoid, his confidence faltering as he struggled to maintain control. It was clear that he was rattled, unsure of who to trust or what to believe.

For now, I would continue to play with him, toying with his emotions and manipulating the situation to my advantage. And when the time finally came to reveal the truth, Mr. Thompson would learn the hard way that you don't mess with someone like me.

I seized a free moment to confront Mr. Thompson in his office, armed with the latest sample he had clearly outsourced once again. It was time to give him one last chance to do the right thing, to bow out gracefully before it was too late as he had met his match.

As I entered his office, I could sense the tension in the air, palpable and thick with apprehension. Mr. Thompson and his team looked on edge, their faces drawn and weary from the strain of their efforts to cover their tracks.

Without preamble, I placed the sample on Mr. Thompson's desk, my gaze unwavering as I addressed him directly. "I need another change to this," I stated firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument.

Mr. Thompson's response was predictable, his stubbornness shining through as he refused to admit defeat. "I'll get it right this time," he insisted, his voice tinged with defiance.

But I could see the cracks beginning to form as the weight of his deception bore down on him. It was clear that his team was overworked and overstressed, stretched to their limits in their futile attempts to cover up his negligence.

As I left Mr. Thompson's office, a surge of satisfaction washed over me. Getting under his skin for a few days had been surprisingly gratifying.

There was something empowering about seeing him squirm, about knowing that my subtle manipulations had struck a nerve. It was validation that I had not only seen through his deception but had also outmaneuvered him at his own game.

"So I told Mr Thompson what exactly to change on the layout but he yelled at me," Jasper sighed as he entered my office.

"He yelled at you?" I asked.

Fueled by a mix of indignation and a desire to assert my authority, I made a decision out of spite: I ordered another revision by the end of the day. It wasn't solely about the need for further adjustments to the project; it was a message to Mr. Thompson that his behavior was unacceptable and that I wouldn't tolerate his mistreatment of Jasper.

As I relayed my directive to Jasper, I could sense his surprise and perhaps a hint of concern. But I lied and made it clear that this wasn't about appeasing Mr. Thompson; it was about standing up for what was right and ensuring that everyone in our organization was treated with respect and dignity.

Really it was just another power play. Only I was allowed to yell at Jasper.

With the fourth request sent, I braced myself for Mr. Thompson's response. I knew it wouldn't be favorable, but I was prepared to face whatever consequences came my way. Todd Corporation's values of integrity and fairness were non-negotiable, and I was willing to fight to uphold them, even if it meant ruffling a few feathers along the way.

As the deadline loomed closer, tensions between Mr. Thompson and I had reached a boiling point. The air in the office was thick with palpable tension, and it seemed like everyone was walking on eggshells, afraid to set off the powder keg that was our strained relationship.

I called for another meeting, knowing full well that it would likely result in yet another showdown between the old guard of Todd Corporation.

As the participants gathered in the conference room, I could feel the animosity crackling in the air like electricity. Mr. Thompson and the other senior executives exchanged curt nods, their expressions guarded as they took their seats around the table.

I wasted no time in getting down to business. I outlined the agenda for the meeting, carefully steering the conversation towards the project at hand.

Sure enough, as the discussion progressed, it wasn't long before tempers flared and accusations flew. Mr. Thompson and I clashed openly, our voices rising as we argued over the finer points of the project.

"How many times do I have to make edits for one single sample?" Mr. Thompson's complaint echoed through the room, drawing incredulous looks from the other executives gathered around the table. Mr. Wallace's expression morphed into one of disbelief as he processed Mr. Thompson's audacity.

"Excuse me?" Mr. Wallace interjected, his tone laced with disbelief. It was clear that he, too, found Mr. Thompson's behavior unacceptable.

But Mr. Thompson pressed on, his frustration evident in his voice. "Sure, it's a bit lacking, but can't we just have it fixed later?" he argued, attempting to justify his decision to outsource the work. "It's because we're short on time that this was even outsourced in the first place."

I shook my head, feeling a sense of exasperation creeping in. "If you can't follow the instructions, then the employees will end up with more work to do later," I countered, my voice tinged with frustration. "Did the freelancer say they couldn't do it?"

Mr. Thompson hesitated for a moment before begrudgingly admitting, "No."

I slammed the papers down on the table, my frustration boiling over as I made a show of being beyond relieved. "You had one job, and you only got it because you looked confident," I seethed, my voice dripping with disdain. "But since this is the case, I shouldn't have let you do a thing. If I had known the other team members were just wasting their time, I wouldn't have given you this. Just over send the invoice for the draft expenses."

The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging in the air like a heavy fog. Mr. Thompson's expression shifted from confusion to realization, his face paling as my words sank in.

"Invoice?" he stammered, his voice faltering.

I barely resisted smirking triumphantly, knowing that I had successfully cornered him in front of the important people. "Don't tell me you went so far as to put my company's name at risk by outsourcing to unpaid laborers," I hissed, relishing the satisfaction of having finally caught him in his deceit.

The other executives exchanged uneasy glances, realizing the gravity of the situation. It was clear that Mr. Thompson's actions had put Todd Corporation's reputation on the line, and there would be consequences to pay for his recklessness.

"Unpaid laborers? It's just a sample. Isn't this good for their resume?" Mr. Thompson's attempt to justify his actions fell flat in the face of the gravity of the situation. While outsourcing to unpaid laborers might have been common practice elsewhere, it was unacceptable given the high stakes of this particular project.

"This isn't just any sample. This is a chance to work with the Azure family, you incompetent idiot!" Mr. Chambers's retort was sharp and pointed, echoing the sentiments of everyone in the room. We couldn't afford to jeopardize our relationship with Mr. Azure by cutting corners or compromising on quality.

"Mr. Todd, our design team can work on the special feature right away. We finished the existing section last night," Mr. Wallace offered a solution, demonstrating the readiness of our team to step up and rectify Mr. Thompson's mistake.

"We still have a week," I affirmed, acknowledging Mr. Wallace's assurance while also reminding everyone of the urgency of the situation. With time running short, we needed to act swiftly and decisively to ensure that we delivered a product that blew away Mr. Azure's expectations.

"I worked incredibly hard," Mr. Wallace asserted, handing over his own sample. It was evident that he had poured his heart and soul into the project, and the results spoke for themselves. His work was immaculate, reflecting the essence of Todd Corporation's brand with no clear hint of deception.

"Indeed you did," I praised him, acknowledging his dedication and the quality of his work. "It's immaculate. Now this is quality work."

In that moment, I made a decision. I put Mr. Wallace in charge of overseeing Mr. Thompson and his team for this particular project. It was clear that Mr. Wallace's talents and dedication were exactly what was needed to ensure the success of our partnership with the Azure family.

"But it's too close to the deadline!" Mr. Thompson protested, his objections falling on deaf ears.

Fed up with his audacity, I simply smiled, my resolve unwavering. "But I'm the CEO," I reminded him calmly, "and I have recognized Mr. Wallace's talents near a deadline. I trust him to make sure this partnership with the Azure family starts smoothly."

As I unofficially demoted Mr. Thompson during the meeting, I couldn't help but consider the implications of my decision. While it wasn't an official action, the verbal demotion effectively stripped him of the power to enact any further plans, especially as I continued to assert my authority and level up the company.

As the meeting drew to a close and everyone left, the tension in the room slowly began to dissipate. I glanced around at the faces of my colleagues, noting the mixture of relief and hope that filled the air.

All except Mr Thompson who looked flabbergasted on his way.

Just then, the door swung open, and Jasper entered the conference room with a confident stride. "Finally that's over."

"Jasper," I greeted him with a warm smile, relieved to see him after the intense meeting. "I'm glad you're here."

Jasper returned my smile, his eyes sparkling with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Is everything okay?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine concern.

I nodded, reassured by his presence. "Yes, everything's fine," I assured him, grateful for his unwavering support. "We just had a few things to sort out, but we're on track now."

Jasper's expression softened with relief, and he crossed the room to join me at the table.

As I recounted the details of the meeting to Jasper, frustration simmered beneath the surface. "You know, I brought the pile of sunglasses you bought for Travis to Mr. Wallace so he could have the correct inspiration in revamping the layout like you wanted," Jasper explained, making me feel a twinge of annoyance at the thought of the extra effort I had put in.

"What?"

Jasper's face lit up with pride at his contribution. "I knew those sunglasses would come in handy," he said with a grin.

"I worked overtime for nothing," I grumbled, feeling a pang of disappointment at the wasted effort. "You should've mentioned it sooner."

Jasper's expression softened, his eyes reflecting genuine concern. "I just happened to find them last night," he explained, his tone apologetic. "Didn't you want to block Mr. Thompson?"

I paused, considering his question. Blocking Mr. Thompson had been my primary objective, but I couldn't deny the frustration of putting in extra hours for naught. "Yes, of course," I replied, my voice tinged with resignation. "But it still would've been nice to know beforehand."

Jasper listened attentively as I explained the situation. "Mr. Wallace explained what was going on to me. From what I understood, you knew Mr. Thompson would intentionally miss the deadline, didn't you?" he asked, his expression filled with curiosity.

"Yes, but I did have one backed up that I was prepared to send over in place of Mr. Thompson's," I admitted, grateful for the foresight that had allowed me to plan for contingencies. "I just wanted to drag out his embarrassment a little longer."

Jasper's face fell, his guilt evident. "Did I mess up?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

I shook my head, offering him a reassuring smile. "No, you've only made things more interesting going forward," I reassured him.

"How so?" Jasper inquired, clearly curious about my rationale.

I took a moment to gather my thoughts before responding. "I gave Mr. Wallace the lead and embarrassed Mr. Thompson in front of his peers. That won't be taken lightly, and Mr. Thompson should make his big move pretty soon," I explained, outlining my strategy.

"I'm sorry."

Jasper's apology was met with a reassuring smile from me. "Don't be sorry," I assured him. "It's a good thing. His ego will drag him down, and I'll have one less nuisance to deal with. Trust me, I would've just brought Mr. Thompson to a desperate state before ending him, so you're saving me a lot of trouble," I added, hoping to alleviate any guilt he might be feeling.

Jasper sighed, clearly relieved by my reassurance. "I'll ask before I intervene in business next time."

"You're my husband, and that makes you part of this. Your word holds weight, and you're free to meddle where you see fit," I told Jasper, emphasizing his role in our partnership.