Chapter 19 Boss's Outrage
1339 Words
"Gerald will have an important meeting with the department managers at ten o'clock. Get ready, Charlotte."
"Ready for what?" Charlotte asked, bewildered.
Noel whispered, "For taking the minutes!"
"You used to do this kind of thing, right?"
"Yes. But Gerald wants you to try it today. Don't be afraid. You just need to write things down."
Charlotte frowned and asked, "Are you sure you're not joking?"
"Hundred percent serious."
"But..."
Noel looked at his watch and said, "You better get in there ten minutes early and ready. By the way, don't forget your laptop! The managers will present their slides. All you have to do is take notes on the meeting, especially what Gerald says."
Charlotte gritted her teeth. I'm just a junior assistant! Technically, I'm Noel's assistant. How can I be in charge of taking the minutes? Gerald has clearly asked me to do that on purpose. I knew it! I knew he wouldn't be so kind. He must have transferred me back from the sales department for a reason. It's only my second day back here, and he's already trying to make me uncomfortable again. She thought to herself.
"Don't be afraid, Charlotte. Everyone has a first time! The clock is ticking, Charlotte. Get ready!"
Gerald told Noel to do so on the spur of the moment before the meeting started. Although Noel knew why Gerald did this, he couldn't say anything. He could only pray for Charlotte and hoped that she would do well.
The conference room was spacious and clean. There was a huge table in the center of the room with neat chairs. Rows of greeneries made the solemn atmosphere somewhat lively.
The managers of each department came in one after another before ten o'clock. They were all carrying laptops and coffee cups.
"Charlotte, what are you doing here? Where's Noel?" Dale asked.
Dale wasn't embarrassed at all. He didn't feel guilty about making things difficult for Charlotte with Thomas. And he was pretty sure Charlotte wouldn't hold a grudge against him either. It was Gerald who had asked her to do so. He was merely telling her Gerald's words.
"Who is that lady?" another department manager, who had never seen Charlotte before, asked curiously.
"Charlotte. Gerald's assistant."
"I see."
Although no one asked anything more, everyone felt puzzled. When did Gerald hire this girl and even make her his assistant?!
Gerald showed up at ten o'clock sharp.
Charlotte watched in awe as Gerald walked in. He was handsome and elegant, with a calm demeanor. Although he was young, he had a sense of maturity and domineering. His eyes were very sharp and seemed to be able to read people's minds.
Every step he took seemed to step on the tip of her heart, making her feel challenged to breathe.
"Let's begin, shall we?" he said, glancing at everyone.
The managers of each department became nervous as they realized they could not make any mistakes.
They all knew that the people who had just taken office would want to show that they were competent. Gerald had just been promoted to the position of chairman, and Bruce had left all matters to him to decide. So, Gerald could control everything.
After Dale finished his part, the finance department manager made the report. Without a word, Gerald listened to their reports. However, his expression grew grim.
Charlotte fumbled with her notes. She didn't understand what they were saying but felt she should write down everything they said.
"You say the company is underfunded, and we can't start the project?"
The finance manager replied nervously, "Yes, we have to wait until the end of the month to catch the budget."
"This project is too important to be delayed any longer. Otherwise, we will suffer losses. Do you understand?"
When Gerald was the company's general manager, he already had his eyes on a project. Moreover, his decision had the support of Bruce. At that time, the finance department said there were not enough funds to implement it for the time being. So, it had not been started until now.
"You said half a month ago that there were not enough funds. Now, why is it still insufficient? I know the company's liquidity is more than one billion dollars a day. So, what do you mean by that?"
"But you know where the money goes..."
Gerald slapped the table heavily. "Now, I am the boss. I know you have been working here for a long time, and you think you can tell me what to do! I know what you guys were up to!"
Charlotte was taken aback when she saw Gerald's grim expression. The look was the same as he had shown when Gerald had found Charlotte in his bed that morning.
"Look, the project must start in three days. Or get your butt out of the company!"
It was quite a familiar line for Charlotte, for she always faced the same challenge.
Charlotte was in a bit of a trance. She thought this was the first time she had seen him look so grim. He didn't seem to be the same person as the cold man she remembered.
Then Charlotte thought about what had happened when she was six years old. At that time, she had been kidnapped with some children.
"Don't be afraid! My dad's a cop, and he'll save us. I promise! Here, try this. My dad bought it for me. Here you go." She took out a pack of jelly from her pocket and said.
Charlotte heard the cries of other children. She tried her best to keep calm even though she was afraid as well. She knew that her dad would come to save her!
The boy beside her did not cry, either.
"No, thanks. You can have it," he said.
"Aren't you hungry? Have it. I hide it in my pocket. If others see it, they will snatch it."
He looked at her for a long time, finding that her eyes were beautiful. He hesitated for a moment but finally took the jelly. When she watched him eat the jelly, she had a happy smile.
"Meeting dismissed!" A cold and loud voice sounded in Charlotte's ear suddenly. With a jolt, she snapped back to her senses. She then realized that Gerald was long gone.
She looked at the words on the screen and exclaimed, "Crap! I screwed up!"
She hadn't written down much of the meeting at all.
Noel looked at the few lines on her screen and comforted, "It's okay, Charlotte. You're doing better than my first time."
Charlotte looked highly embarrassed. She only knew that she was lost in thoughts.
"Gerald's going to read the records later! Quick, make something up!"
"What? He is going to check it?"
"Of course!"
Charlotte smiled bitterly and then started typing like crazy. After finishing it, she sent it to Gerald's email.
Gerald became huffy immediately after seeing the email. He realized that Charlotte hadn't even memorized the department manager's presentations but instead had recorded all his words.
"Gerald said that the finance manager deliberately did not start the project. Gerald told everyone to figure out how to finish the new project. If they couldn't do it, they'd be fired."
"The sales department had good results. Gerald didn't blame them, but he didn't compliment them either. The sales department can do better."
Gerald shouted, "Get Charlotte in here!"
Noel was taken aback by him.
Charlotte knew he must think her notes were lousy, so she was prepared.
"Look what you've written!"
"You did say that, though," she replied cautiously.
"What? If I said let them go to hell, would you write the same thing?"
"Noel said it's your words that matter. I got them all down."
Gerald was furious. He grabbed a nearby file and gave it to her. "Fix your note and finish the scheme! If you can't, then you are fired!"
Charlotte bristled. If there was one skill Gerald could keep to run the company, that was to fire someone at will.
- Writer
