Chapter 94 Not the Usual Routine

Chapter 94 Not the Usual Routine

The work area, filled with the clatter of keyboards, went silent for a moment.

Everyone who'd been busy with their own tasks looked up at me simultaneously. Some were curious, some surprised. Quite a few looked like they were settling in for a show.

My gaze swept over them one by one, quickly locking onto two people.

Wendy's face turned bright red as she scrambled to her feet in a panic. The other person was much calmer.

Oliver methodically finished organizing the documents on her desk, shot Wendy a reassuring look, then smoothed her shirt and stood to face me.

I raised an eyebrow, forming my first impressions of these two.

Wendy—weak personality, easily manipulated, not worth entrusting with important responsibilities.

Oliver—ambitious and calculating, probably had either real skills or connections backing her up.

I couldn't help feeling a headache coming on. Why was I being saddled with such difficult team members right out of the gate?

But I couldn't delay the Harrington Group project. One person's strength was limited—I needed to get these two under control quickly.

"Looks like you two haven't finished wrapping up your current assignments yet." My tone was somewhere between amused and not.

My voice wasn't loud, but it carried enough for everyone in the office to hear. Both their expressions changed.

I ignored that too, checking my watch with a flat tone. "How much more time do you need? I've already waited thirty-five minutes for you. What's a little longer?"

The atmosphere in the office suddenly turned awkward.

Wendy looked flustered, opening her mouth to explain. Before she could get a word out, Oliver silenced her with a glare.

I crossed my arms over my chest, waiting for their response.

Oliver adjusted her black-framed glasses, her tone apologetic though her words were anything but. "Ms. Rosewood, you're not familiar with our workflow, so naturally there'll be some miscommunication. We're free now. Should we head to the conference room to talk?"

I snorted coldly, ruthlessly calling out her deflection. "I'm not familiar, that's true. But I've never heard of employees completely ignoring two emails from their supervisor, forcing said supervisor to come find them at their desks."

Without waiting for a response, I turned and started walking. "Follow me. Don't waste any more time."

My no-nonsense attitude successfully caught everyone off guard. Even after I'd walked some distance away, I could still hear their murmuring.

In Conference Room 06, compared to my earlier assertiveness, the two sitting across from me now were noticeably more constrained.

I had no intention of letting this slide. My tone was mocking. "You two certainly have quite the attitude. First day working together and you've already tried to put me in my place."

Oliver looked defiant, opening her mouth to argue. I raised my hand, cutting her off.

"Did I say you could speak?"

Seeing her face flush dark red in frustration, the tightness in my chest eased slightly.

I casually opened the documents HR had given me. "Wendy." I chose to start with her. "You transferred here from another company. According to company policy, failure to follow management directives puts you on the next round of layoff candidates."

Wendy's eyes immediately reddened. She jerked her head up to look at me. "Ms. Rosewood, I—"

I waved my hand, signaling her to sit down. Then I turned my attention to Oliver, whose face was full of arrogance. "Oliver. Headhunted with a high salary package. In one year with the company, you've generated over fifty million dollars in revenue."

"However, you're difficult to work with and refuse to accept anyone as your superior. You're still just a regular employee."

At this, Oliver merely lifted her eyelids slightly.

I closed the file, leaning back in my chair as my gaze settled directly on both of them. "I know you don't respect me. And to be blunt, I don't like you either."

As if they hadn't expected me to be so direct, Wendy looked utterly shocked. Even Oliver furrowed her brow and began studying me more seriously.

I continued without pulling punches. "One of you wants to stay at the company, the other wants a promotion, yet you both resent the company's decisions and show zero basic respect for me, your new supervisor. I don't believe we can successfully work together going forward."

"Right now you have two options. First, go to HR yourselves and request a team transfer. Second, prepare your resignation paperwork."

"On what grounds?"

Almost the instant I finished speaking, Oliver slammed the table and shot to her feet. Her face was livid, strong resentment radiating from her entire being.

I wasn't intimidated. "On the grounds of what you just pulled. As your superior, I'll be giving you both low marks on your first performance review. I'm very dissatisfied with you. Understand?"

Recalling my wait earlier and the scene I'd witnessed in their work area, I'd figured out their little scheme.

In their minds, I was just a newly hired employee who'd been promoted irregularly. I had no right to manage them.

When faced with their deliberate obstruction, I should have panicked and run to upper management to complain, gotten scolded, then come crawling back to them with a humble attitude, inviting them for afternoon tea or meals.

They probably had other tactics prepared too. But a scorched-earth confrontation definitely wasn't what they'd expected.

I stood, staring coldly at Oliver. "You think your workplace experience makes me easy to manipulate, but let me tell you something—relationships between people require mutual respect to function."

Wendy tugged at Oliver, trying to get her to calm down. But Oliver glared at me, her tone dismissive. "It's not that you want to replace us—we don't think you're worth following! Even if you hadn't said anything, I was planning to ask HR for a supervisor who can actually command respect!"

With that, she grabbed the still-dazed Wendy and stormed out of the conference room.

I followed behind them, both of us ending up in HR's office.

After hearing Oliver's complaint, Mr. King from HR turned his gaze to me.

I recounted everything that had just happened without any embellishment. Just as I was about to state my own request, Wendy suddenly burst into tears.

Then she said something that completely blindsided me.

"Mr. King, I know my abilities are average, but Catherine's a new hire—she can't just bully people like this! She looked down on me for being a transfer and threatened me, saying the company would definitely cut me in the next round of layoffs. I've been at this company so long—even if I haven't achieved much, I've worked hard. What's the point of me living anymore? I might as well just die!"

As she spoke, she turned and tried to run out.

Mr. King quickly grabbed her. Wendy wanting to die was her business, but she absolutely could not die at the company.

My eyes widened in shock as I stared at her. Was that what I'd meant?

"Mr. King, I—"

Now I was the one who couldn't defend myself.

A hint of amusement flashed in Oliver's eyes behind her glasses as she shot me a challenging look.

So these two had planned this! Striking first and turning the tables on me—I'd underestimated them.

Meanwhile, Mr. King steadied Wendy before turning to me with an unfriendly tone. "Catherine, is this how you damage the company's reputation? The company promoted you so you could serve it better, not so you could abuse your power! Apologize to them right now."