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"Oh come on, Mr. Brown, this is far too much trouble," the administrative director said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"If you don't know how to do anything, you can just delegate authority to each department head. Wouldn't that make your life much easier? Even if I gave you the archive room key, how long would it take you to learn everything? A year? Two years?"
The administrative director was still giving a soft refusal, with no intention of backing down.
From his standpoint, Henry's excuse was indeed unreasonable. So refusing him was, on the surface, perfectly justified.
If the intention had truly been to push the new CEO to focus on "real work," this refusal wouldn't have been problematic. But today's rejection clearly didn't come from goodwill—it was simply a deliberate snub.
After all, office politics had never been about logic. As long as you gave a barely passable excuse and saved face for everyone, things would usually work out.
Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, this director clearly wanted to test the mettle of the parachuted CEO.
That was understandable. Henry's résumé in HR was simply too bizarre.
The education section was completely blank—not even an elementary school diploma.
The experience section listed only three jobs: crab fisherman, Hollywood background actor, and assistant to a washed-up star.
A twenty-something kid like this becoming CEO of Stark Pictures? Anyone who saw that résumé would have questions. Some even wondered whether he could read, or spell.
What no one realized was that Henry truly had the ability to absorb massive amounts of knowledge in a short time through intensive reading. And the director's blatantly provocative behavior finally annoyed him.
It seemed that Little Stark's reputation still couldn't compare to Old Stark's.
That administrative director had been present at last night's inauguration banquet. Was it possible that, in these people's eyes, Henry's pleasant conversation with Tony Stark had been interpreted as him "sleeping his way to the top"?
Well then… he'd have to do things himself.
Tony had thrown a banquet to show support, but he'd never said Henry couldn't fire people. If Henry was struggling to find an excuse to strike, and someone willingly put their neck out—why wouldn't he swing the blade? His current position wasn't one where he could afford to back down.
Henry picked up the phone on the desk and dialed.
"Hello, Finance? This is CEO Henry Brown. Please calculate Administrative Director John Snape's salary up to today.
"Tsk, another John. Do you know how many people named John I know? Oh—ignore that, I was just talking to myself. Also, what's the severance pay for termination? Six months? Okay, include that as well."
Then a second call.
"Hello, Security? This is CEO Henry Brown. Please send personnel immediately to supervise the termination of an employee. Former Administrative Director John Snape is to pack his personal belongings and be escorted out of the building. Send someone right now."
After hanging up, Henry looked at the stunned administrative director and smiled.
"You might want to find a box and start packing your things."
"You… you're firing me?!"
"Under California law, an employer may terminate an employment relationship at any time," Henry replied calmly.
"I am the company's CEO. I naturally have authority over personnel matters. And I'm honoring the contract you signed at hiring—six months' severance pay included. Is there any problem with that?"
"You—!" The suddenly fired director exploded with rage, jumping to his feet.
"You motherf***ing kid who couldn't even finish college! I was already working at this company before you were even born!
"What right do you have to fire me?! Do you have any idea how many company resources I control? Without me, do you think you can even find the film rights documents? Do you know where the equipment patent files are kept?
"The inventory in the warehouses? The rental records for the equipment? Every single one of those assets is under my control! If I don't hand them over, believe it or not, even you—the CEO—won't be able to get them!"
Henry was so thoroughly cursed out that he froze for a moment. Then he sighed helplessly, put on a look of deep regret, and picked up the phone again.
"Hello, Finance? This is Henry Brown. There's no need to calculate Administrative Director John Snape's salary or severance anymore. That's all."
Then another call.
"Hello, Legal? This is CEO Henry Brown. Send people over immediately. There's a bastard here who's been embezzling company assets! I want a full audit of the company's accounts.
"If you're short on manpower, contact the group's legal team and have them send support. I just took office, and this kind of crap already shows up—are you trying to make me take the blame?
"If there are problems in the accounts, file lawsuits where necessary. Demand compensation where appropriate—don't miss a single cent. Company assets belong to the company, not to individuals, and they don't disappear just because someone leaves!"
After venting into the phone, Henry hung up, feeling much better.
He couldn't help but wonder how someone could be stupid enough to incriminate themselves like that.
What—an unhappy home life? An annoying wife, so he wanted to go to prison to get some peace and quiet?
Just then, Stark Pictures' security staff nervously entered the office, glancing between the young, aggressive new CEO and the thoroughly terrified former administrative director.
Henry wasn't done yet.
He stepped out into the doorway, facing the entire administrative department, and let out a sharp whistle. The already silent office instantly froze, everyone looking up at him.
"Julian," Henry called out, "who's the deputy in the administrative department?"
The equally stunned Black woman blankly raised her hand and pointed at an even wider Black woman nearby.
"It's Wendy."
Henry looked at the woman who'd been singled out and asked sternly, "Your full name, ma'am."
"Wendy… Wendy Ingrid, sir."
Softening his tone, Henry said, "Very good, Mrs. Ingrid. From now on, you're the head of the administrative department. You all heard what was said in that office just now, correct?"
A sudden promotion should've been a good thing—but considering what had just happened, and what was about to happen, it didn't feel that way. The large Black woman made an awkward half-smile and nodded.
Henry continued, "You have two tasks that must be carried out immediately.
"First, wait for the legal team to arrive and assist them in inventorying all company assets that the former administrative director was responsible for handing over. Not a single item is to be missing.
"Second, cooperate fully with legal on a comprehensive audit of the department's accounts and assets. My bottom line is simple: the books must balance, and everything that bastard embezzled must be returned. How long do you need to give me results?"
"Uh… three days?" the woman asked tentatively.
"You get two days," Henry replied flatly.
"If you can't do it, I'm sure someone else in this office can. At that point, the department head will change. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Yes, sir."
"Second task: I want the archive room key. Find it now and bring it to me."
"Yes, sir." She agreed—but still stood there dumbly.
Seeing this, Henry clapped his hands loudly, the sharp sound echoing through the office.
"Move it! Move it! This is a workplace, not a movie theater. No one gets to stand around watching idiots perform on the big screen."
The saying about "cutting into the artery" during layoffs only meant the successor hadn't paid enough. With enough money, even an artery could be rerouted.
Only stingy bosses sent people straight to the morgue over a single clogged vessel. And since Tony Stark's only requirement was that the company not go bankrupt, why would Henry be afraid of one disgruntled old guard blowing up?
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