Chapter 11 I Might as Well Quit

Her emotions had reached their boiling point after days of being suppressed, and the pent-up frustration in her chest made it hard for her to breathe. She had been working tirelessly overseas, putting in long hours and negotiating deal after deal, yet not only was she betrayed in the end, but she could not afford to pay for a meal now.

‘How dare they do this to me!’

Filled with rage, she hailed a cab and headed straight to Artron Enterprise, which was owned by her family.

When she arrived, she saw everyone leaving a meeting. Ava was trailing behind Benjamin, asking him questions about his work. Benjamin was gentle and patient as he answered her queries, and they looked like a father and daughter who loved each other deeply.

This was an entirely new sight for Chloe, for she had never felt this kind of warmth and affection before. She clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. Her eyes stinging with tears, but she maintained a stoic expression.

Ava looked up and saw Chloe standing in front of her. She paused for a moment, then happily exclaimed, “Coco, you’re finally back! Where have you been these past few days?”

Chloe ignored her fake concern and directed her question at Benjamin, “Why haven’t I been paid in three months?”

Benjamin’s face sank when he saw Chloe. He refused to look at her and said, “Don’t just ask why. Think about what you’ve done.”

“I told you that I’m not to blame for Mr. Lionel refusing to sign the contract,” Chloe said, “I reviewed all the project materials yesterday to ensure that there were no mistakes in my work. It was him who disrespected me.”

Chloe had stayed up studying the project materials while receiving her IV drip the night before. She never slacked off when it came to her job.

“How can you say that when you were out gallivanting last night? You didn’t even come home. As a girl, you should be ashamed of yourself!” Benjamin replied with a veiled insult.

The moment he finished speaking, the other colleagues looked at Chloe with disdain.

Her face turned pale and she blurted, “I was at the hospital!”

However, no one believed her. Suppressing her urge to smile, Ava stepped forward and grabbed Chloe’s hand. “Don’t worry, Coco. Daddy didn’t really mean that. How much money do you need? I’ll give it to you.”

“Get away from me!” Chloe hissed coldly as she pushed Ava away. “Don’t touch me, you b*tch!”

Ava should have been able to stand firm but she suddenly lost her balance and fell in front of everyone. All her colleagues rushed to her aid as Benjamin glared at Chloe in fury. “Why did you push Ava? She was just trying to help you!”

“That’s right. You shouldn’t use underhanded tactics just because Mr. Jake likes Ava and not you. Don’t forget that she’s your sister.”

“You can’t force someone to like you.”

“Instead of scheming, why not focus on improving yourself?” another colleague chimed in.

“Jealousy can really twist a person’s mind.”

In the past, Chloe’s colleagues had been friendly toward her, but now they all avoided her as if she had committed some heinous crime. She scanned each of their faces one by one and said, “What gives you the right to judge me?”

The group sneered and dispersed back to their seats without saying another word.

Chloe turned to Benjamin and asked, “When will I receive my last year’s annual bonus as well as this month’s salary and the quarterly bonus?”

“You injured Mr. Lionel and ruined the project so I took your salary to pay for his medical expenses. The only way out for you is to apologize to Mr. Lionel, gain his forgiveness, and finalize the contract,” Benjamin replied.

“What if I refuse to apologize?” Chloe asked.

“I’m trying to give you a chance and here you are being unappreciative,” Benjamin responded coldly, “You better not do anything embarrassing to ruin our family’s reputation for money. Otherwise, don’t come crying if I disown you!”

Despite her strong emotions, Chloe found herself at a loss for words. A lump formed in her throat and she was unable to express the depth of her disappointment.

Her own father did not even bother to ask if she had got home safe after she was absent all night. All he worried about was her not dragging down the family name. In Benjamin’s eyes, she was only valuable if she could be used. Otherwise, she was a burden.

Chloe had no reason to stay and work hard for nothing. After a long silence, she spoke up again, “If you’re so afraid of me ruining the family’s reputation, then I might as well quit.”