Chapter 221: The Mad Era

“You should come with me…” Gap had mostly packed, leaving only some simple items. Books, collectibles, and other bulky things had already been shipped to another state by a transport company.

If nothing went wrong, the Liston Group would move out of Sabin City before January 1st, leaving four to five thousand workers unemployed.

But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Gap had once again proven his value to the board. Under his management, the company’s books showed no problems. It was basically impossible for the investigators to find any fatal flaws just by examining the accounts.

To resolve potentially dangerous issues, the company’s disciplinary department had reported some employees to the local FBI in Sabin City for suspected workplace crimes. All the problems belonged to others; Liston remained as clean as an untouched girl.

The board admired Gap greatly. They promised that after the move, they would consider promoting him to partner level, which would greatly increase his income and social status.

High society—the world he had long dreamed of—was now opening wide its doors. Sometimes, half-asleep, he thought he could hear sacred, peaceful singing from behind a door, like a child’s voice.

That must be, and surely was, a perfect world.

Looking at Vera, making a last effort, he saw she was still wavering.

He knew her well, but his intense work schedule recently had left little time to care about home. He knew how to bring her back.

His voice was soft, like the touch of the finest fabric on skin. “You can punish me, but you should also think about our child.”

This was a simple but effective persuasion. For most married women with children, their children’s importance was extraordinary. Except for rare cases, people—especially women—were willing to compromise for the sake of their children.

Vera hesitated. Though she despised Gap’s infidelity, he had a point—it wasn’t about the child.

Children from single-parent families often faced difficulties growing up. Vera believed if she separated from Gap, he might bring other women home, leaving the child in a distorted family environment, which would be harmful.

Just as she felt lost and unsure how to solve this, the phone suddenly rang, breaking the silence and startling her.

“Think it over. We still have time…” Gap didn’t pressure her or show dominance. He became the man Vera remembered—gentle, elegant, persuasive without raising his voice.

Gap went to the phone and listened for less than half a minute. His face quickly darkened.

After hanging up, he was silent for a moment, then hurriedly changed clothes and headed to the company, worried enough to forget to say goodbye to Vera.

When he reached the CEO’s office, several board members were there, including the head of finance, his closest ally.

“Do you know this girl?” Neo coldly pushed a photo across the table.

Gap adjusted his glasses to hide his nervousness.

He looked at the photo; his hand trembled slightly.

Noticing this, Neo said wearily, “This girl has become a key witness for the investigation team and has provided special evidence we don’t understand. Even my connections can’t find out more.”

He looked at Gap. “You were her direct supervisor and reportedly had a good relationship. Can you tell me what issues and evidence she holds, and how we should respond?”

Gap glanced at a board member and his superior in the room, but both pretended not to know him, showing how serious the matter was.

Some things could be done but not spoken of.

Exploiting female subordinates was a widespread unspoken rule in the company and society. These pretty, alluring girls, without top university degrees or exceptional skills, earned several times the salary of others—not because of their importance or effort.

The higher the middle management in big companies, the greater the pressure. Such cases were common in many departments.

What was truly hopeless was that the one who came forward was Gap’s former secretary.

Because this secretary had left a lip print on Gap’s behind, he suspected she was risking crossing the unwritten rules and, when their relationship became complicated, found an excuse to fire her.

He had given her some money as compensation for her years of hard work.

He thought it was over, but now it was back.

After thinking, he shook his head. “Mr. CEO, you know me. I never share work matters with anyone—not my wife, children, or even my secretary. She’s not senior enough to know.”

His superior defended him, “Gap strictly follows the rules in our department. I believe him.”

Neo nodded, slightly relaxed. As long as the woman didn’t hold critical evidence, it was just a delay.

But he had to consider the worst. “Could she have snooped through your desk or know what you’ve been doing?”

Neo eyed Gap, fiddled with a lighter, then flicked it open with a sharp metallic click and lit the flame. “Regardless of your responsibility, this problem involves your former secretary. You have three days to sort it out. Understood?”

Gap nodded, looking grim. Neo’s expression softened and he even offered some comfort.

“I know you, Gap. Someone suggested promoting you to partner. That shows your value to the company.”

“We’re getting older. Eventually, this will be in your hands. I hope one day to see young talents like you on the board. Only then will our business thrive…”

Leaving the CEO’s office, Gap’s superior followed him. They exchanged a glance but didn’t talk there, instead going to their department office and closing the door before speaking.

“You didn’t handle it well?” the superior complained. “I thought you did!”

Gap took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, no longer confident. He was silent, his mind blank.

The superior grew anxious, fearing being implicated. As department head and senior partner, he was the lowest rung of the upper class but still part of high society.

He paced, muttering curses—sometimes at Gap, sometimes at the girl—before growing exhausted.

After a while, he sat heavily in the chair controlling the department’s fate and asked, “Is there any way to silence her?”

Gap shook his head, exhausted and regretful. “If she could stay silent, she wouldn’t have come forward now. Her stepping forward means something can no longer be hidden.”

They both recalled a party one day when drunk, they had done something foolish—stabbing the girl’s thigh with a pen, leaving their names and insulting words.

At that time, in their eyes, the girl was no different from a dog, a cat, or a pet—actually, even less than a pet. She was just a toy for their amusement.

Now, they would pay the price for their actions.

That afternoon, some police officers knocked on Vera’s door. After showing their badges, they demanded to search the house.

Vera didn’t dare refuse. She used a public phone booth on the sidewalk to call Gap, but no one answered in his office, which made her panic even more.

Instinctively, she called Lynch and explained the situation. Soon, Lynch’s car appeared outside the neighborhood.

Seeing Lynch arrive, Vera immediately felt much better. Before that, her heart was racing and breathing was rapid—she hadn’t felt this terrified even during childbirth.

“I don’t know what’s happening. A group of police just stormed into my home…” She rushed forward and grabbed Lynch’s arm tightly, like a drowning person clutching a straw.