Chapter 781

"Mr. Tanner, you have an important meeting tomorrow. Why don't we postpone the celebration party?"

Damian had personally selected this assistant from among the other interns. After Arianna approved his request, she assigned the intern to him. This was part of his master plan: to promote promising interns, keeping them close and grooming them for advancement. He intended to replace those in high positions during the inevitable power shift. He understood hierarchical structures and was preparing accordingly. He wanted to cultivate loyal followers and remove those he considered obstacles.

Besides his new assistant, he’d also contacted several other interns. Once that was done, he’d have his assistant invite them to a celebration party.

"What are we waiting for? Are you worried someone will steal our victory?" Damian patted his assistant’s shoulder. "Can’t you see how smoothly everything is going? If this continues, our department will soon be the company’s backbone. Do you trust me? Don't be overly cautious. I chose you because you remind me of myself—young, ambitious, and willing to fight for what we want. We work hard and play hard. Everyone’s worked hard these past few days. Let's celebrate! Tonight’s on me!"

"Then…" the assistant hesitated. Unable to dissuade Damian, he asked, "Should I notify Ms. Tanner and Mr. Hall?"

Arianna and Nathaniel were also responsible for the project. Damian had initially approached Arianna, essentially begging her to include him. Nathaniel had subsequently been demoted from lead manager to assistant manager. Everyone knew this, and the assistant felt they should be invited to the celebration.

Damian frowned, hooking a hand around his assistant’s neck and pointing at him. "Child, why are you trying to spoil my fun? I handled this project from the beginning. Mr. Hall’s been to the factory fewer times than I can count. What does he deserve a celebration for?"

After a pause, he continued, "As for Ms. Tanner, she's a woman. You wouldn't be able to relax with her around. We'll leave her out. We'll only invite those from the department and those who worked in the factory."

He grinned cryptically. "I've also invited some models. I hope everyone enjoys themselves."

Seeing Damian’s determination, his assistant could only nod.

"Thank you, Mr. Tanner, on behalf of everyone."

"It's no big deal. Carry on!" Damian waved dismissively, head held high. He envisioned himself as the future president.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel wandered into Arianna’s office. "Did you hear about that idiot?" He sat on her desk, poked at the fruit on her plate, and took a bite. "Tell me, what celebration party is he throwing?"

Arianna frowned but didn't reprimand him.

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "Are you invited?"

She gave him a look, and he understood. Of course, Damian wouldn’t invite them. His pride and vanity led him to claim all the credit. Add to that the existing animosity, and there was no chance of an invitation.

"Not bad," Nathaniel said, munching on the fruit. "People usually cut ties after success, but this kid's trying to cut you off before he's even reached the top!"