Chapter 15

Cene stretched lazily. “It’s nothing major, just find some jobs for my relatives. Nothing too demanding—high salaries, good benefits, and easy work will do.”

The HR manager, Sandra Newman, blinked, momentarily speechless. Nothing major? The audacity of his request was staggering.

“Mr. Reid, you might not be aware, but Payne Group’s hiring is already at full capacity. Hiring more people will take some time.

“And, even when we start recruiting, your requirements might be difficult to meet. We have a rigorous review process for hiring.”

Cedric shot her a sharp look. “I told you to make it happen. Why are you wasting my time with excuses?”

Sandra took a steadying breath and tried again. “I’m sorry, Mr. Reid, but I don’t have the authority to make these decisions.”

Cedric let out a cold chuckle. “Who said you needed authority? I’m giving you a direct order; just do what I said.”

Sandra hesitated, her mouth opening as if to respond, but the words faltered and died on her tongue.

“What’s the problem now? You don’t listen to me anymore? Do I have to get Lettie to spell it out for you?” Cedric pressed.

He stepped closer, his eyes gleaming with menace, the sharp edge in his tone enough to send a chill through the room. Before Sandra could reply, a calm, commanding voice sliced through the tension like a knife.

“Yes, you do.”

Cedric turned sharply, irritation flickering across his face. Grace strode in, her heels clicking against the floor with measured confidence.

She was dressed in a sleek business suit that hugged her form perfectly, highlighting her flawless figure. More than a few of the men in the room stole glances at her strong curves.

Cedric’s attention shifted immediately.

“Mr. Reid, the HR department at Payne Group operates directly under Lettie’s management. All personnel decisions require her explicit approval and signature. So, don’t make this harder than it needs to be. She doesn’t have the authority, and neither do I.”

Grace’s voice was laced with unmistakable disdain. She had only come to HR to drop off some files but had walked right into the middle of this absurd scene. Cedric’s relatives immediately began muttering in indignation.

“What kind of nonsense is this? They’re husband and wife, why all this ‘yours and mine’ foolishness?”

“Exactly! What kind of employees are these? What’s the point of keeping them around?”

“Cedric, don’t tell me you can’t even handle something as simple as this!”

Cedric’s face flushed, oscillating between red and pale, humiliated and furious. In one swift motion, he slammed his palm against the desk with a sharp crack. “Cut the crap! Get them hired immediately! Say one more word, and I’ll make sure every single one of you packs your things and gets out of here!”

Grace frowned, her delicate brows drawing together in disbelief. “You—”

“I said, do it now!” Cedric roared, cutting her off with finality before he stormed out of the room.

Fuming, Grace decided she’d had enough. Without a second thought, she spun on her heel and marched straight to the CEO’s office.

“Lettie, you’ve got to hear this! Does any of this sound reasonable to you? He’s acting like Payne Group is his personal property! Even if it was his, he can’t just hire relatives like this; it’s blatant nepotism!”

Grace’s indignation poured out with every word, her chest rising and falling as she vented her anger, making her fury all the more palpable.

Scarlett rubbed her temples as though trying to ward off a headache.

“Forget it, just arrange for them to start working,” she said, her voice weary.

Grace froze, her eyes widening in shock. “Are you serious? Lettie, you can’t give in on this! If you set this precedent, people down the chain are definitely going to have a problem with it,” she exclaimed.

Before Scarlett could respond, the office door opened.

“What if they do? What can they do? Revolt?”

With a sudden, decisive stride, Cedric strode in with an air of triumph.

His attention settled on Scarlett, his expression softening into one of calculating charm. “Lettie, these relatives have helped me a lot in the past. I can’t just turn my back on them.” “Besides, every single one of them is an industry expert. They’re fully qualified for the jobs, and I’m just trying to help.”

After a moment, Lettie moved closer to Cedric. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he began to massage them gently. Scarlett nodded. “Alright, I’ll manage it.”

Lettie let out a long sigh, utterly exasperated. She felt powerless, unable to do anything but watch the scene unfold. They’re family, it’s safer and…