Chapter 126: Mason's Embarrassment
The countdown ended. Hannah was about to jump. "God!" Everyone on the rooftop screamed in fear. Mason was terrified; he urinated from fright. Witnessing Hannah's move, Mason shivered uncontrollably, wetting his pants. "No! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" he cried, consumed by panic. The horror of death blanked his mind. He desperately wanted to leave the guardrail, to find safety, but fear paralyzed him.
Hannah, however, wasn't actually going to jump; it was a ruse. Seeing Mason's terrified state on the ground, she signaled Jimmy, who quickly grabbed and helped Mason descend. He knelt, spiritless. Ironically, the person who had threatened others was now terrified by the one he'd threatened.
Hannah also climbed down, her face pale. Miguel rushed to her aid before anyone else could reach her. "Dad, I'm okay," Hannah reassured him. "I'm going to have a heart attack," Miguel retorted angrily. Hannah smiled; while she'd been outwardly calm during the ascent, the near-death experience had sent a jolt of fear through her. The possibility of a fatal fall had brought a wave of relief now that it was over.
Someone approached and lifted Mason, intending to take him away. Hannah intervened, standing before him. Mason, though regaining some composure, was mortified by his earlier incontinence and avoided eye contact.
"Didn't you want an explanation? I'll give you one, right here, in front of everyone," Hannah declared. Mason, overwhelmed by his humiliation, wished he could disappear.
"Enough, Hannah, that's enough. There's no need to be aggressive," Maxwell interjected, playing the peacemaker once more, though inwardly furious. He considered Mason a fool who consistently messed up, initially confident in his supposed bravery, yet ultimately proving to be a cowardly mess.
"I'm not being aggressive. I simply want to be fair to Mason, and to everyone," Hannah countered. "Almost all the senior leaders are present, along with numerous employees, some recently reassigned. I need to clarify this for everyone."
Maxwell attempted to stop her again, but Miguel intervened, "I want to know why you've made such drastic changes to the team structure so soon after joining, and why you fired an experienced employee like Mason?" His seemingly harsh words inadvertently aided Hannah. Maxwell, unable to disobey the chairman, retreated.
Hannah began her explanation, "First, regarding the reassignments. Mr. Richards advised against it initially, didn't you, Mr. Richards?" "Yes," Percy Richards confirmed. "I understood the consequences, but proceeded because I was dissatisfied with the sales department's staffing. Some roles required two people, yet only one was assigned, while others had two or three people doing a single person's job. The current arrangement was unreasonable. Second, stagnation is inevitable in long-held positions; change is motivating." She omitted the crucial detail: she needed to remove her opponents.
"How do you know your changes are right? You're new here. How can you judge talent or guarantee motivation?" Maxwell challenged relentlessly.
"Mr. Watson, the effectiveness of personnel changes will be determined by the results. If I'm not mistaken, the senior leaders gave me three months to prove myself. You want results in a week? That's excessive."
"You…" Maxwell sputtered, taken aback.
Hannah continued, "Since the senior leaders initially approved my plan, I ask for everyone's support and respect." Opposition would be a direct affront; the executives' initial approval meant any interference would be a breach of agreement. Maxwell was left fuming; intervening would suggest a personal vendetta against Hannah.
"Firing Mason seems excessive. Just because you disliked him doesn't justify dismissal. You're disregarding company policy," Maxwell pressed.
"Mason told you I disliked him, and that's why I fired him?" Hannah raised an eyebrow skeptically. Maxwell instantly recognized his mistake. "Didn't Mason say so just now?" he stammered.
"Whether Mason said it or not, I did have that thought. Reassignments are permissible, but layoffs require proper procedure. Knowing this, I consulted Mr. Richards on the process, and unfortunately, the information was leaked. I intended to report this to senior leaders," Hannah explained calmly.
Maxwell was defeated. "What's your reason, then?" he demanded.
"During the reassignment, Mason incited the sales department to resist and deliberately opposed company decisions. Should we not dismiss those who obstruct company progress?"
"Do you have proof?" Maxwell challenged aggressively.