Chapter 120

Kellan stood at the laboratory entrance, his expression sharp. "When did this company become a playground for uninvited guests? And remember, I haven't blacklisted you two. How did your names get on the viewing group list?"

Colton and Melany froze, their bravado vanishing. They remained silent. They knew their names weren't on the list; they'd joined the group hoping to mend their relationship with Kellan. Their overconfidence, however, had led them to forget their precarious position.

Kellan, his eyes cold, addressed the murmuring crowd, swiftly defending Allison. "Miss Clarke isn't just a leader here; she's a shareholder—one of the bosses. She doesn't need permission to act. And not only that," he continued with a harsh laugh, "she heads the fragrance department. She can make whatever changes she sees fit; no one in this company would dare object!"

The technicians paled. Until now, they'd seen Allison as an appointed leader, not realizing she was an owner. Disobeying a leader was one thing; betraying a shareholder was quite another. A shareholder could easily have them fired.

"Scarlet Serpent is a shareholder of Charisma Company," someone murmured incredulously. "Still, you can't break the rules."

Another voice, deliberate this time, said, "This doesn't seem to follow protocol."

Allison's response was swift and icy. "Since when has Buggins been running the fragrance industry? You may be older than me, but remind me: where did you place in the Perfumery Competition?" The man's face flushed, then paled. He hadn't even qualified.

Allison sneered. "Some are born with talent, while others cling to tradition. You can spend your life following rules, but you'll never match the spark of true skill. So instead of complaining, accept that your limitations might be holding you back."

He finished typing, slowly stood, his gaze colder than the winter wind. The weight of his eyes fell on everyone, particularly the lab technicians, who involuntarily shivered. They'd underestimated her.

Sensing an opportunity, Marc, urged by Melany, stepped forward. "Ms. Clarke, even as a shareholder, you shouldn't be at the lab's central control post. What if someone malicious hacked the system while you were careless?"

Thea, innocently, interjected, "Oh, but I think Mrs. Clarke mentioned she was 'fixing' the computer because the mainframe had been attacked."

This only spurred the others; their words dripped with ridicule. "He's not a perfumer! Even if there was a gap, why would he be on the computer? And he didn't let us see what he was doing. Charisma's firewall is one of the strongest in Ontdale. It couldn't have been hacked so easily. We've never had any problems in years."

Doubt swept the room; most believed Allison had neglected her duties. Kellan frowned but didn't hesitate to believe Allison. Just as he was about to speak, a staff member entered, carrying documents.

"Mr. Lloyd, our company website suffered a serious cyberattack. The entire database almost disappeared, but it was restored just in time. I thought headquarters intervened, but they couldn't have acted so quickly."

Kellan's eyes lit up with understanding. He turned to Allison, admiration in his voice. "It seems Miss Clarke has done us a favor once again."

All eyes turned to Allison, calm and collected amidst the chaos. Behind her, the computer screen displayed lines of code, the broken webpage restored.

Melany's jaw dropped. "Allison… how is that possible?" Colton stared in disbelief. She had repaired such a sophisticated system.

Those who mocked her were silently ashamed. Their taunts had backfired, leaving a sting.

Note from Tac-K: Have a nice Monday, pretty little people. God loves you, and Tac-K loves you very much. (>‿=)✌