“I took the reins on this one,” he declared confidently. “Mr. Lloyd, we appreciate the recognition. It’s simply part of our role. Honestly, I felt the pressure when we first reached out to Mr. Carman, and I’m equally relieved we nailed it. Supporting the company is our responsibility, so there’s no need for bonuses.”
His words carefully walked a fine line, avoiding outright theft of credit while subtly implying his central role in the success. After all, he had made the initial contact with Rodrigo and had steered the perfume project. Yet, in doing so, he had attempted to undermine Allison, but now it seemed the tables had turned in his favor.
“So, it was you?” Allison remarked, her tone cool as she cast him a detached glance.
She recognized that Marc believed she wouldn’t challenge him for recognition in this setting. After all, he was just a supervisor, while she had recently stepped into a leadership role. It would be beneath both of them to argue over accolades for a project.
However, the others exchanged looks of disapproval, sensing that Marc’s behavior was not only unseemly but also risky. In a professional environment, taking credit for someone else’s work was a cardinal sin. Now that he had so openly stolen Allison’s thunder, who could say he wouldn’t do the same to theirs? The atmosphere thickened with caution.
“Is that right?” Kellan’s tone had turned frosty, the sharpness of his words cutting through the tension.
Allison gently interjected, “Actually, it was a collaborative effort.”
Kellan narrowed his gaze, knowing she wasn’t looking for the spotlight but that the truth needed to be recognized.
“Then, by the book, everyone should see a raise.”
The room fell into a hush, the surprise palpable. They realized that the whispers about Allison might have been exaggerated; she wasn’t the ice queen the rumors had painted her to be. Instead, she was humble and understated.
Allison, unaware of the shift in perception, didn’t realize that her words had subtly reshaped her image in the minds of her colleagues.
Just as she prepared to pivot to the next project, Sherman burst through the door, whispering urgently to Kellan, whose expression soured like spoiled milk.
“Hold off on the raises. We have a situation with the project.”
He tapped his pen against the table, and the once-joyful atmosphere deflated like a popped balloon.
“Mr. Carman just complained to us.”
Kellan’s gaze swept across the room until it landed squarely on Marc.
“The sample fragrance was on point, but they received only 4,500 out of the 5,000 extra bottles of perfume. We need to deliver the remaining 500 bottles within a day.” Kellan’s eyes narrowed into slits as he fixed Marc with an accusing stare. “Isn’t this your project? How could you make such a blunder? Did you forget your arithmetic skills back in school?”
Marc hadn’t seen this debacle coming. His face drained of color, and cold sweat trickled down his brow. He scrambled to defend himself.
“No… I was overseeing the project at first, but… but Ms. Clarke made the final call! This is not on me.”
He couldn’t believe it. Instead of being praised for his leadership, he now found himself cornered, struggling to avoid blame. His instinct was to shift the responsibility directly onto Allison.
The room fell into an oppressive silence. After all, anyone who made such a blunder would face dire repercussions. If the news spread and outsiders caught wind of Rodrigo’s grievances, it wouldn’t just tarnish the company’s image-it could send its market value spiraling down the drain.
Allison opened her mouth, ready to speak, but before she could, one of the young women could no longer contain herself and leapt to Allison’s defense.
“Marc, how can you say this has nothing to do with you? Mr. Lloyd, Marc is the project leader. I can vouch for that. Miss Clarke only helped him mix the sample fragrance. The mistakes that followed cannot be laid at her feet!”
This woman had never seen eye to eye with Marc, and she stood her ground against him.
“You tried to claim credit earlier, and Miss Clarke let you have it. But now you’re crossing the line. From formulation to coordination, all that work was Miss Clarke’s. You took the glory, and now you want to dodge the blame. How utterly shameless!”
Others joined in, rallying against Marc.
“Exactly, Marc. You were the one steering the ship in the early stages, reporting the numbers. Mr. Lloyd, we can dig through the internal network and find those figures you initially reported.”
“Count me in! I just checked; Marc reported 4,500 bottles. He can’t wriggle out of that!”
“When it’s time to work, good luck finding Marc. But when it’s time to take a bow, he’s more enthusiastic than anyone else!”
Many in the company were already fed up with Marc’s antics. This incident was merely the last straw, especially since his actions had clearly jeopardized their own interests. So, many stepped up to the plate.
Marc’s face turned a deep shade of red, fury radiating from him.
“You… You’re all lying!”
He never thought he’d be stabbed in the back like this!
Allison understood that while some were genuinely defending her, others were merely protecting their own interests. She didn’t mind. She had encountered too many fair-weather friends to be surprised now.
Kellan, listening to the uproar, remained calm, tossing the project documents in front of Marc.
“Even a child could tally that up. But you can’t get the figures straight. Why? Because you’re too mired in office politics. If you can do the job, then do it. If not, pack your bags and leave!”
Feeling the weight of accountability, Marc quickly shifted gears, adopting a pitiful demeanor.
“Mr. Lloyd, I didn’t mean it. I just forgot. I honestly didn’t intend anything by what I said earlier…”
The office was already brimming with annoyance, and his whining only fueled the fire. Allison shot him a chilling glare that silenced him instantly.
“Right now, we must focus on fixing the problem, not placing blame. The damage is done, regardless of who caused it.”
Facing the crisis, Allison analyzed the situation with a clear head. “The priority is to appease Mr. Carman and expedite production. He’s known for being particularly picky, and he praised our service this time. If word gets out that he has complaints about us, it would be a significant embarrassment. I propose we quickly draft a compensation plan for Mr. Carman and maintain clear communication.”
Kellan nodded, agreeing with Allison’s organized approach to handling the situation.
“Miss Clarke has a point. The focus must be on rectifying the issue.”
After the meeting, Allison, in her role as head of the lab, began orchestrating the team with precision.
“Everyone, ramp up production according to the formula I provided. There must be zero mistakes this time. If any issues arise, hold off until I return. We’ll address them then.”
Once she assigned the tasks, she grabbed her bag and made her way to Rodrigo.
Upon reaching their agreed spot, she addressed him directly.
“Mr. Carman, we sincerely apologize for the trouble we’ve caused you. One of our team members miscalculated, and there are no excuses. We completely understand your reluctance to withdraw your complaint. We want to make amends.”
Allison had arranged to meet Rodrigo at a teahouse. As soon as he arrived, she offered a heartfelt apology and personally poured him a cup of tea.
“I have prepared your favorite coffee. We can discuss compensation measures shortly.”
Rodrigo’s anger began to dissipate the moment he saw that Allison had taken the time to apologize in person.
After all, Allison had previously suggested adding more iris to the fragrance, which had elevated the formula beyond his expectations. He had formed a positive impression of her, and that made him more receptive.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.