Chapter 401
No.1
And she was the sacrificial lamb on this altar of public shaming.
Melissa Lee had never humbled herself like this in her entire life.
Her head hung low, nails digging deep into her palms, yet she felt no pain.
Melissa trembled violently.
She finally understood - Evelyn's seemingly docile behavior had all been an act.
"I'm sorry..." Melissa's voice choked with tears. "Evelyn, I mishandled things..."
"And?" Julian cut her off sharply, his gaze piercing.
No.2
Melissa bit through her lip.
The metallic tang of blood filled her mouth as she forced out the humiliating words: "I'll immediately request your transfer back to Entertainment."
The office fell deathly silent.
Everyone held their breath.
Julian turned to Evelyn, his tone softening abruptly. "Do you still want Vincent Sullivan's interview?"
Evelyn nodded obediently. "I'll follow your arrangements."
This meek demeanor was a far cry from her helpless victim act in Finance.
No.3
The realization hit Melissa - Evelyn had been playing the fool to catch the tiger!
"Good." Julian's lips curved slightly. "Finish the handover here first."
Evelyn hesitated. "Then...will I still be penalized for today's proofreading errors?"
The air froze instantly.
Julian's expression darkened. "What errors?"
"It's just..." Evelyn glanced meaningfully at Melissa.
"Speak!" Julian barked.
No.4
Penelope Pope rose shakily to explain, her voice trembling like a leaf.
When Julian heard "thirty to fifty articles," he slammed the table and stood.
"Melissa Lee!" His voice burned with suppressed fury. "Were you treating her like livestock?"
Melissa kept her head bowed, tears splattering the floor.
Roxanne Luna suddenly interjected, "If she hadn't deleted those photos—"
"Photos?" Julian sneered. "What photos are worth more than a human life? Making her work past midnight daily - have you no conscience?"
The entire Finance Department fell silent.
No.5
Everyone shrank back, afraid to be noticed.
Evelyn stood quietly aside, the faintest smile playing at her lips.
The play had finally reached the climax she desired.
"What happened to the photo?" Julian Ashford's voice was icy. "Was it deleted by mistake or on purpose?"
Evelyn Sinclair kept her gaze fixed on the floor.
"On purpose," she answered softly.
Roxanne Luna's lips curled in triumph.
No.6
See? She knew this rookie was up to no good!
A greenhorn who barely knew the ropes, daring to show off in front of her. Now she'd fallen flat on her face.
Let's see how the Crown Prince protects her this time!
Julian had built a reputation for impartiality since taking office—even Melissa Lee couldn't sway him.
If he made an exception for Evelyn today, his carefully crafted image would be ruined.
"Evelyn rarely makes mistakes," Penelope Pope interjected timidly. "The policy states minor errors within the acceptable rate don't warrant penalties..."
Was that the point?
No.7
The point was the deliberate deletion!
A malicious act!
The entire department held its breath, waiting to see Julian's decision.
"Explain." His tone was flat.
Evelyn nodded. "First, I admit overstepping—a first-round editor shouldn't assess photo risks. Second, I should've informed Roxanne and the editor-in-chief after deleting it. But I..."