Chapter 127 Exposing the Scandal
"Evidence? I don't have any," Cecilia admitted.
"You're going to fire someone without proof? Just because it's the Lockhart family's business, you think you can do whatever you want? What if one day you're in a bad mood and decide to fire me, too? If that's the case, just let me go now. I'm done busting my ass for the Lockhart family," Charles snapped.
While he was tearing into Cecilia, he made sure to paint himself as the hero.
Cecilia fixed her gaze on Charles. "Mr. Wolf, you seem awfully protective of Roy. Is the family or something?"
"What kind of nonsense is that?" Charles fumed, feeling like his dirty laundry was being aired out.
"I handle things fairly. As the second-largest shareholder of the Lockhart Group, I have to look out for all employees. I'd never betray their trust. Cecilia, what are you trying to pull by slandering me?" Charles said, trying to sound righteous.
"So, Mr. Wolf, did you tweak Roy's performance scores to keep his trust?" Cecilia shot back.
"Cecilia, stop with the baseless accusations. When did I ever alter performance scores?" Charles's face turned beet red. "You want to fire Roy because you think he's messing with your personnel changes. You're willing to do anything to get rid of him, even falsely accuse me! Think about the consequences before you speak!"
"Mr. Alexander," Cecilia called out, turning to Gilbert.
Gilbert quickly stepped forward and pulled out a document.
Cecilia spoke slowly, "This is the performance file from HR. There are two copies. One from the Sales Department to the General Department, signed by all employees. The other is the final version, which was submitted to HR for payroll after verification by the General Department. I found Roy's. In the Sales Department's feedback, his average performance score for the past year was 75. However, in the final version, which was submitted to HR, his score was 91. Based on Roy's job level, a 5-point difference equals about $2,000, meaning Roy got an extra $10,000 each month!"
Everyone was stunned.
No one saw that coming.
Charles felt a wave of panic but kept his cool. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Sure, I oversee the General Department, but I can't handle every single detail. If I did, I'd be dead tired."
Cecilia said, "So, Mr. Wolf, you're saying you had no idea about this?"
Charles replied, "If what you're saying is true, I admit I was negligent. I do approve and sign off on the final performance scores each month, but I don't have the time to verify each employee's score individually. I'll work on tightening internal controls to prevent this from happening again."
Cecilia asked, "So, you're saying this was done maliciously by your subordinates without your knowledge?"
Charles was livid. "I said I didn't know about this, and I admitted my management negligence. What more do you want? Are you trying to push me to the brink? What do you want me to do?"
"Mr. Wolf, your anger makes it seem like you're trying to cover something up," Cecilia said.
"Cecilia!" Charles shouted. "I'll say it again. I didn't know about Roy's performance scores. I'll conduct a special investigation, and if it's my fault, I'll take responsibility! But I won't accept your slander! Besides, I have no personal connection to Roy. Why would I alter his scores? Is Roy better looking than others?"
He said this with a face full of sarcasm.
As Cecilia was about to speak, Charles added, "Gilbert, you handle Human Resources. You know the company's internal relationships best. Tell Cecilia and everyone here if I have any connection to Roy!"
Gilbert replied, "Roy and Mr. Wolf indeed have no blood, friendship, or school connections."
Charles sneered and said to Cecilia, "Did you hear that?"
"I heard it," Cecilia responded.
"Then stop spouting nonsense. As the heiress of the Lockhart Group, I advise you to learn what it means to have boundaries! Without boundaries, no matter how noble your background, you'll be seen as lowly by others..."
"Mr. Wolf may not have a relationship with Roy, but that doesn't mean Mr. Wolf has no relationship with Roy's daughter," Cecilia interrupted Charles.
Charles's face instantly changed.
Not only Charles but also Roy, who had been standing by and wishing he could kill Cecilia, was shocked by Cecilia's words.
"Rumor has it," Cecilia looked at Charles and said, "that Roy's daughter is Mr. Wolf's mistress."
"Cecilia!" Charles was furious, veins bulging. "To what extent are you going to slander me? I have my own family, and my kids are already in high school. How can you say such things..."
"Mr. Wolf, I advise you not to deny it too quickly. Otherwise, when the truth comes out, you'll be very embarrassed," Cecilia threatened.
Charles was stunned. He was genuinely intimidated by Cecilia's aura.
Cecilia had a maturity beyond her years, and she exuded a certain authority that was hard to ignore!
Then she spoke up, "I didn't want to bring this up initially. After learning about it, I wanted to handle it quietly and remind you privately. But since you keep pushing me today, I have no choice but to use this to prove my innocence. Mr. Wolf, I hope you understand."
Charles was so furious that he couldn't say a word.
"Rose," Cecilia called out.
Rose quickly stepped forward and took out a document.
It was the one Cecilia had handed to her for safekeeping when she left the office earlier.
Rose didn't know what it was. She just habitually followed orders.