Chapter 36 The Spencer Group
Today was supposed to be a chill Saturday, but the Spencer Group was buzzing with activity. A bunch of folks crowded around HR, bombarding her with questions.
Someone shouted, "Coralie, is it true? The company isn't going under? Does that mean we still have jobs?"
Coralie Gibson, 38 years old, had been with the Spencer Group for 9 years. She knew the company inside out. Ever since Nathan took over, things had been going downhill, with expenses outpacing revenue.
When the Percy Group bought them out, everyone thought they'd finally get a chance to shine, but the company was still in the red.
Nathan was a pain during meetings, always bringing up the late Bianca to guilt-trip everyone. Some of the old shareholders, fed up with the lack of progress, either sold their shares or left in frustration.
No one really knew how much Nathan had lost. The employees just kept their heads down and did their jobs, since the Percy Group was still signing their paychecks.
But lately, Nathan had gone AWOL. He wasn't answering calls, and it was like he vanished into thin air. The employees were on edge, not knowing what to do, so they just waited. Finally, Nolan from the Percy Group showed up.
Nolan dropped the bomb that the Spencer Group was about to declare bankruptcy. He said everyone could either leave or wait for the company to close and get a severance package. The place went nuts. Some people quit on the spot, while others stuck around, hoping for compensation. But then, out of the blue, Coralie got a notification.
The Percy Group decided to step in and assigned a manager to take over. This news got everyone hyped. So, the Spencer Group wasn't going under; it was just left hanging by the Percy Group.
Now, Charles had a change of heart and decided to back them up, which was awesome news. So, even though it was a day off, those who hadn't quit showed up at the office to get the scoop from Coralie.
Coralie didn't have all the details; Nolan's explanation was pretty vague. He just said the company wouldn't go bankrupt and to follow the new manager's lead. So, Coralie told everyone, "I'm just HR, and Nolan didn't give me the full story. But he did say the Percy Group is sending someone to manage us, so we're not losing our jobs."
Everyone was relieved but also worried about the new manager. Some were happy, some were anxious, and someone posted the news in the work group chat. Former employees who hadn't found new jobs started messaging Coralie, asking if they could come back.
With the Percy Group's support, the future looked bright. But Coralie didn't rush to reply to those messages. They had to wait for the new higher-ups to make decisions.
Seeing her colleagues still puzzled, Coralie waved them off. "Alright, everyone go home and chill. I'll update you in the group chat. Why are you here on a weekend? You'll have plenty to do when the new manager shows up on Monday."
Hearing this, everyone left the office. But Axel Wilson from the propaganda department stuck around. Seeing him still there, Coralie asked, "Why are you still here? Need something?"
Axel, 27, had been with the company for two years. He was a smart guy, not the best at his job but great at getting along with people, which helped him navigate the workplace pretty well.
Axel knew Coralie had the inside scoop and wanted to get on her good side. He flashed a cheesy grin. "Coralie, we've known each other for years. We're tight, right?"
Coralie saw right through him. 'What's with the fake charm? We're just coworkers,' she thought.
But she played along, smiling back. "Just spit it out."
Axel rubbed his hands together, looking eager. "Alright, I'll cut to the chase. Is the new manager a guy or a girl? How old are they? You know, the new manager will need an assistant, right?"
Coralie chuckled, "Doesn't matter if it's a guy or a girl. Female assistants tend to be more effective. If it's a male manager, he'd probably prefer a pretty girl. If it's a female manager, she'd get along better with another woman, and traveling would be easier. I think Calliope Bishop from your team would be a good fit. She's both pretty and capable."
Axel got flustered. "Coralie, come on, I'm a guy, I'm strong. What if the female manager likes my type? Calliope's just young and pretty, what skills does she have?" His words were dripping with disdain for Calliope, and Coralie didn't want to argue with someone like that, so she switched to a more formal tone.
"Alright, Axel. There will be a position for a manager's assistant, but who gets it? Whether it's a new hire or one of us, that's up to the new manager. I can't decide that. If you really want the job, go and recommend yourself when the time comes." She gathered her files, got up to leave, and reminded Axel to close the door as she walked out.
As soon as Coralie left, Axel's face twisted in anger, muttering, "She thinks she's all that. Once I become the assistant, the first thing I'll do is get the manager to fire her."
Meanwhile, at the Spencer Villa, Diana was busy. With the Spencer Group in limbo, she asked Nolan for the company's files and personnel list to review at home.
She noticed that many long-time employees had left over the years, including a finance department employee named Saskia Fuller who left last year.
Diana remembered Saskia from her childhood visits to the company. Saskia used to give her candy and let her watch cartoons while waiting for Bianca to finish meetings. Diana felt a pang of regret; Saskia had been with the company for years.
As she continued to go through the files, she saw that the entire finance department had been replaced during Nathan's tenure. Clearly, there was something fishy going on.
Diana set aside the finance department files and moved on to the rest. By the end of the morning, Diana had familiarized herself with most of the current employees. She didn't dig too deep; she'd get to know them better once she was at the company.
When she got to the investment section, she saw that Nathan had squandered a ton of money.
The Spencer Group had originally made its name in the food industry, creating a brand that dominated half the market. But Nathan had thrown money into real estate, drones, and the gemstone industry, all of which had flopped.
The real estate projects were demolished due to shoddy construction. The drone project was halted midway due to lack of funds. The gemstone industry, which involved a lot of gambling, resulted in total losses. Who knew if Charles was furious when he saw these investment results. Diana, after reading all this, was absolutely livid.
Nathan was a disaster in many ways, but he was a master schemer. He could easily profit from these industries he invested in. He must have embezzled a ton from these investments.
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