Chapter 22
Katarine heard a very strange report that her grandmother was at the hospital their family owns, checking up on some hospital concerns. All the details were withheld from her as she was not directly involved in the family business operations. Katarine felt a mix of concern and curiosity, wondering what could be happening at the hospital that required her grandmother's attention. She wanted to ask her personally but every time she would bring it up, her grandmother would quickly change the subject. Katarine decided to wait patiently for her grandmother to share the information when she was ready.
Katarine was the type to respect her grandmother's boundaries and knew that she would eventually open up when the time was right. In the meantime, she focused on the construction project she and Allison Dwight were working on, hoping to distract herself from her unanswered questions about her grandmother's hospital visits.
Katarine was about to leave to meet up with Allison Dwight lawyers to discuss the progress of the project when she received a text message concerning other matters that needed her to go to her office. Lush Coco was begging the head mall director to convince Katarine to bring him back into his former position at the mall after getting demoted.
This was a common occurrence, where Lush Coco would do something drastic and then beg for forgiveness afterward. Katarine knew she needed to address the situation with Lush Coco before meeting with the lawyers. She called and took the liberty to tell the laywers to just send all the documents to her office for review. She needed to make a decision about Lush Coco's future at the mall before it caused any further disruptions.
Meanwhile at the Siegert shopping mall main administrative office on the top floor of the mall director office , Katarine was preparing herself for a potentially difficult conversation with Lush Coco's. She hoped to handle the situation diplomatically and come to a resolution that would benefit her father's company. Being a relative, Lush Coco has been a nuisance at work, as he was spending too much time socializing with clients and neglecting his duties. Katarine knew that a firm but fair approach was necessary to address the issue effectively. She also planned to discuss possible solutions to improve Lush Coco's performance and behavior in the future.
She has been too lenient on him ever since his mother personally asked her. Katarine might have been the talk of the social world for some time, but she never once wasted time on her work obligations; case after case, news after news her name remained synonymous with so many issues , but because of her excellence and dedication to her work, she was able to overcome these issues as her employees were the first ones to refute the accusations about their boss manners and professionalism. Despite the constant scrutiny, Katarine's reputation as a diligent and ethical professional continued to protect her.
Many employees admire her; she was tough and harsh at times, but it was to ensure the success and integrity of their work. Her leadership style may have been demanding, but it ultimately led to a strong and reputable team under her guidance. All her staff were paid based on their work and performance. Fairness and excellence set a high standard for the workplace, fostering a culture of accountability and mutual respect among her team members.
But Arthur Lush Coco Siegert, Visual Head Merchandiser, has been abusing his title in so many ways, taking credit for others' work and manipulating performance evaluations to benefit himself. This behavior has created tension and resentment among the team, undermining the positive work environment that has been established. It is crucial for management to address these issues promptly to maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the team.
Many who work around him see that he is fun, flamboyant, and kind of charismatic, which may have initially masked his unethical behavior. However, the negative impact on team morale and productivity cannot be ignored. Like using corporate credit cards to spend a lot of money on those he dates, even spending company funds on extravagant gifts for his personal relationships. This misuse of resources not only violates company policies but also erodes trust within the team. It is imperative for management to investigate and address these unethical actions to uphold the values and reputation of the organization.
Katarine, being her cousin, wanted him to understand the seriousness of his actions and the potential consequences for both himself and the company. She gave him so many opportunities to correct these mistakes and learn from them, but he continued to disregard the boundaries between personal and professional conduct.
This is not about Lush Coco abandoning her at Club Phantom; she wanted to bring Lush Coco because he was used to this kind of nightlife. Like what happened last time when Katarine went to a club to actually meet a blind date, that person was the Korean pop idol Baek Hyeon.
While traveling toward the mai office, Katarine was browsing documents on her device, and carefully reviewing the details As she read through the documents, Katarine couldn't help but notice that small discrepancies on certain projects were causing delays in production. This was a pattern she had observed before. She called her lawyers and insisted that they review the contracts thoroughly to identify any potential legal issues that may have contributed to the delays. After a few minutes, one of her trusted lawyers discovered that there were indeed clauses in the contracts that needed to be renegotiated as the subcontractors were affiliated with the Romanov Corporation.
She understands that Romanov might be part of these new contracts considering they have a history of causing delays and legal issues in previous projects. She immediately instructed her lawyers to start renegotiating the clauses to protect her interests and ensure smoother project execution. As she ended the call she stepped out of her car and was greeted by her staff and the newly appointed personal assistant, Sonia.
Katarine wanted Sonia to take over Arthur Lush Coco Siegert's position as Visual Head Merchandiser, but she declined the offer and mentioned to Katarine that the position was not suitable for her as she was more comfortable as a secretary. Thus, within a few days, she was transferred from being Arthur Lush Coco Siegert's secretary. And be the new assistant to the president.
Katarine never got accustomed to this type of treatment from her staff and employees. As they were always lined up left and right and greeted her with high regards and respect, every time she came to the office, she hated this, but sometimes it feels overly proud of her accomplishments and the impact she had on the company. She knew she deserved the respect and admiration, but deep down, she missed the simplicity of being about to come in without too much attention and just focus on her work without the constant spotlight. Despite the mixed feelings, she couldn't deny the satisfaction of knowing she had earned such high regard from those around her.
As she got out Sonia received the device that Katarine was using and listened to her report. Sonia gave us vital details and provided valuable insights on what was going on within and outside of work, making it clear that her expertise and input were truly valued by her, as she mentioned that the people who were working under the Visual Merchandizer group were left without any direction. Because Arthur Lush Coco Siegert's position is vacant .
Meanwhile, Arthur Lush Coco Siegert's was with Monica Siegert, the Mall department head director, and was in a frantic state as he heard that his demotion was severely affecting his thinking; something was wrong. He was never like this before. Katarine has demoted himself many times, and after a few days he will get reinstated.
But now Monica was holding an actual memo letter signed by Katarine, stating on Monday , Arthur Lush Coco Siegert would be demoted and transferred to a different mall branch. Arthur's heart sank as he realized the demotion was real and not just a temporary setback. The implications of this decision were beginning to sink in, leaving him feeling lost and uncertain about his future at the company. Sadnes was now turning to hate as he thought Katarine's decision was wrong and unjust. The betrayal he felt from his own family was overwhelming, fueling his hatred and ultimately seeking compensation for what had been done to him.
"How many times did Katarine save your career?"
" appointed you to be Visual Head Merchandiser, and you constantly ruined all the projects she ordered you to do."
"I never once forget to show up on time and give my best effort to every project," he defended himself. "Maybe it's time for a change in leadership if my hard work is not being recognized." The tension in the office was palpable as his colleagues watched the confrontation unfold.
"Are you this stupid and arrogant to even admit you actually didn't do anything? It was Sonia who worked tirelessly to save those projects and stop them from being fiascos."
"Stop acting; you are the only one putting in effort around here."
"Geez, Coco , I am sick and tired of always protecting you; you always screw up the simplest task."
"Do you know why Katarine asked you to accompany her toward Club club phantom,"
"She asked you because she wanted to see if you could really be trusted with a simple task , and what did you do?"
"You left her ,and went out your side mate."
"Katarine needed to see if you were reliable, but you abandoned her for another handsome man."
"You need to start taking your responsibilities seriously and stop letting others down."
"You need to prove to Katarine and everyone else that you can be counted on when it matters most."
"It's time to show that you are capable of being dependable and trustworthy in any situation."
"honestly I just hate the way she fault her power here, she just do the thing she wants and cn get away with everything ."
"All the scandals and fiascos she was involved in were a clear indication of her lack of accountability and disregard for consequences. "
"Now I am the one who is getting blamed for her mistakes, and it's time to stand up for myself."
"You are insane; do you know who she is? She's the type who got to this position because she is just the daughter of Leonhardt Maier Siegert."
"She got the job because she worked hard for it. You have no idea what she had to face and endure while your mother came to her and begged to give you a job."
"Do you think I didn't know this?"
"You earn nothing and didn't gain any merit, while Katarine started here as an assistant human resources manager and worked her way up through dedication and hard work. She deserves respect for her accomplishments, regardless of her family background."
"I don't care; I am Arthur Lush Coco Siegert, the second son of the second family, my blood line is no different from hers."
Monica office was reacting toward his negative emotion; the air was getting thick and uncomfortable. Hatred toward what Katarine did was not consuming him; he was losing control. The light inside the office was flickering, and many staff members who were cleaning the office were getting affected by the sudden change in atmosphere. It was unnatural. Monica knew she had to diffuse the situation before it escalated further.
Lucky for them, that day was a non working day, and the only people who were there were the cleaning staff, but seeing the lights flickering on and off was something that sent chills down their spines. They quickly called the maintenance team to investigate the issue and ensure the safety of everyone in the office. The eerie feeling in the air only intensified when Katarine came out of the elevator. She ordered Sonia to accompany all cleaning staff and even the utility to leave the administrative facilities and just go down and toward the cafeteria until further notice.
Sonia nodded and proceeded with the instructions given to her, while she quickly went inside Monica's office and proceeded to face Lush Coco.
The moment Lush Coco saw Katarine, he immediately lashed out toward her, accusing her of being unfair and unjust in demoting him and transferring him to a much smaller location with a lower salary . Katarine remained calm and professional, explaining the reasons behind the decision; this wasn't received well by Lush Coco, who continued to argue and express his dissatisfaction. Despite the tense situation, Katarine maintained her composure and assured him that his concerns would be addressed appropriately.
But Lush Coco was insisting that she was wrong and pointing out her own shortcomings in the decision-making process. Lush Coco even grabbed a magazine and threw it at Katarine's feet. Monica was shocked to see this reaction coming out of Lush Coco.
"What's wrong with you? You never acted like this."
"I am sick and tired of always walking on eggshells whenever you are here."
" you really a princess?, a spoiled arrogant little demon slut!"
"You are no better than me; at least, even as a gay person , I can satisfy any man, unlike you.
Katarine Horn Siegert, you are a heartless whore. "
"Like you whore mother Eurielle,"
Katarine was a few feet away from Lush Coco as he was standing in front of Monica's desk table. In an instant she was already squeezing the air out of his neck. Katarine's demeanor changed, and her eyes were filled with a cold, menacing glare as she tightened her grip. Lush Coco struggled to break free, realizing he had severely underestimated Katarine's strength..
Her skin was evoking heat, and the surrounding office room was getting hotter. Lush Coco's face turned red as he gasped for air, his eyes widening in fear as Katarine's grip tightened even more. As he felt his vision starting to blur, Lush Coco desperately tried to signal for help, but Monica was too scared to even move With one final burst of energy, Lush Coco managed to break free and stumble backwards, gasping for air as he tried to compose himself.
When Katarine appeared again in front of him and gave Lush Coco a slap, it was so strong he had to protect himself with a barrier spell, summoning all the magical strength he had left. The barrier crackled with energy as Katarine's eyes shattered instantly on contact.
Katarine grabbed hold of his face and smashed it down the office concrete floor.
Since Monica could see Katarines Horns clearly and knew that she was in her demon form, she was powerless to stop her. Katarine's voice echoed through the office as Lush Coco struggled to break free. Monica could watch and hope that Katarine wouldn't get carried away.
"I was hoping you would change your ways ."
"But it seems you can't even admit you are at fault here."
"Now choose, accept your demotion, or die where you stand. "
Monica felt a sense of dread as she realized the severity of the situation. Katarine's eyes glowed with malice as she awaited Arthur Lush Coco Sieger's decision. Monica's heart raced as she saw the fear in Lush Coco's eyes, knowing that Katarine was capable of extreme violence. She prayed silently that Lush Coco would make the right choice and avoid a tragic end.