A knowing look passed among the people in the break room. It instantly fell silent. Someone gasped, covering their mouth. "No way... seriously?" "Why not? Rich people have their ways. This kind of thing happens all the time," another whispered. After questioning the credentials, the gossip turned to their boss' love life. "Oh, right! Did you hear? When Lucy left, she told her department that Mr. Vance and Darcy were practically engaged! Until that woman showed up and broke them up." "Damn! That's spicy! Is it true?" "Absolutely true. Several old-timers can confirm. Ugh, and I used to think Mr. Vance was a good guy. Kept to himself, didn't fool around. Guess I was blind." "So that pair, Zora and Zane, are just a match made in heaven—a scumbag and a homewrecker!"The one swearing was Faye. Ever since Darcy left, she couldn't stand Zane or Zora. Hearing about their dirty laundry now, she couldn't help but vent. Suddenly, the air froze solid. Faye looked around, confused. "What? Why'd everyone clam up?" Her colleagues gave strained, almost pained smiles, nodding toward the space behind her. "Mr. Vance! Dr. Moss!" Zane's face was stormy, his gaze dark as he stared at them. He immediately called HR. "You have half a day. Handle this. Clean it up." With that, he turned and strode into a meeting room without looking back. The HR manager wiped his brow and looked helplessly at Faye. Faye, however, had backbone. She yanked her access card from around her neck and flung it at Zane's retreating back. "Don't bother firing me! I quit!" Zora, standing nearby, gave a cold sneer. "Not just her. That whole group. Not a single one stays. And issue a notice. From now on, anyone caught spreading gossip gets fired immediately. No re-hire. Make an example of them." But the move backfired spectacularly. It angered many employees. Soon, not only were the targeted individuals gone, but several high-performing veterans also handed in their resignations. Meanwhile, different versions of the story—about Zane ditching his first love, who endured startup hardships with him, and cheating with Zora—started spreading around the company. ... Two weeks later, Zane finally grasped the full extent of the damage. He gritted his teeth and summoned the HR manager. "Why have so many senior staff left? Where did they all go? What kind of management is this?" The HR manager seethed internally. Damn it, it's you and your psycho girlfriend making me recruit day and night! But outwardly, he remained calm. "They all resigned voluntarily, citing personal reasons. We tried to retain them, but they were determined to leave. "Furthermore, we've learned that most of the departed employees have recently joined Stratagem Tech." Zane's brow furrowed deeply. "Stratagem Tech?" The HR manager nodded fast. "Yes. After their product launch, Stratagem Tech's orders spiked. They're short on people and growing quickly. A lot of our ex-employees went there." Seeing his boss' face darken further, the HR manager lowered his voice. If Stratagem Tech's HR department wasn't already full, I'd have jumped ship too. Zane clenched the pen in his hand so tightly his knuckles turned white. Just then, Zora knocked and entered. The HR manager wisely made his exit. "Zane, what's wrong? You look terrible." Zora sat across from him. Seeing his silence, she quickly reported her findings. "We have confirmation from United Capital. They terminated cooperation with us and signed with Stratagem." Knowing the blame would ultimately land on her, Zora launched a preemptive strike, redirecting the blame. "It's all Darcy's fault! She poached them from behind our backs! We were one step away from finalizing the deal, and she swooped in! She did it on purpose!" Darcy again— A vein throbbed at Zane's temple. First stealing employees, now stealing clients. It was too much. Zora studied his face closely. When she saw the fire in his eyes, she kept going. "Not just that. A lot of clients who were supposed to negotiate with us are now going to Stratagem. It's all because of that patent she's got!" At the mention of the patent, Zane's eyes flickered with a cold, sharp look. He wasn't that confused. Other things might be Darcy's doing, but the patent... that couldn't be blamed on her. He tugged at his collar impatiently. "If you've got time to whine, use it to sign more clients." Stung, Zora felt a surge of her own anger. Is this my fault? It's your ex on a rampage! But remembering her ultimate goal, she didn't dare talk back. She just nodded meekly, promising repeatedly to work harder and make up for the losses. After the business talk, she moved to his side, placing her hands on his shoulders, her eyes full of expectation. "This weekend, our families are meeting. Don't forget."