103: Chapter 103 Suspension and Accountability! Lin Chen Offers a Way Out

Ella hung up the phone and violently swept her hand across the table, sending the glass water cup crashing to the floor with a "clatter," shards scattering everywhere.

Warm water spilled across the messy desk, dripping along the edge onto the floor littered with cigarette butts. She stood where she was, her chest heaving, her fingertips still trembling slightly from what had been said on the call.

Headquarters showed no mercy at all; the cold voice struck her heart with every single word.

"Ella, your predictive report regarding Lin Chen's Microsoft strategy contains serious errors and has misled the investment bank's internal assessments. By decision of headquarters, you are suspended effective immediately, pending further accountability."

This single sentence completely stripped away the reputation and status she had worked so hard to build at the investment bank, reducing her to nothing.

She had always been proud and arrogant, establishing her foothold in the industry through precise market predictions. She had always been the one mocking others; when had she ever been in such a pathetic state?

Yet this mistake had to happen at the hands of Lin Chen, the person she looked down upon the most.

Ella clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at the mess on the floor, but she couldn't utter a single curse. The facts were right in front of her: her predictions were completely wrong, and Lin Chen's AI projections were flawless. She didn't even have the right to defend herself.

After standing frozen in her rented apartment for over ten minutes, Ella hastily threw on her coat and slammed the door as she left.

Dusk had already fallen. Cold wind swept the sycamore leaves from the roadside, sending them hitting the sidewalk one by one. Pedestrians on the street walked in a hurry; no one would notice a woman who had lost her soul.

She walked aimlessly for a long time before finally crouching under a streetlamp at the corner, hugging her knees and burying her face in her arms.

After so many years of pride, this was the first time she had tasted the feeling of being at a dead end. Her job at the investment bank was gone. Once the news of her suspension due to predictive errors spread through the industry, no one would ever trust her judgment again. The assets she was so proud of were all gone.

The cold wind poured into her collar, freezing her body stiff, but it was nothing compared to the chill in her heart.

Meanwhile, Lin Chen's temporary office remained brightly lit.

Li Wei pushed the door open and walked in, his footsteps a bit faster than usual. He walked up to Lin Chen and lowered his voice to report, "Brother Chen, just got the news. Ella has been suspended by her investment bank. They said it was due to that predictive report error earlier, and headquarters is holding her directly accountable."

Lin Chen stared at the Microsoft compliance report on his computer screen without even lifting his eyelids. His fingers didn't stop typing on the keyboard, his expression as calm as if he had long anticipated this outcome.

"Got it."

"Brother Chen, this woman targeted you so much before and said such nasty things. She's really taken a huge fall now," Li Wei couldn't help but mutter.

Lin Chen finally stopped what he was doing, leaned back in his chair, and looked out the window. His tone was indifferent, "She is just arrogant, not useless. Her professional ability is still considered top-tier in the industry."

Li Wei was stunned for a moment, not understanding what Lin Chen meant.

Lin Chen calmly instructed, "Go find her and bring her here. Meet at the coffee shop downstairs, find a quiet corner."

Although Li Wei was puzzled, he immediately nodded, "Understood, I'll go now."

Li Wei was efficient; within a few minutes, he found Ella crouching at the street corner.

He walked up to Ella, stood still, and said, "Ms. Ella, Brother Chen invites you over. It's at the coffee shop downstairs."

Ella jerked her head up, her eyes still red. Her originally proud gaze now held a bit of disarray, but she still braced herself, stood up abruptly, and brushed the dust off her pants.

"I'm not going to see him!" She stiffened her neck, her tone sharp and hard, refusing to yield at all. "Is he very pleased that I ended up like this? He wants to see me make a fool of myself? Not a chance!"

The person she least wanted to see right now was Lin Chen. Thinking of the harsh words she had spouted in front of the Grocery Store, and then thinking of her current situation of being suspended, her face burned with shame.

Li Wei wasn't angry; he just scratched his head honestly, maintaining his politeness, "Ms. Ella, Brother Chen isn't here to laugh at you. He really has serious business to discuss with you. Just come with me, and you'll understand."

"I'm not going!" Ella turned to leave.

Li Wei quickly stepped forward. He didn't stop her, but said seriously, "Brother Chen said that since you are at a dead end now, no one can help you except him."

This sentence precisely struck Ella's weak spot.

Her footsteps halted. She froze for a long time, but finally, gritting her teeth, she glared fiercely at Li Wei, "Lead the way."

Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief and led Ella toward the coffee shop downstairs.

There weren't many people in the coffee shop. The corner seat was dimly lit and quiet, just right for talking business.

Lin Chen was already sitting there with an untouched cup of black coffee in front of him. Seeing Ella enter, he just lifted his eyes and pointed to the seat opposite him. "Sit."

Ella stood where she was, not moving, arms crossed, still looking unconvinced. Her chin was held high, maintaining the last bit of her pride. "Say what you have to say. I don't have time to waste with you."

Lin Chen didn't force her. He tapped his fingers lightly on the table and got straight to the point, his tone steady and magnanimous, "I know about your suspension and the accountability proceedings at the investment bank."

Ella's face darkened, her tone sharp, "Yes, I lost. Are you satisfied? If you want to mock me, hurry up. I'm listening."

She had prepared herself to be slapped in the face and mocked by Lin Chen; after all, she had been so aggressive before. Anyone else would not have let this opportunity for retaliation pass.

But Lin Chen just smiled faintly, showing absolutely no intention of kicking her while she was down. Instead, he threw out a statement that left her completely stunned. "Come work for me, and I'll let you win it back."

Ella froze entirely, doubting if she had misheard. She stared at Lin Chen with wide eyes, her tone full of disbelief, "What did you say?"

Lin Chen looked up, his gaze calm yet carrying an unquestionable certainty, "Your predictive ability isn't bad; you are just too arrogant and ignored the rigor of the data. Come work on my side, be in charge of the market docking for the Microsoft layout, and use your strength to win back all the face and reputation you've lost."

Ella regained her composure, still stubborn and unwilling to yield easily, "What makes you think I will come? Even if I don't have a job, I won't work for someone I previously looked down upon."

"Because you are at a dead end now, and because you are unwilling to accept this," Lin Chen punctured her facade with one sentence. "You've been proud for so many years; are you really willing to completely exit this industry because of one mistake?"

Ella pressed her lips into a straight line, clutching the predictive report she always carried in her pocket, her knuckles turning white. She was not resigned; she was more unwilling than anyone else.

Lin Chen watched her, not continuing to press her. He just picked up his coffee and took a sip, "I'll give you time to consider. No need to rush your answer."

Ella stood there, her heart in turmoil. Pride and reality were constantly pulling at her. She wanted to say something harsh to refuse, but she couldn't utter a single word. In the end, she didn't speak again, turned around, and walked quickly out of the coffee shop, her retreating figure carrying a hint of fleeing in defeat.

Lin Chen watched the direction she left, his expression remaining indifferent, as if he had just done something insignificant.

Li Wei stood to the side, unable to help but exclaim, "Brother Chen, your magnanimity is too great. She targeted you so much before, yet you are still willing to give her a chance."

"When employing people, look at their ability, not old grudges," Lin Chen said calmly. "If she is useful, she is worth giving a chance."

The night deepened, and the cold wind grew colder. Ella walked home alone, the predictive report in her pocket digging into her chest and making her panic. Lin Chen's words echoed in her ears over and over again. Pride made her unwilling to bow her head, but her desperate situation forced her to face the road ahead. Ella hesitated all night and decided to keep the appointment to talk again.