"So we''re just gonna pin it on some scapegoat? Someone takes the fall, and he''s off the hook?" Martin scoffed.


    "Uh... I don''t get it; I''m just a finance assistant..."


    "Keep an eye on this; I''m going down to check it out!"


    "What? Martin, you''reing down yourself?"


    Not only did Martin get personally involved, he strutted down to the eighteenth floor, where the finance department was, with four assistants from the thirty-fifth floor. When he arrived, it was already a madhouse.


    A few supported Marilyn but were pathetically outnumbered, just two women and one man.


    The majority were backing Nina; after all, she was the deputy director of finance, and her rank alone was enough to keep people in line.


    And then there were those in the middle, all huddling behind the finance department head, who was a middle-aged man.


    "I don''t really care who''s responsible for this screw-up, but someone''s gotta take the rap today, or it''s gonnae up in tomorrow''s meeting, and none of us will have a good time! Year-end''sing up; who here still wants their bonus?"


    "Boss! I told you this newbie''s ipetent, and always sucking up to people in the office! Now look at the data she screwed up. She''s biting back at me, iming it was all me! When did it be the deputy director''s job to handle this data?"


    Marilyn frowned, "I may be new, but I''ve got seven or eight years of relevant experience, always triple-checking the data input, and never had any errors! And, this data wasn''t even my work... You think you can push me around because I''m new? Out of all the finance staff, no one checks anything and just says it''s my fault? Is that fair?"


    "I know exactly who I assigned tasks to; it''s clear as day that you''re the one who messed up; why won''t you admit it!"


    Marilyn sneered, "Where''s the proof? What if you''re trying to smear me because you don''t like me?


    Am I supposed to get kicked out of thepany just ''cause you said so?"


    "Why would smear you? The proof''s right here; I''ve already had the surveince footage checked... I did hand you a stack of documents to input data a few days ago


    "But not this set of documents!"Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org.


    "The one I gave you was this one, Marilyn. Are you still denying it? Boss, I''m leaving this to you; I''ve exined everything. This has nothing to do with me; it''s all


    Marilyn''s fault; she''s draggingel


    whole department down! Please see through her lies."


    Though not high-ranking, the two colleagues standing with Marilyn were veterans of thepany.


    After hesitating, one of them stepped forward to speak up for Marilyn.


    "Boss, we trust Marilyn; we''ve all


    seen her financial capability. Andre


    we''ve also heard that she had good reputation at her previouspany."


    "Yeah, boss, you can''t just take Nina''s word for it and assume Marilyn''s in the wrong."


    The boss looked troubled; he asked, "What do you think we should do?"


    "Uh... that..."


    "Or maybe, Marilyn, you could take a leave of absence and wait for further decisions at home."