Chapter 410

After completing the announcement, Adrian's assistant departed.

Leonard was momentarily stunned, but his expression quickly shifted into a sycophantic grin filled with self-satisfaction. Now Adrian wished to see him? Surely it was because Adrian had heard how decisively he had handled the leak and was ready to reward him. Of course, Adrian would praise him for acting swiftly and eliminating a threat from the department. He might even get promoted.

Straightening his suit, Leonard hurried toward Adrian's office. When he arrived, Calvin was already seated inside.

Leonard gave Calvin a polite nod of greeting.

"Where is Natalie?" Adrian scowled, not seeing Hannah.

Leonard's smile faltered for a moment. Then, he waved dismissively, his voice dripping with self-congratulatory pride. "Oh, her! She was involved in the leak, so I fired her. She's no longer with the company.You don't need to see her. I told her to get lost."

Adrian's expression darkened immediately. His sharp gaze locked onto Leonard as his voice turned cold."Fired? Who granted you the right to dismiss her?"

Startled by Adrian's harsh tone and icy stare,Leonard's arrogance collapsed in an instant. He stammered, "I... I was following company policy...She was suspected of leaking information... The evidence was conclusive..."

"Conclusive evidence?" Adrian's voice rose sharply,heavy with authority and disbelief. "Has the Security Department issued its final report? Has the Legal Department made a ruling? Who gave you the power to dismiss an employee before the investigation was complete?" The barrage of questions left Leonard completely dumbfounded, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead."I...l..."

Adrian no longer spared Leonard a glance. Instead,he turned to Calvin, his tone even harsher. "Mr.Briggs, what is going on here? Is this how your people handle matters?"

Caught off guard, Calvin stiffened. He shot Leonard a furious glare before hastily explaining, "This was mishandled by Leonard.We-"

Adrian cut him off bluntly. "I don't care how you handle things internally. I want to see Natalie right now." His gaze sharpened, slicing through Leonard like a blade as he enunciated every word. "Go. Bring her back now. If she doesn't return, you'll be out of a job."

Calvin's brows twitched hard. What was this about?

Did Adrian actually know Natalie?

Leonard's legs nearly gave out at Adrian's words, and he almost collapsed where he stood. He glanced at Adrian, then at Calvin, whose expression was equally grim.

Without another word, Leonard scrambled toward the door. "I'll go, right away, right away!" Dignity forgotten, he stumbled out of the office to fetch Natalie back.

Meanwhile, Hannah walked calmly through the revolving doors of the Luminara Group's headquarters, bag in hand. Her every step was unhurried, her composure unshaken.

Suddenly, a frantic shout rang out from behind."Natalie! Wait!"

Hannah turned slowly. She spotted Leonard's bulky frame stumbling toward her, his suit rumpled, his face slick with sweat.

Breathless and panting, Leonard blurted out, "Don't go yet. Mr. Miller wants to see you."

Hannah tilted her head, her calm gaze fixed on him, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. "Mr. Yates? Why the run to catch up with me? Weren't you the one who told me to get lost?"

She lifted the Termination of Employment Notice and waved it lightly in front of him. "It's right here, plain as day. I'm no longer part of Luminara Group. Mr.Miller wants to meet with someone who's already been fired? Doesn't sound very appropriate to me."

Leonard's face drained of color at the sight of the notice. In a sudden, desperate move, he lunged forward, snatched the paper from her hand, and tore it to pieces. "This notice is void. You're still an employee of Luminara Group." Spinning on his heel,he barked, "You're coming with me to see Mr. Miller right now! Hurry up. Don't keep him waiting."

He tossed the shredded remains carelessly onto the floor.

Hannah didn't move. She simply stood there, her expression cool, eyes glinting with icy ridicule. Her gaze flicked down to the scraps at his feet. Her voice, though quiet, carried a razor's edge of contempt. "Mr. Yates, how could you just throw trash around? Clean up your own mess."

Humiliation twisted Leonard's face, his eyes burning with spite. "Natalie Preston, don't push me too far!"