The Return of the Cannon Fodder Trillion Heiress - Chapter 37

Chapter 37: Chapter 37 You Want My Car?
“You have quite the penchant for taking what isn’t yours, don’t you, Minerva?” Athena taunted with a sneer.

“What the hell are you even doing here? Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong!” Minerva snapped back in anger. She had already stopped causing trouble for them, yet they were still coming after her! Her patience was wearing thin.

“What do you mean it doesn’t concern me? This is my car, after all,” Athena replied smugly.

“What?!” Minerva and Alexi were equally surprised! Minerva recalled Alexi mentioning that Athena was just a regular employee at a fashion magazine and drove a worn-out Honda Civic. Minerva snapped back to reality, her initial anger dissipating as she burst into laughter, tears brimming in her eyes. “Nice try! Even if you wanted an upgrade from your old Honda Civic, your modest paycheck won’t even cover the cheapest sports car here.”

Athena was not offended and even chuckled as she said. “I don’t care what you think but truths will not change just because you don’t want to believe it. Besides, this car was already paid for and was sent here via air carrier after we made a pre-order a few days ago.”

Upon hearing Athena’s claim, Minerva and Alexi maintained their skepticism. The store manager, though unaware of the details regarding the order or the processes involved, exuded confidence. He relied on his brother-in-law’s authority as a director, believing he would shield him from any repercussions.

Athena reached for her phone, swiftly dialing her uncle’s number.

Meanwhile, Sebastian was engrossed in his monthly conference call with all the general managers from various branches, both domestic and international. They discussed sales figures, marketing strategies, and branch performances when he noticed his phone vibrating on the table.

Normally, Sebastian would customize his “do not disturb” mode to allow only messages or calls from specific individuals, ensuring he could attend to urgent matters promptly. One reason was in case of emergencies, and the other was for calls from his beloved niece, the daughter of his younger sister, Sasha.

As he noticed the call was indeed from his beloved niece, Sebastian gestured to the person giving the report on the screen to pause momentarily. With a quick press of the answer button, he was met with his niece’s voice, filled with evident distress, as if she were holding back tears.

“What’s wrong, baby girl?” He frowned, his concern evident in his voice.

“Uncle Seby, boo-hoo! Someone’s trying to steal my car!!!” Athena said, her voice filled with distress. “If the one who’s assisting me didn’t try to stop the store manager and the person who’s trying to steal my car, she would have driven the car home.” Athena continued to cry out on the phone.

Sebastian seethed with anger upon receiving the news. He had meticulously arranged the car as a surprise for his niece’s arrival, investing time and care to tailor it precisely to her preferences. The visit to the store with her father was a mere facade to keep Athena unaware, while Sebastian orchestrated the customization in secret. His frustration intensified as he learned of the store manager’s intentions, despite his explicit direct order to leave certain cars untouched.

However, someone with an audacity akin to that of an elephant dared to defy him. Across the webcam, the general managers anxiously witnessed his palpable anger. Thoughts raced among them, speculating on which branch had messed up. Meanwhile, the general manager of the branch where Athena visited felt a sense of impending doom, growing increasingly nervous and somewhat fearful of the repercussions heading his way.

Trying to rein his anger, he softened his voice in a coaxing manner and said. “Sorry baby girl, it’s my fault.”

The silently observing general managers were utterly taken aback as their typically grumpy CEO attempted to coax and apologize, his demeanor softened with uncharacteristic expressions of repentance. Despite their composed poker faces, a surge of excitement rippled through them, evidenced by a covert capture of screenshots and short videos for sharing in their group chat. Amidst the scene, a group of colleagues, perhaps indulging in some light gossip, eagerly discussed this juicy piece of news through their group chats.

“Please pass the phone to the person assisting you. I have some questions.” Sebastian instructed Athena.

On Athena’s side, she delicately brushed away imaginary tears at the corner of her eyes before approaching Jess to pass him her phone. Meanwhile, Minerva and Alexi watched with disdain as Athena enacted her charade, Minerva was eager to leave sooner. However, Minerva was adamant about not leaving without the car prompting her to discreetly text her brother for assistance. With a smug expression, she eagerly anticipated receiving favorable news from her brother, mockingly observing the unfolding drama.

“Jess, my uncle would like to speak with you,” Athena announced.

“Me, Miss?” Jess replied nervously, unsure of the nature of the call. ‘Was he about to face bribery or threats?’

“Trying to pressure him into following your bluff, are you?” Minerva interjected, snorting with disdain.

“What’s the hurry? You’ll find out soon enough. Just be patient, alright?” Athena retorted with a smug grin.

Internally amused, Hera chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle her best friend had orchestrated.

After steadying his nerves, Jess answered the call. “Hello? This is Jess, assistant manager of branch 4 of A&D Car Dealership Co. How can I assist you, sir?” His voice faltered slightly in the midst of his anxiety.

“Hmm, so you’re the assistant manager. Are you overseeing my niece’s car’s release procedure?” the voice on the other end inquired.

“Yes, sir,” Jess replied promptly, feeling the weight of the caller’s authority and sensing a hint of familiarity in their tone.

“Good. Now, tell me what happened,” Sebastian commanded.

Jess recounted the events that transpired in the inner garage, noting the store manager’s lack of concern, which seemed more focused on orchestrating Jess’s removal from the branch than addressing the situation. Sensing that this might mark his final moments at the store, Jess spared no detail, speaking candidly and without reservation. While he couldn’t identify the caller, he sensed their authority, trusting his gut instinct in the matter.

Sebastian’s eerie laughter echoed through the phone, sending shivers down Jess’s spine. Then, the caller spoke, “Excellent job safeguarding my niece’s car. In recognition of your diligence, you’ll assume the role of store manager starting tomorrow. Your confirmation will come directly from your general manager shortly.”

Sebastian concluded the call and swiftly addressed the issue with the general manager of Branch 4. Having overheard most of the CEO’s directives, the general manager wasted no time and immediately took action.

Shortly thereafter, the store manager’s phone rang, signaling a call from the general manager. Despite the shift from smugness to confusion, the store manager promptly answered the call.

“Hello, general manager?” he asked meekly.

“What a commendable job you’ve done,” the general manager replied through clenched teeth. The store manager’s delight quickly turned to shock at the next words. “You’re fired!”

“Wait, what?! What’s the meaning of this, general manager? Weren’t you just praising my work moments ago?” the store manager stammered, thoroughly flustered.

“Ha! Yeah! You did a stellar job at infuriating our CEO!” the general manager reiterated with a hint of sarcasm.

“What? How?!” Panic surged through him as he contemplated the years of mischief he’d engaged in, reselling pre-ordered cars at inflated prices. Dread crept in as he realized the punishment he might face.