Billionaire Biker Boy

Chapter 57 - A Bird With Broken Wings

 

".. I made a mistake," Nittaya admitted. "That day, I had an urgent matter to attend to. In my rush, I asked Samut to put the documents away for me. On Friday, I wasn't feeling well, and it wasn't until I got home that I realised I hadn't scanned the purchase order to send to Ocean Sea Marine Foods. I was anxious but planned to send it today, and it'd still be on time. That's why I came in early this morning to send the documents... P'Pu, you can check my clock-in time. But I couldn't find the file. I was planning to wait and talk to you, but I didn't get the chance."

 

Everyone in the meeting room turned to look at Mr Vice President, who remained stern-faced. Wonchana nodded, signalling Puchong to continue questioning

 

"Ms Nittaya, do you have any ulterior motives? Because I feel like you were dissatisfied when I instructed you to place the frozen salmon order with Ocean Sea Marine Foods instead of Frost Foods Products, which offered a lower price."

 

Nittaya swallowed hard. She wanted to ask her boss if he was colluding with Ocean Sea Marine Foods, but judging by the atmosphere... it was better not to land herself in hot water.

 

"Yes, at first, I was a bit dissatisfied because I felt Sardina was unnecessarily paying more. I wanted to protect the company's interests. But after considering your reasoning, P'Pu, I understood and tried to perform my duties properly."

 

She exhaled quietly, feeling like she'd dodged a bullet. Bodin, the HR head, then asked, "Can you confirm that you've carried out your duties with honesty and integrity?"

 

"I've absolutely performed my duties for Sardina with integrity," Nittaya affirmed.

 

"You weren't trying to mess with me, were you?" This time, it was Samut who spoke up.

 

"Mess with you? Why would I mess with you?" Nittaya feigned confusion.

 

"Well, you're the one who gave me the 'unsigned purchase order' to stamp as 'sent' and file away. What am I supposed to think? And hypothetically, if you 'forgot' to send it and it caused issues, like the supplier couldn't deliver, wouldn't I, the one who stamped it, be held responsible?" Samut inquired, his frustration evident at her feigned innocence. 

 

Nittaya fell silent, unable to come up with an answer. She couldn't admit she had a backup plan with another company, so she simply raised her chin and took responsibility.

 

"I made a mistake. I won't blame you."

 

"Even if you wanted to, you couldn't," Samut retorted. "Because what I thought before you came in was that if something like that happened, you'd probably claim you asked me to send it, but I didn't. Isn't that right? Then you'd bring in another company to replace it."

 

Everyone in the room saw the shock on Nittaya's face and sighed inwardly. What Samut had said was exactly what Wonchana had suspected before Nittaya entered, based on all the evidence they had.

 

"But since you've admitted your mistake, there's nothing I can do, right? Because nothing's happened yet. But let me tell you something for your own good: even if you'd asked me to send the PO to Ocean Sea Marine Foods, I couldn't have. Because I'm the son of the company's owner."

 

Nittaya's shock deepened. She now understood why Puchong had reassigned her duties to Samut and vice versa and why they had to purchase from Ocean Sea Marine Foods.

...Ocean. So that's this kid's name.

 

She silently thanked whatever force had prompted her to change course. But her relief was short-lived as Puchong handed her the purchase order document after a long, tense silence in the room.

 

"I'd like to ask about the quotation from Sakorn Thai Fish. Do you see this asterisk here?"

 

Nittaya looked down, took a deep breath to steady herself, and admitted, "Yes, I see it. I thought this company had an interesting performance record, and they offered this condition. I believe it benefits the company, so I purchased from Sakorn Thai Fish. P'Pern didn't object either."

 

The room fell silent, as everyone realised this might be a weak point in the company's procurement system. Even Puchong, as the department head, might've overlooked this detail. Accusing someone of corruption based on this alone would be difficult to prove. Jet, the company's legal counsel, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up to steer the discussion toward a more pressing issue.

 

"Ms Nittaya, are you aware that Sakorn Thai Fish and Frost Foods Products have the same owner?"

 

"Yes, I'm aware. I asked them myself if they had frozen fish, as well as other companies we've dealt with before. All the companies that had stock submitted their offers, and I even sought out new suppliers to compare prices," Nittaya replied.

 

Wonchana tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully. Then he asked the first question that left Nittaya utterly appalled.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

 

Sirichok lay staring at the ceiling. His weekend had been spent holed up in his room. Even going downstairs to eat required waiting for Anant to finish first. The atmosphere in the house was heavier than ever. Although he avoided his father, the man's scolding still reached his ears from time to time. Sirichok had to summon all his patience. He hadn't spoken to anyone, not even his mother.

 

When he checked Facebook, there were no updates except for photos of Samut with the Atcharangkul family over the weekend. All the couple photos of him with Mathukorn and Jenjira had been wiped clean from both accounts.

 

Twitter was quieter than expected. There were a few vague tweets talking about an unfaithful man, but no videos or photos of the incident. As for LINE, Nittaya still hadn't replied to him. Mathukorn and Jenjira? Forget it.. If they hadn't blocked him, that would be astounding.

 

Suddenly, his phone rang, startling Sirichok. He sat up and checked the screen. Seeing the caller's name, he immediately answered and bombarded them with questions.

 

"Hello, Yaya! Why haven't you replied to my messages?"

 

"I saw what happened at the coffee shop. 

 

"Nittaya's voice was nasal. She might've been crying beforehand, he deduced. As Sirichok was about to start explaining, Nittaya continued.

 

"I called to tell you that the Frost Foods Products order is off."

 

"Why, Yaya? You said you'd help my relatives!"

 

"Things have changed. I helped your relatives out of kindness, but all I got in return was you cheating on me. "

 

"I can explain that, but can't you help with this order first? My relatives are in real trouble. After this, you don't have to help anymore."

"No. Why should I help someone who betrayed me?"

 

Sirichok paused before offering, "Then let's make it a business deal. If you help, I'll give you twenty thousand baht."

 

He'd already taken money from his former future father-in-law, Suwit, who had since called to demand it back, declaring all ties severed and no further dealings. Sirichok had claimed he'd already given the money to Sardina's people, as Nittaya hadn't yet confirmed the order was off. At the very least, this money was his safety net, and he couldn't let it slip away.

 

"You're asking me to commit fraud, Oat!"

 

"It's not fraud! You'd just be helping like you always have, but this time you'd get a little something for yourself. It's not free like before."

 

"No. And don't contact me again. We're done."

Nittaya hung up, leaving Sirichok seething in frustration.

 

He collapsed back onto his mattress, contemplating his next move. Should I quit my job and start over? Maybe move to another province? But this time, he wouldn't go somewhere as remote as he had during his school days. And maybe find a new lover... though he still regretted losing Mathukorn. Too bad Sirichok didn't realise...

...karma moves faster than lightning.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

Nittaya hung up, her eyes and nose still red. She wanted to scream, curse, and condemn the man on the other end of the line, but she could n't-not with six pairs of eyes watching her.

 

"I've cleared my name. I haven't taken money from anyone to commit fraud against the company. Even though what I did to benefit someone I knew was inappropriate, I assure you I also considered the company's best interests," Nittaya insisted, meeting Wonchana's gaze firmly. Because just ten minutes earlier, Wonchana had asked her a question that made her feel like she'd been plunged into a bucket of ice water.

 

“Then how do you explain the complaint we received this morning that a Sardina procurement officer solicited bribes for procurement, whether for mackerel scad or salmon?'

 

'What?!' Nittaya had shouted, stammering. I swear I've never taken money from anyone!'

 

They claim you took a hundred thousand baht per transaction from Sakorn Thai Fish and Frost Foods Products, and that you've done so three times already,' Bodin had interjected.

 

"No! That's not true! I've never taken any money! You can check my accounts if you don't believe me!' Nittaya spoke with a trembling voice, tears streaming down her face at the false accusations.

 

‘We'll definitely investigate your accounts, but in the meantime, you'll need to be suspended,' the seasoned lawyer informed her.

 

She froze for a moment. If that happened, by the time the truth came out, she'd likely have no place left in the company

 

Nittaya sniffled, pressed her lips together, and spoke with defiance.

‘I'd like to prove my innocence. Right now: Wonchana raised an eyebrow. 'Go ahead.'

 

She pulled out her phone and called Sirichok, putting the call on speaker so everyone in the meeting could hear. When the conversation with the man at the centre of the issue ended, Nittaya exhaled and said, "Does this prove my innocence?"

 

Wonchana didn't respond, merely glancing at the company lawyer instead. Jet took the cue to deliver the verdict.

 

"The bribery issue is cleared. However, you're still guilty of acting without transparency and favouring a partner with whom you have a special relationship. That's still a violation. The penalty will be up to Mr Bodin to decide."

 

Nittaya pressed her lips tightly together. She wanted so badly to ask, 'And buying from Ocean Sea Marine Foods doesn't that favour a partner with a 'special' relationship, too?' But she was smart enough to keep that thought to herself.

 

Wonchana, who had been observing her closely, spoke up knowingly. "If you're still wondering, the case with Ocean Sea Marine Foods is different. I own the company, and I've recently negotiated a partnership with them. So, supporting a partner company isn't  exactly unusual, is it?"

 

With that, Nittaya could only lower her head in defeat. Bodin then asked her to leave and wait for the official decision. She walked out of the meeting room like a bird with broken wings... finally admitting to herself that everything stemmed from her own arrogance.

 

════[changbins_delulu_wife]════

"Mr Vice President, should I proceed with a lighter or heavier penalty?" Bodin asked after the woman in question had left. Normally, he wouldn't ask, as this fell under HR's authority. But since this involved someone with a 'special relationship' with the company's top executive and misuse of authority, he needed guidance.

 

Wonchana paused, glancing at the smaller figure before looking at Puchong. "Is the procurement department overwhelmed right now?"

 

The procurement manager hesitated before understanding the implications. "Not too overwhelmed, but if O leaves at the end of the month, it'll be a bit tight."

 

The meeting chair tapped his fingers thoughtfully before deciding. "Transfer Nittaya to another position. I can't trust someone with that mindset to continue in this role. As for the rest, Mr Bodin, you can decide as you see fit. Also, open recruitment for two new procurement officers. Focus on attitude over GPA."

 

Rujee, the meeting secretary, quickly jotted down notes while her boss asked another question. "And what about Sirichok? That makes two cases now."

 

Wonchana glanced at the smaller figure. Samut met his gaze and gave a slight nod. The vice president then turned to Bodin. "I'll leave it to your discretion. Handle it fairly, but let me be clear-I won't tolerate corruption."

 

Bodin understood at once. Initially, Wonchana had suggested a lighter penalty for the infidelity case, but that was before the bribery complaint surfaced.

 

"And what about Sakorn. Thai Fish and Frost Foods Products? Should we take action against them?" Puchong asked, noting that deliveries were still ongoing.

 

Wonchana leaned back in his chair, clasping his hands in thought before turning to Jet. Jet adjusted his glasses thoughtfully before analysing the situation point by point. "This needs to be separated into different issues. This is a private matter between companies, not a case of government officials taking bribes. Based on the facts, if Sakorn Thai Fish's products are of good quality and not overpriced, and we haven't suffered any damages, we can't charge them with fraud or deception under criminal law. We can only take action against our own employees who solicited bribes. As for the two partner companies, the most we can do is blacklist them within the Atcharangkul group."

"Mr Vice President," Samut's small voice suddenly called out to Wonchana.

 

"Yes?" he responded softly.

 

Samut handed over his phone, showing a chat message. It was from Jenjira, who had reported the bribery issue involving Sardina's purchasing staff. She didn't want to come forward publicly but had sent evidence of the bribe transfers as a gesture of thanks to Wonchana. She explained that her father had a habit of offering incentives to smooth operations and asked that Wonchana not take action against her parents' company.

 

Wonchana read the message for a moment, then handed the phone back with a smile. "Forward this to me, please."

 

When Samut nodded, the vice president turned to the lawyer. "No need to blacklist them. They're providing evidence to help us catch the corrupt employees in exchange for us not taking action against them. I'll send the evidence to Mr Bodin later."

 

He then turned to Puchong. "Mr Puchong, I'm going to overhaul Sardina's procurement policies. Get the policies from Kingfish and arrange a meeting with department heads to adapt them for Sardina. Once you have a draft, call me in for the meeting."

 

Puchong acknowledged the instructions and noted them down. In the past, Wonchana hadn't prioritised this issue because the existing policies had been in place for a long time. Each company managed things differently, and Sardina, being smaller than other companies in the group, had long-standing, loyal employees with excellent track records. He hadn't wanted to burden them with additional procedures.

 

When the meeting ended, everyone dispersed to their respective tasks. The tall vice president wrapped an arm around his petite lover, who was holding a cup of cocoa and about to head to work, and guided him into his office to sit on the sofa. Once they were alone, he said, "From now on, don't get involved with Sirichok anymore. I feel like he's becoming increasingly unstable. If this continues, he might do something unpredictable."

 

Samut, having just learned about Sirichok's darker side, looked downcast. "Okay. I never thought he could be this bad. He used to be okay, you know? Otherwise, I wouldn't have been friends with him."

 

..And I wouldn't have liked him so much that he became my unforgettable first love.

 

Samut continued,..But ever since moving to Bangkok, he hasn't really been in touch with me. Probably too busy juggling three people at once."

 

"Well, that's good then. But if anything happens, you have to tell me right away, okay?"

 

"Okay," Samut nodded and picked up his cup again. "Alright, I'm going to work now."

 

"Have you paid your instalment yet?" The creditor smiled teasingly.

 

This time, the small figure leaned in for a quick peck before darting out of the room. Wonchana chuckled softly, thinking his little debtor was blushing again today.

..Still not used to it, huh?

 

Meanwhile, the little debtor, walking out of the room with flushed cheeks, felt his heart pounding. Lately, whenever his creditor collected his instalments, he'd been feeling something different, like his body craved and wanted more. Though he was inexperienced in such matters, he wasn't entirely naive. After all, there was plenty of media to consume. He knew exactly what these feelings were and didn't mind if that person was P'Win... the one who had completely stolen his heart.

..Could I have a little more time, please?