Chapter 803

That day, an unexpected face turned up among the job applicants at Daniela's company.

"You're not a good fit for this position." The HR department-handpicked by Cedric-never wavered in guarding his interests.

Alexander's eyes narrowed with hostility: "And what exactly makes me unfit? Are you saying I failed to meet your standards, or are you just brushing me off because you don't like my face? If you're rejecting me,at least have the decency to explain why!"

Dexter Bauer, the HR manager, scoffed, "I make the calls here. If I say you're not a fit, then that's the end of it. No debate."

Alexander didn't flinch. When dealing with people he thought beneath him, he never backed down. "What's that supposed to mean? Are you always this unreasonable? Are you the one in charge here? Can you actually speak for Daniela? I've run a company before. Now I'm applying for a basic sales role.What's the issue with that? Your job listing says anyone who fits the requirements is welcome to apply. Was that just for show?"

Dexter shot him a seething glare. "It's not for show.You just don't belong here-period!"

Alexander folded his arms, posture smug. "I get it.You're one of Cedric's people, aren't you? Look, 1don't care if you're trying to shield him, but don't forget-this is Daniela's company, not Cedric's!"

Dexter's face flushed with fury, his eyes bloodshot from the pressure building behind them. His lips parted,but no retort came out.

All he could manage was another hostile glare. "I said you're not a fit. That's final."

Cedric's employees had always been fiercely loyal to him,guarding his interests with unshakable devotion. Alexander stood his ground. "You've got two options -either go tell Daniela I'm here, or I'll call in a reporter and let the world see how her staff is

already flexing power they haven't earned."

Dexter turned red, struggling for breath, completely thrown off by the confrontation.

Carol shot a quick look at the brewing tension, then darted upstairs to alert Daniela.

By the time Daniela descended, she found Alexander standing tall, radiating smug satisfaction as he cornered Dexter, who looked like he'd been driven to the edge.

Alexander jabbed a finger toward Dexter's forehead."This is Oiscoll, not Olisvine-and definitely not Phillips Group. You don't call the shots here anymore!"

"Oh, really?" Daniela descended the stairs with a frosty gaze. "So what,you own the place now?"

Alexander had been busy putting Cedric's people in their place, but Daniela's voice cut through the tension like ice water. He faltered, caught off guard by her sudden appearance.

He turned with an easy grin. "Daniela, I was just helping you manage your staff. Didn't expect you to show up so soon."

Without a word, Daniela flicked her gaze toward Dexter, silently instructing him to move behind her.

She turned back to Alexander, her tone sharp and clipped. "And who gave you the authority to manage my staff? Perhaps I've been too lenient with you before. At the end of the day, this is my company.Dexter is my HR manager, and you're standing in our recruitment hall. He calls the shots here. Any objections?"

Her words landed like a slap-denying him even a shred of courtesy.

Alexander knew Daniela would side with Cedric, but he didn't expect her to stand up for Cedric's people too. His stomach twisted, the bitterness rising all the way to his throat.

Drawing a tense breath, he said tightly, "Daniela, I was only trying to help. I heard you started a company, and I genuinely wanted to offer support.Your staff was being rude, so I figured I'd step in and put him in his place for you. I wasn't trying to cause trouble. Don't get the wrong idea."

Daniela didn't even glance his way. Her voice stayed frost-cold as she addressed Dexter instead. "He's here to apply for a position, is that it?"

Dexter gave a firm nod.

Daniela tilted her head. "So? What's your conclusion?"

Without missing a beat, Dexter replied, "He's not a fit."

He'd braced for follow-up questions, but to his surprise, Daniela didn't press him. Instead, she turned to Alexander and said, "You heard him, didn't you? My HR manager says you're not a fit."

Alexander hadn't expected Daniela to shoot him down so abruptly.

He froze for a second before asking,"Why not?What's the reason?"

Daniela held his stare without flinching. "Does there have to be one? This is my company, and Dexter's the HR manager. If he says you're not a fit, then that's the end of it. What more do you want?"

The way she said it-so dismissive, so final-left no room for argument. It was maddeningly unfair.

Alexander had no comeback-her words had struck too cleanly.

He stood frozen, dumbstruck, while Dexter watched Daniela with wide eyes, visibly stunned by the force of her authority.

Without another word, Alexander turned and stormed off, his chest tight with rage and indignation. Dexter stepped forward and apologized

to Daniela.

Daniela gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you apologizing for?"

He lowered his voice. "Based purely on qualifications, Alexander does check all the boxes for a hire."

Daniela's brows knit together, confusion flickering across her face at his words.

He added, "But I'm biased. I don't want to hire him.I think he's got another agenda-he's not here for the job. He's here for you."

Daniela asked, "So you turned Alexander down to defend Cedric?"

Dexter gave a small, sincere nod. "Yeah."