Suspended Over $2? Watch Me Freeze Your Millions

My boyfriend wanted me suspended over a $15 burger. At the executive meeting, an intern slammed a fifteen-dollar McDonald's receipt in my face.

"Ms. Johnson is misusing company funds. This person must be fired!"

My boyfriend of eight years looked at me with feigned disappointment: "This incident is too serious. You need to be suspended pending investigation."

I looked at his hand wrapped around the intern's waist and calmly removed my badge.

Then I turned to my assistant: "Freeze the five million dollars in the company account. That's just pocket money I transferred in last week."

1

During the regular meeting, the new female intern suddenly raised her voice.

"Ms. Johnson, can you explain these receipts?"

Olivia Smith strutted over to the projector in her high heels and switched the screen to my expense reports.

Several receipts from local fast-food restaurants were clearly visible.

She slammed a stack of photos hard onto the conference table.

"This is evidence I gathered by following Ms. Johnson for a whole month! She eats burgers at the McDonald's downstairs on company money every day at lunch!"

"According to the finance system, Ms. Johnson's monthly meal reimbursements alone reach thirty thousand dollars."

"Thirty thousand dollars a month in meal expenses just for this? If this isn't embezzlement, what is!"

She righteously turned to the boss sitting at the head of the table and declared loudly, "This person should be terminated!"

All the executives' eyes immediately focused on me.

I leaned back in my chair, amused by this self-righteous rookie intern.

She didn't know that the distinguished-looking man at the head of the table was my fiancé of eight years.

We had built this tech company, now worth hundreds of millions of dollars, from nothing.

Over these eight years, we'd shared hardships and success, starting from scratch. We'd long stopped distinguishing between yours and mine.

Never mind the thirty thousand dollar meal allowance—

Even that five million dollars that just hit the company account, meant for next quarter's project launch,

was pocket money I'd transferred from my personal account last week because I was worried about his cash flow.

An intern who'd been here less than two months and didn't even understand the company's ownership structure

was accusing me of embezzling a fifteen-dollar McDonald's meal in front of all the company executives?

It was absolutely ridiculous.

I didn't even bother to explain. I just looked at John, waiting for him to handle this farce.

However, John Williams's face darkened. He slammed his pen heavily on the table with a sharp crack.

"Emily, do you have anything to explain?"

His voice was cold and hard, all business.

My heart clenched. I couldn't believe my ears.

Explain? Explain what?

Eight years ago, when his startup failed and he couldn't even pay rent, I secretly took out all my savings to help him make a comeback.

Back then, he held me and said: "Emily, I'm sorry for putting you through this. When the company goes public, I'll give you the grandest wedding!"

Three years ago, when the company's cash flow broke and we were on the verge of bankruptcy, he knelt before me, begging me to sell the only property my grandmother left me.

Back then, his eyes were red as he said: "Emily, this money is our company's lifeline! I swear, I'll never let you down in this lifetime!"

And now, for an intern's baseless accusation, he was coldly asking me if I had anything to explain?

My blood ran cold.

But my voice was calm: "Explain what? Explain why I suddenly love McDonald's?"

John's brows knitted together, his tone impatient: "Emily! This is a meeting, not time for your jokes!"

Seeing this, Olivia immediately straightened up and leaned forward, her chest nearly touching John's arm.

"Mr. Williams, the evidence is solid. You can't cover for Ms. Johnson just because she's a company veteran!" Her voice was sweet and cloying.

I scanned the conference room.

Those department heads I'd personally promoted were now all looking down, wishing they could bury their faces in their documents.

Some even started whispering, and their looks toward me changed from initial shock to contempt.

"I never would have thought Ms. Johnson, who always seemed so high and mighty, would stoop to this kind of petty theft."

"Thirty thousand a month, that's three hundred sixty thousand a year. That's not small change."

"No wonder the company finances have been so tight lately. Turns out she's been embezzling it all!"

Listening to them chime in one after another, I just felt it was absurd.

The thirty thousand dollars was for ordering late-night meals and meal allowances for the core R&D team employees.

The whole department had thirty people. Averaged out per person, the daily food budget was less than thirty-five dollars.

I raised my hand and pointed at the expense report on the projection screen: "The header and details on that receipt are very clear..."

"That's enough, Emily." John cut me off directly.

He irritably tugged at his tie. "This matter has a very bad impact."

He stood up, walked over to me in a few steps, and looked down at me. That look was unfamiliar, making the back of my neck go cold.

"Regardless of where this money ultimately went, as company vice president, your reimbursement process was indeed irregular."

"To give the whole company an explanation, you need to be suspended pending investigation."

Suspended pending investigation.

Those words hit me like a hammer, causing a sharp pain in my chest.

I quietly looked at this man who had shared my bed for eight years.

To protect his fragile ego, I'd voluntarily stepped back, publicly claiming to be just his vice president, personally putting him on the chairman's throne.

Now, for an intern and a baseless accusation, he was suspending me pending investigation.

"John, are you sure?"

John's eyes flickered, then he put on that business-like face again.

"Ms. Johnson, please use titles in the company."

"Now, please hand over your access card and office computer, and go home to reflect."

Olivia stood behind John, flashing me a provocative smile.

I took a deep breath, removed the badge from my chest, and tossed it on the conference table.

"Fine."

"I hope you all won't regret this."