CHAPTER 10: CHAPTER 10: ZION PENCE AND HOLLY CROWE’S "UNUSUAL" RELATIONSHIP

Holly took the elevator down to the Human Resources department and walked straight to the manager’s office.

"Manager Garrison." Holly knocked twice on the door and pushed it open.

Manager Garrison from the Human Resources department was organizing files. When he looked up and saw Holly, he inhaled sharply, and the files in his hands fell onto the desk with a "slap."

"Sec... Secretary Crowe?"

Was this still the Holly who always wore black, white, or gray professional suits?

Manager Garrison’s gaze swept over her several times, fearing he had mistaken her for someone else, and he adjusted his glasses, "You are this..."

Holly pushed the folder in her hand in front of him, "Please, Manager Garrison, help me handle this as soon as possible."

"Secretary Crowe, no need to be so courteous. If there’s anything, you can just give us a call, no need to..."

As he spoke, he opened the folder, and when he saw the words "Resignation Report" at the top, his hand trembled.

"Resignation...!!!"

Manager Garrison’s voice involuntarily went up several octaves, causing several curious employees outside to poke their heads in, and Manager Garrison quickly walked over to draw the blinds.

He forced a laugh, "Secretary Crowe, you must be joking, right? I can’t make a decision on this resignation application."

The Human Resources department is in charge of onboarding and offboarding procedures for all company employees, and though he’s been with Zion Pence since the start-up phase, he wasn’t the one who handled Holly’s onboarding five years ago.

Instead, it was Zion Pence himself who took care of it.

He still remembers the scene five years ago when Holly parachuted in, wearing an ill-fitting cheap suit, her hair pinned up like a freshly graduated student, pointed out by all the employees as someone with connections.

At that time, everyone thought she was someone who didn’t do her job properly, trying to take shortcuts through certain means. But a year later, she silenced all doubters with her near-perfect work ability.

In the past five years, he had watched Holly grow step by step, becoming Zion Pence’s right-hand.

Why would she suddenly want to resign?

Manager Garrison’s voice tightened a bit, probing, "Does President Pence... know about this?"

Holly leaned one hand on the desk, quietly watching him, "The process is complete, the signatures are all there, the resignation report and the OA approval process form are all here. Manager Garrison, you just need to handle it according to company regulations."

As she spoke, she opened the folder, pointed heavily at the bottom right corner of the resignation report at Zion Pence’s signature.

"Or is it that Manager Garrison doesn’t recognize President Pence’s signature?"

"Of course... of course not." Cold sweat broke out on Manager Garrison’s forehead; he certainly recognized Zion Pence’s signature.

He just hadn’t expected he would agree to Holly’s resignation.

Holly leaned slightly forward, glancing in his direction, "That’s good, I thought the HR department had become bold enough to ignore the president’s handwritten signature now."

"I wouldn’t dare!"

"That’s good." Holly’s voice was light, yet undeniable, "Then please process this according to the procedure!"

An invisible authority instantly pressed down, and cold sweat emerged on Manager Garrison’s back.

He suddenly realized as if something was quietly changing, and it seemed he had never truly understood Holly.

"Alright, alright, please wait a moment, I’ll handle the procedures for you right now."

Manager Garrison nodded, hurrying to take the documents, "Secretary Crowe, according to the company procedure, you also need to fill out a company public property return list form. I’ll go get it for you."

Holly nodded.

Manager Garrison walked out of the office to let a subordinate get the form, but he himself walked toward the small meeting room nearby.

He looked at the resignation report in his hand several times, as if trying to find something out of it.

Zion Pence’s handwritten signature was real, but he still felt something was fishy about Holly’s resignation.

Although some time ago, there were rumors in the company that Holly’s fiancé was a nouveau riche with a beer belly from the Mediterranean, he didn’t quite believe it.

Five years ago, during the early days of the company’s inception, he and Zion Pence attended a business dinner. By the end, both of them were drunk out of their minds.

But the drunken and incoherent Zion Pence was tightly holding Holly’s hand, mumbling, "Holly... home... home...."

At that time, he thought he was seeing things since their relationship in the company over the years was no more than a superior and subordinate.

But at that moment, the memory from that night five years ago resurfaced vividly in his mind.

Was it really just seeing things?

"No, I have to find out, I can’t take the blame for this."

Manager Garrison took out his phone and dialed Zion Pence’s number. After several rings, it finally got picked up.

"President Pence, I am..."

Before he finished speaking, he was interrupted.

The person who picked up the phone wasn’t Zion Pence, but Daniel Alden, Zion Pence’s assistant, who was at the same level as Holly.

Daniel’s tone was calm, "What’s the matter?"

Manager Garrison felt that this matter needed to be discussed with Zion Pence, "Assistant Alden, I wanted to confirm something with President Pence."

"President Pence is resting," Daniel’s voice was cold, "Tell me whatever it is."

Manager Garrison swallowed, glanced at the time, and lowered his voice, "It’s Secretary Crowe, she wants to resign....."

He had just started when he heard a commotion on the other end of the phone, followed by a rustling sound, and then Daniel’s indifferent voice said, "President Pence said do everything according to the company’s regulations."

His voice carried a trace of impatience, "Go by President Pence’s handwritten signature."

"But...."

The call was abruptly cut off.

Meanwhile, in the president’s office, Zion Pence irritably undid the top button of his shirt, half-leaning on the sofa, rubbing his brow.

Mia Chapelle had just been sent away by him, and her faint perfume scent still lingered in the air.

The commotion she caused almost let the people in the company know about their relationship. He sighed; Mia’s unreasonable temper was still not as calm and steady as Holly’s demeanor.

He massaged his temple and glanced at Daniel who walked in, asking casually, "Whose call was it?"

Daniel placed the phone on the coffee table, "It was Manager Garrison from the Human Resources department."

When Mia left just now, she caused a considerable commotion, so Daniel didn’t hear what Manager Garrison said, but he figured nine out of ten times it was to help some relative of his use the back door.

Daniel displayed a bit of disdain; he loathed this type of nepotism most.

"What did they say?" asked Zion.

Daniel said, "Just some basic HR arrangement issues. I’ve already instructed as you’ve told me; everything should be handled according to company regulations, based on your handwritten signature."

Zion nodded absent-mindedly, "Just take care of such small matters yourself."

He raised his hand to check the time on his watch.

It had been almost half an hour since Holly said she would make him porridge, and his stomach began to ache again slightly.

Thinking about Holly’s uncharacteristic outfit today, Zion’s lips curled up involuntarily.

"Let’s go to the meeting," Zion got up, straightening his suit jacket.

"Sure," Daniel followed closely, "Secretary Crowe still hasn’t arrived. Should I call her?"

Zion waved his hand, "She’s got something to do; you fully handle today’s meeting."

Daniel struggled to suppress his smile, feeling it harder than holding back AK restraint, "Yes! President Pence!"

The two entered the meeting room one after another.

Holly finished her procedures just in time to miss them.

A notification from the food delivery app informed her that the ordered scallop seafood porridge had arrived.