The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 300

Dylan narrowed his eyes, the chill in his gaze growing sharper. “So when you accused Raina of stealing, did you ever consider how that would affect her reputation? Or do you think your pride is somehow worth more than hers?”

Garcia was left speechless, staring at her shoes as she mumbled, “Mr. Austin, I know this is my fault. But asking me to apologize to the entire company... I just can’t do it…”

She’d been coddled her whole life, never needing to bow her head to anyone. Even when she made mistakes, her family would always step in to smooth things over; admitting fault had never crossed her mind.

It had always been easy for her to put others in their place. The thought of apologizing to Raina—let alone in front of everyone—was simply unthinkable.

Dylan, however, had no patience for her protests. “You have two options,” he said coolly. “Apologize or resign. Your choice.”

Panic flashed in Garcia’s eyes. She didn’t want to leave, but the thought of public humiliation was unbearable.

She hesitated, torn, desperately looking for a way out. Then she tried to bargain. “Mr. Austin, can’t you make an exception just this once? We’ve known each other for years. How about I apologize to Raina privately? There’s no need to involve the whole company, right?”

Dylan only arched an eyebrow. “And why exactly should I give you special treatment? Are we really that close?”

Garcia’s cheeks flushed. “Uh… Well, if not for me, maybe for Mrs. Austin’s sake?”

But Dylan’s reply was icy. “I’m not interested in favors—not for you, not for anyone else. You made a mistake. Is it really so hard to say sorry?”

Garcia blurted out, “It’s not about apologizing—it’s just that doing it in front of everyone would be humiliating! I’d never be able to show my face at work again. People will talk behind my back. Isn’t that just your way of forcing me out?”

Dylan let out a short, cold laugh. “So you do care about your reputation. Funny, you didn’t seem to care about consequences when you were accusing someone else. If you can’t own up, then pack your things and get out.”

After watching the video, the four little ones exchanged satisfied looks.

Ethan snorted. “Looks like Dad’s not totally useless after all. At least he has some sense of right and wrong, and knows how to stand up for Mom. Hmph. I guess he’s not a complete lost cause.”

Evan crossed his arms with a haughty nod. “I’ll let him off the hook this time. Barely.”

Aiden flashed a bright grin, his small teeth showing. “I knew Dad wouldn’t let us down! Maybe we should go thank him?”

Ethan waved him off immediately. “No way. He never used to protect Mom. He’s just finally doing what he should’ve done all along.”

Evan chimed in, hugging his arms tighter. “Exactly. If he wants my approval, he’s got a long way to go.”