Chapter 616

Duncan spoke up, “I know I made things difficult for you at the company because I personally hired you, but you don’t need to worry about what others say. Just focus on your work.”

“Mr. Lewis, I want to resign,” Liberty replied.

Duncan’s expression turned serious as he asked, “Why do you want to resign?”

Liberty paused, then looked up at Duncan, saying, “In the past, I was told that I got this job through favoritism, and I was secretly targeted by everyone. However, I endured it to secure a divorce and win custody of my son.”

“I needed this job to fight for Sonny’s custody.”

“So now that you’re divorced and have gained custody of your son, you wish to resign?” Duncan continued. “You haven’t even completed your probation period.”

He added, “You are capable and skilled at your job. I trust you recognize this as well. No matter what others say, you don’t have to heed their words as long as you maintain your integrity.”

“They’re also claiming that I have feelings for you, Mr. Lewis. I don’t want to damage your reputation.”

Where there are people, there are conflicts.

Liberty understood that.

Having previously served as a CFO, she was hired at Lewis & Co. by Duncan. Many believed she had received preferential treatment. Her colleagues were wary of her, fearing she might take their positions.

This led to her being targeted, ostracized, and often set up to fail.

Moreover, Duncan was a single man of high status. If he showed too much attention to any woman, she would become a source of jealousy for many.

Liberty didn’t want to engage in conflict, so she decided to resign and pursue her plan to start her own business.

Duncan paused before asking, “Who said that?”

“Liberty, just focus on your job. I’ll handle them. If anyone spreads rumors behind your back about you trying to pursue me, I’ll fire them all. Don’t think I’ll let them off just because they have numbers on their side. If they annoy me, I can dismiss all of them!”

He had given Liberty this position because of Zachary, so it wasn’t entirely inaccurate to say that she had entered through the back door.

However, it was outrageous to claim that Liberty was pursuing him. She had just divorced; how could she possibly covet him?

Duncan was a busy man and preferred not to involve himself in the petty disputes among his employees. Nonetheless, he knew he needed to address the situation if it escalated.

“Thank you, Mr. Lewis, but I still wish to resign. I received a sum of money from Hank, and I want to invest in opening a small shop and starting a restaurant.”

Liberty remained firm in her decision to resign.

Given Duncan’s comments, she believed that once she left his office, his orders would be communicated throughout the company, and the rumors would no longer reach her.

However, she knew that others’ opinions of her would still be distorted.

She didn’t want to tarnish Duncan’s reputation alongside her own.

“In that case, have you found a location yet?”

Duncan pondered for a moment and replied, “There’s a street called Westring Avenue 2 near our office. We pass that street to get to our building. Half of the stores there belong to me. It has high foot traffic, and in addition to Lewis & Co., many small businesses and factories are nearby. It would be a great spot for your restaurant.”

“There’s an elderly couple who can no longer work. They are retiring and plan to move out in a few days. If you truly intend to go through…

“I can rent that storefront to you,” he said. Liberty was taken aback. “Do you really own half the shops on that street?” Duncan responded, almost playfully, “Why not? I have no other way to spend the money I earn, so I bought a few more stores to lease out. The monthly rent adds up, allowing me to use my money to generate more income.” Liberty was at a loss for words. The world of the wealthy was beyond her comprehension. “I usually don’t handle the stores myself; I hire someone to collect the rent for me. However, I pass by there every day on my commute, so I stay informed about any available spaces.” Aunt Audrey had mentioned that Duncan was skilled at making money, and she was certainly right.