Chapter 17

  As he made his way to his desk, Daniel’s mind turned to the unspoken question that lingered in the room: Who’s in charge now? He knew with absolute certainty that it wouldn’t be him. Despite his unmatched efficiency and the work he had done to keep the section afloat, the recognition he deserved had always been just out of reach.

  It’ll probably fall on someone like Graham or Joe, he thought wryly, glancing at the two men who seemed to be wilting under the pressure. Neither of them could lead their way out of a paper bag, but the company has always been good at ignoring the obvious choice.

  Daniel settled into his chair, setting his umbrella to the side. The faint hum of computers filled the room, but the energy was off, subdued, as if the entire section was holding its breath. He booted up his system, the familiar glow of the monitor grounding him.

  If no one steps up soon, this place is going to crumble, he mused, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. But deep down, he knew that wasn’t his problem. He wasn’t here to save the IT section. He was here to prove his worth, and he had done that — brilliantly.

  For now, he would wait and watch. The storm outside might have cleared, but within the office, it was just beginning.

  As Daniel sifted through the emails on his computer, the familiar chime of a new notification rang out, drawing his attention to the top of the screen. A snippet of the email appeared briefly, showing that it was from Elaine, one of the senior members of the Procurement Section. Daniel’s brow furrowed in curiosity as he clicked on the notification, which opened the email in full.

  The message was short and to the point:

  Subject: Urgent Meeting

  Body: There is a meeting in the conference room. Please attend immediately.

  The suddenness of the email set Daniel on edge. An urgent meeting? It wasn’t common for meetings to be scheduled without prior notice, which could only mean one thing: something unexpected had happened.

  Without a moment’s hesitation, Daniel rose from his chair. His thoughts raced as he grabbed a notebook and pen, just in case they were needed. He glanced briefly at Joe and Graham, who were too absorbed in their hushed conversation to notice him leaving.

  As he made his way down the hallway, the weight of the unknown pressed on him. Could this be about the portal? he wondered. The procurement portal he had developed had been flawless, and he had been waiting for it to be acknowledged. But a sudden meeting like this didn’t feel like a celebration. It felt like something more serious.

  The sound of his footsteps echoed faintly in the corridor as he approached the conference room. The door was slightly ajar, and he could hear the faint murmur of voices from within. Taking a deep breath, Daniel pushed the door open and stepped inside, ready to face whatever awaited him.

  As Daniel entered the conference room, the tension in the air was immediately palpable. Seated around the large table were several members of the Procurement Department, including Director Brian Ortega and Elaine Park, along with Chief Director Michael at the head of the table. Their faces were a mix of seriousness and curiosity, and the weight of their collective gaze landed squarely on Daniel as he stepped inside.

  Chief Director Michael gestured for him to sit, his expression unreadable. “Daniel, take a seat.”

  Daniel complied, his mind racing. This wasn’t just another routine meeting — something was clearly on the line. He set his notebook on the table, his posture straight and attentive.

  Once Daniel was settled, Chief Director Michael leaned forward, his piercing gaze locking onto him. “Daniel, how is the procurement portal coming along?”

  The question was delivered in a calm tone, but there was an unmistakable edge to it, as though Michael was already bracing himself for disappointment. Daniel, however, was unfazed. He met Michael’s gaze with quiet confidence.

  “It’s already finished,” Daniel said simply.

  For a brief moment, the room was silent. Chief Director Michael’s eyebrows shot up, his expression shifting to one of genuine shock. The room collectively seemed to hold its breath.

  “Finished?” Michael repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. He leaned back slightly, his gaze narrowing. “That’s quite a claim. If it’s true, it’s impressive. But I need to see it for myself.”

  The tension in the room thickened as all eyes turned to Daniel. There was an unspoken challenge in Michael’s words, a test of whether Daniel was telling the truth or bluffing.

  Daniel nodded, unbothered by the scrutiny. “Of course. I can present it to you right now.”

  Chief Director Michael gestured toward the projector at the end of the table. “Go ahead. Show us.”

  Daniel rose from his seat, his movements calm and deliberate. He connected his laptop to the projector, the hum of the machine filling the room as the screen lit up. Within moments, the procurement portal was displayed on the large screen, its sleek design and intuitive interface shining brightly.

  He navigated through the portal, demonstrating its features with ease:

  Automated report generation, producing comprehensive and visually appealing summaries with just a few clicks.

  A seamless digital signing feature, eliminating the need for printed documents.

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  A user-friendly interface that was easy to navigate, ensuring accessibility for all departments.

  Robust security protocols ensuring data privacy and integrity.

  As Daniel clicked through each feature, the room remained silent, the stunned expressions of the attendees speaking volumes. Chief Director Michael leaned forward, his eyes scanning the screen with an intensity that suggested he was looking for flaws — but he found none.

  When the demonstration ended, Daniel turned to face the room, his hands clasped in front of him. “As you can see, the portal is fully functional and meets all the requirements that were outlined.”

  Chief Director Michael remained silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. “Well,” he said, his voice steady but tinged with surprise. “I have to admit, Daniel, I didn’t think it would be possible to finish this so quickly. But you’ve proven me wrong.”

  There was a ripple of murmurs around the table as the Procurement Department members exchanged impressed glances. Director Brian nodded approvingly, a faint smile on his lips.

  Chief Director Michael raised a hand, silencing the murmurs. “This is excellent work, Daniel. I’ll need time to fully evaluate the portal, but from what I’ve seen so far, it’s impressive.”

  Daniel nodded, his calm demeanor never faltering. Inside, however, he felt a quiet satisfaction. He had delivered exactly what he promised, and now the recognition was beginning to come.

  “Thank you, sir,” he said simply, returning to his seat.

  The room remained quiet for a moment longer before Chief Director Michael spoke again, signaling the continuation of the meeting. But for Daniel, this was already a victory. He had proven his worth, and he knew this was only the beginning.

  Director Brian Ortega, clearly impressed by what he had just witnessed, leaned forward, his eyes still on the glowing projection of the procurement portal. He shook his head slightly, a faint smile of both admiration and regret playing on his lips.

  “This,” Brian began, his voice steady and thoughtful, “is exactly what we should have been doing all along. Developing in-house, utilizing the talent we already have, instead of throwing exorbitant amounts of money at external developers.”

  Chief Director Michael nodded slowly, his gaze flicking toward Brian, then back to Daniel. There was a weight to his silence, as though he was carefully reflecting on the implications of Brian’s words.

  Brian continued, his tone gaining momentum. “We were wrong. We believed Ray when he told us the IT section couldn’t handle this level of development. That outsourcing was the only viable option. And we let ourselves be convinced without looking deeper.” He turned his gaze toward Michael, his expression serious. “That was a mistake.”

  Daniel sat quietly, listening intently. While he felt a swell of satisfaction hearing Brian’s words, he maintained his composed demeanor, letting the conversation flow without interruption.

  Brian gestured toward the portal displayed on the projector. “This is proof that we underestimated the IT section — or rather, certain members of the IT section.” He nodded in Daniel’s direction. “If this level of competence was present all along, then Ray’s leadership was not only inadequate but outright misleading.”

  Chief Director Michael leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled. “It’s clear now that Ray’s assessment of the IT section was, at best, a misjudgment, and at worst, a deliberate attempt to obscure the truth.” His tone was cold, his words sharp enough to cut through the air. “And we allowed that misjudgment to cost this company far more than it should have.”

  The murmurs around the table grew louder as the Procurement Department members exchanged glances. There was a shared sense of agreement, of realization, that things could have — and should have — been different.

  Brian’s voice softened slightly, though the conviction in his tone remained. “Daniel, you’ve shown us what’s possible. Your work here has set a standard, one we can no longer ignore. We need to reevaluate how we utilize our internal resources going forward.”

  Chief Director Michael nodded again, his gaze shifting to Daniel. “I agree. We’ve been operating under false assumptions for too long. It’s time we start relying on the talent we have — and recognizing it when it’s right in front of us.”

  Daniel inclined his head slightly in acknowledgment. Inside, he felt a quiet triumph. This was exactly what he had been waiting for: the moment when his value became undeniable, when the lies and incompetence that had overshadowed him were finally exposed.

  The meeting continued, but the atmosphere had shifted. For the first time, Daniel felt that his contributions were truly being seen. And for the first time, the company seemed ready to embrace a future where he wasn’t just a cog in the machine but an integral part of its success.

  Director Brian Ortega leaned forward, his expression serious yet supportive. “Chief Director Michael, I couldn’t agree more. Leo’s behavior has been damaging, not just to individuals like Daniel but to the company as a whole. It’s time for a change.”

  He paused, glancing at Daniel before continuing. “On that note, I propose we let the IT section handle all software and web development tasks moving forward. This demonstration of Daniel’s capabilities is proof that we have the talent in-house. There’s no need to rely on expensive external developers anymore.”

  Brian’s words carried weight, and the room murmured in agreement. All eyes turned to Daniel, who sat quietly, processing the sudden shift in expectations. When Brian gave him a questioning look, Daniel nodded confidently.

  Chief Director Michael nodded, his expression resolute. “I agree. It’s clear now that the IT section has the capability to handle these tasks, thanks to Daniel’s efforts. We need to shift our approach to fully utilize our internal resources.”

  Michael turned his attention directly to Daniel, his gaze sharp but approving. “Daniel, I’d like to conduct a meeting with the heads of all departments, and I want you there. This meeting will serve as the starting point for transitioning to a system where the IT section handles all software and web development tasks.”

  Daniel nodded again, his voice calm and steady. “I’ll be there, sir.”

  Michael gave a slight nod, his approval evident. “Good. This is the kind of change we need to see in this company. The IT section will become a cornerstone of our operations, and you’ll be at the center of it, Daniel.”

  The room seemed to shift with a renewed sense of direction. The acknowledgment of Daniel’s skills, paired with the clear mandate from Chief Director Michael, marked a turning point.

  Director Brian leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face. “This is the beginning of something much better for this company. Let’s make it count.”

  As the meeting continued, Daniel felt a quiet sense of accomplishment. This wasn’t just about recognition anymore; it was about shaping the future of the company. And for the first time, he felt like he truly had a seat at the table.

  As the conversation in the room continued, Daniel sat quietly in his chair, his thoughts turning inward. The recognition he had long sought was finally his, but it left a bittersweet taste in his mouth. He appreciated that his skills were being acknowledged, but the road it had taken to get here was something he couldn’t forget.

  It took supernatural powers for them to see me, he thought, the bitterness creeping in. For years, he had been overlooked, undervalued, and dismissed — not just by Leo, but by a management system that had allowed such behavior to fester unchecked. The very leaders now applauding his achievements had been complicit in his struggles, including Chief Director Michael.