Chapter 465
Effie had spelled things out as clearly as she could, but to Marian, it was still all a muddled mess.
Marian looked at Effie, exasperated. “You’re so strange. If you want something, just say so. If you don’t, just say you don’t. Is that so hard?”
Effie replied simply, “I don’t.”
Marian’s brows knit in frustration. “Why do you always have to be so contrary? Can’t you just act normal for once?”
Effie’s voice was calm but firm. “I think you’re the one being unreasonable. If you keep talking to me like this and refuse to treat me with respect, I have no problem firing you.”
Marian froze, her eyes filling with tears. “All this, just over something so trivial?”
Effie’s tone sharpened. “Do you really think it’s that simple? Just a tiny thing?”
She paused, then continued, “Last time, when that client came in and explained her requests, do you remember what you said?”
Marian’s expression faltered. A flicker of recollection crossed her face.
“I don’t think I did anything wrong,” she said defensively. “The client didn’t know the first thing about design. She came in with all those bizarre requests that made no sense aesthetically. Then, after we revised the project once, she still kept nitpicking. I was just trying to communicate professionally, from my perspective. What’s so wrong with that?”
“You’re right, you are the professional here. But the client is a layperson. She doesn’t understand design, so of course she’s going to ask questions. That’s your job-to answer them patiently. But you lost your temper and argued with her. If I hadn’t stepped in, smoothed things over, and offered a discount, she would’ve taken her business elsewhere instead of choosing The Etheridge Group.”
Effie hadn’t wanted to get into this, but Marian’s attitude left her no choice.
Marian shot back, “It’s not like I didn’t apologize to her in the end. She still picked my design, didn’t she? So what’s the problem?”
“So you still don’t see what you did wrong?”
“What exactly did I do wrong?” Marian demanded.
Effie’s face hardened. “Fine. Don’t bother coming in tomorrow.”
Marian shrugged. “A surprise day off? Works for me. But it’s paid, right?”
Someone else in the office shook their head in disbelief. Was Marian really this dense?
Other than her design skills, did she have anything else going for her? Unbelievable.
Effie replied, “Not just tomorrow. The day after, and the day after that. In fact, take the rest of the month. Take next month too. You’re done here.”
Marian smirked, missing the point entirely. “Wow, that’s generous. All those vacation days—I mean, it’s what I deserve, but I won’t thank you for it.”
Effie pressed her fingers to her forehead, suddenly suspecting that Irving Butler had kept Marian around just to make her life difficult.
“Marian, you’re fired,” Effie said flatly.
The smile stid off Marian’s face. Her gaze turned cold and sharp. “I didn’t
do anything wrong. But if you want me, fine-give me severance. The full amount.”
“Done,” Effie said without hesitation.
To get rid of this plague, she’d gladly pay extra. Severance plus a bonus, if that’s what it took.
Marian stood there, stunned. She hadn’t expected Effie—usually so agreeable— to actually go through with it.
“Fine. You’ll regret this,” Marian snapped.
She gathered her things and strode out, not looking back.
Someone turned to Effie. “Boss, I mean, Marian really is talented. Her designs always have this spark, something the rest of us just can’t match. That’s why clients always
end up picking her work, even if Irving couldn’t stand her attitude, he never dared let her go.”
Effie sighed. “Talent only gets you so far. If you can’t get along with clients, if you can’t communicate, doesn’t matter how gifted you
are-you’ll never create work the net
truly happy with. I’d rather have some peace, even if it means letting her go. Sometimes, you have to give yourself a break.”