Crisis in the Fog
Ayu stared at the financial statements flashing on the projector. The shocking "-10,000,000" in the profit column of project 203 was like a sharp needle piercing her temples, and the throbbing sensation was like a panicked alarm from her heart.
The CFO, expressionless, pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses cold and scrutinizing: "This deficit happens to be in the sector you're in charge of, and the internal control department has already intervened." His voice echoed in the quiet conference room, like the tolling of a bell to pronounce a verdict.
Ayu's mind went blank for a moment, followed by a flood of chaotic thoughts. How could there be such a huge deficit? And of all things, it was in the project she was in charge of. She subconsciously clenched her fists, her palms already sweating.
Just then, her personal cell phone in the drawer vibrated. Ayu absentmindedly took out her phone and saw a message from Gu Yanting: "The game has begun." Upon seeing this message, Ayu frowned, a sense of foreboding washing over her. What connection did Gu Yanting's message at this time have to the current financial deficit?
Amidst the chaos, Ayu's gaze instinctively swept to the bottom right corner of the report. The electronic signature's update time was displayed as 3:17 AM. Seeing this time, Ayu's eyes widened instantly, as if she had grasped a lifeline. She had a solid alibi at that time, having been fixing the leak in Lin Wanqing's attic. This meant someone had forged this report at that exact moment. But who was it, and why?
Ayu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She knew she couldn't panic right now; she had to quickly sort things out. Her first priority was to find evidence to prove her innocence and uncover the truth behind this conspiracy.
Ayu decided to start with the project documents. She quickly returned to her office, turned on her computer, and began to carefully examine every document and account of Project 203. However, as she delved deeper into the investigation, she discovered that many key documents seemed to have been carefully manipulated, either missing or with unclear data, as if someone was deliberately destroying evidence and pushing her into a desperate situation.
While searching for information, Ayu suddenly remembered Xiao Li from the project team. Xiao Li was responsible for data organization and was very familiar with the project details. Ayu immediately dialed Xiao Li's number, but all she heard was a "phone switched off" tone. Ayu's heart sank; Xiao Li's disappearance made the whole incident even more perplexing.
Meanwhile, the internal control department's investigation was also proceeding intensively. Ayu was frequently required to attend questioning meetings. Faced with sharp questions from the internal control personnel, she consistently maintained her innocence and truthfully provided information about the report update dates and her absences. However, the internal control department didn't seem to fully believe her; after all, her name was clearly written on the financial statements, and all the clues pointed to her as the culprit behind the losses.
Ayu felt unprecedented pressure, and her colleagues looked at her with suspicion and strangeness. In this seemingly glamorous business building, she felt as if she were trapped in an invisible cage, and with every struggle, the constraints tightened.
Just when Ayu felt utterly alone and helpless, she suddenly remembered her good friend Sister Chen from the company. Sister Chen had been with the company for many years and had a wide network of connections; perhaps she could help her find some useful clues. Ayu immediately went to Sister Chen and told her the whole story. After listening, Sister Chen frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "I heard that there's been a power struggle among the company's upper management recently; maybe this is related. Don't worry, I'll try to find out for you."
Ayu looked at Sister Chen with gratitude, a glimmer of hope igniting in her heart. Over the next few days, Ayu continued her investigation while awaiting news from Sister Chen. She began by investigating the project's partners, trying to find something amiss. Through various channels, Ayu contacted several project partners' leaders, but they all seemed to avoid the topic, their attitudes ambiguous. This made Ayu even more convinced that a huge secret was hidden behind this matter.
Finally, Sister Chen brought news. She told Ayu that a vice president in the company was plotting a major operation, aiming to consolidate his position by suppressing other departments, and Ayu's department happened to be one of his targets. It was highly likely that this vice president had instructed his subordinates to fabricate financial losses and frame Ayu for them, thereby weakening the department's power.
Upon hearing this, Ayu felt both angry and helpless. She hadn't expected to be dragged into the power struggle among the company's top executives for no reason. But now was not the time to complain; she had to find solid evidence to prove her innocence and expose the vice president's conspiracy.
Ayu decided to start with the electronic signature on the report. She contacted the company's technical department, hoping they could help investigate the specific source and operation traces of the electronic signature. After a lot of hard work, the technicians finally discovered that the update to the report at 3:17 AM did not come from the company's internal system, but was performed through an external network address. This discovery gave Ayu a glimmer of hope, and she continued to investigate along this clue.
After a series of complex investigations and tracking, Ayu finally identified a suspicious IP address. Through cooperation with the police, she discovered that this IP address pointed to the office of the vice president's confidant. At the same time, Ayu also found crucial evidence in the company's surveillance footage, proving that Xiao Li had close contact with the vice president's confidant during the period when the reports were being updated, and then mysteriously disappeared.
Having gathered this evidence, Ayu knew it was time to fight back. She organized all the materials and went directly to the company's chairman. After listening to Ayu's account and looking at the evidence she provided, the chairman's expression became very serious.
Soon, an internal investigation into the vice president was launched. Faced with irrefutable evidence, the vice president could not deny his crimes, and his conspiracy was finally exposed. Ayu successfully cleared her name, and those who participated in framing her received their due punishment.
Through this ordeal, Ayu deeply realized that crises lurk everywhere in the complex workplace. But as long as one remains calm and doesn't give up on finding the truth, a way out will always be found amidst the fog. She also became more mature and resilient during this crisis, gaining a better understanding of how to protect herself in the turbulent business world.
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