The fallout from the live stream was more brutal than anyone had anticipated.

Charles had played his cards with sickening precision. He had lured Jane to an appointment with a promise of reconciliation, only to have her kidnapped and violated by a group of gangsters. In her shame and terror, Jane hadn't dared to tell her father, Roger, the truth. When Charles sent her a "concerned" text later that night, her suspicion was erased by her own desperation to believe he still cared.

It was that very trauma that had led to Jane's erratic, humiliating behavior at Hannah's wedding. She had believed Charles was her only ally, but in front of the world, he had just branded her a druggist and a predator.

“Gentlemen, you see who she really is,” Charles had said, his voice cold and victorious. “I had sex with her because she drugged me. I won’t waste more time explaining the obvious. Jane, you pushed me to this.”

With a final, mocking mention of the check he’d signed for Roger, Charles walked away a free man.

Hannah turned off the stream, her expression unreadable. To the public, this was Charles’s victory. To Hannah, it was a calculated move. She had helped Charles win today, but not to save him. She had ignited this war to distract her enemies and ensure Jane experienced the same social pariah status that Jane had forced upon Hannah in her previous life.

Now it’s your turn to feel the pain, Jane, Hannah thought.

"Ms. Hannah, it’s 9:50 AM," Rose said, knocking softly. "The Director of Human Resources is expecting you."

"Let’s go."

Hannah stood up, smoothing her suit. No matter how miserable Jane’s life became, Hannah felt no sympathy. She had seen her own parents die in the previous timeline; her heart was a fortress of ice.

Percy Richards, the HR Director, greeted her with a warm, if slightly patronizing, smile. "Ms. Hannah, please, sit. Rose mentioned you’re looking to make some... changes?"

"Exactly," Hannah said, sitting opposite him.

Percy leaned back, his tone cautious. "Ms. Hannah, as a veteran of this company, I suggest you take your time. You are new. You need to cultivate support before you start swinging the axe. If you alienate the department now, it will be impossible to fix later."

"I don’t have time for 'common rules,' Percy," Hannah replied, her voice steady and sharp. "I’ve set a target for three months. I cannot spend two of them making friends."

Percy blinked, surprised by her bluntness.

"I need to build my own team," Hannah explained, her eyes locking onto his. "And I need it done now."

Percy was a sophisticated man; he immediately grasped the subtext. While Miguel Cooper held 55% of the shares, the Cooper Group operated on a joint-stock system. There were twenty other shareholders, many of whom were not loyal to her father. The sales department was a nest of internal politics and double agents.

Hannah wasn't just making "changes"—she was cutting the Gordian knot. By purging the potential antagonists on her second day, she was ensuring that those who remained were either loyal or too terrified to cross her.

Rose, standing by the door, felt a surge of genuine admiration. She had doubted Hannah’s experience, but this visionary planning was beyond anything she had expected from a 22-year-old.

"Ms. Hannah," Percy said, his posture straightening as he realized he was dealing with a shark, not a socialite. "Since you have made up your mind, I will support you fully. I will handle the follow-ups personally."

"Thank you, Percy," Hannah said, her smile returning, though it didn't reach her eyes. "You’ve been in this chair for ten years. You know where the bodies are buried better than I do. I’ll need your 'professional suggestions' to make sure the right people are moved."

It was a test. By asking for his "suggestions," she was asking him to pick a side.

Percy didn't hesitate. "I won't fail the Chairman's expectations. Or yours."

"Rose, show Percy the list."

For the next hour, they went through the resumes with surgical precision. Every move was calculated to consolidate Hannah's power and leave the opposition breathless.

"I want the official announcement on the internal bulletin board by tomorrow morning," Hannah required, her tone final.

As she walked out of the office, Percy and Rose watched her go. It was hard for anyone to believe this decisive, capable woman had just graduated from university. The "well-bred" Hannah Cooper was gone, replaced by a leader who knew that in the world of business, it was better to be feared than loved.