APKDock Logo
Chapters
share
Discarded, but Not Defeated Novel Cover

Discarded, but Not Defeated

After securing a massive $142 million order for his groundbreaking intelligent robot project, lead developer Lucius expects a promised promotion and a $1.2 million bonus. Instead, CEO Joana Andrew hands his reward to an incompetent intern and demotes Lucius to a toilet cleaner, citing his refusal to work excessive overtime. Betrayed and stripped of his achievements, Lucius walks away with a cold warning: when the complex project inevitably fails, do not look to him for salvation.
Chapters
share

Chapter 5

During the lunch break, the third-floor restrooms were bustling with people.

As I cleaned the stalls, I heard several women outside touching up their makeup and chatting.

"To think I once thought he was quite capable—I must have been blind."

It was Paulina Haldane from the Technical Department, who used to be very attentive to me and repeatedly expressed her goodwill.

"Come on, didn't someone say, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover?"

"Ms. Andrew saw right through him! Making him clean toilets is brilliant!"

"Keep your voices down, he's probably still busy inside."

"What are you afraid of? He's already nothing, what can he do to us? Let him hear it, it's just a fact."

That afternoon, Mark walked in, surrounded by several people.

His steps faltered upon seeing me, his face flushing with a mix of awkwardness and reluctance.

"Lucius."

His henchman immediately scoffed. "Mr. Rousseau, you still talk friendly to him?”

"He's just a toilet cleaner now, not on the same level as you."

Mark frowned as if trying to refute, but in the end, he just sighed and said in a helpless tone, "Stop saying that, after all, Lucius has contributed to our company."

"Contributed to what? To save his face?" the man said mercilessly, "You're just too kind, Mr. Rousseau. This kind of person doesn't deserve your support."

I bent down to clean the waste paper in the trash can and turned a deaf ear to their words. Tied the black trash bag tightly, took it out and replaced it with a new one.

As I was about to leave work, I pushed my cleaning cart through the empty lobby on the first floor and bumped into Joana. She looked me up and down in my blue workwear, a sneer playing on her lips.

"Lucius."

"Getting used to the new job?"

I halted, meeting her gaze with calm eyes.

"Not bad. Thanks for your concern, Ms. Andrew."

She stumped at my indifferent expression and sneered, "When I first took over the company, my dad repeatedly emphasized your importance to me, saying that you are the backbone of the company and the soul of technology."

"I used to think you had great abilities, but now I realized you were nothing but an old fool relying on past achievements and waiting for death!"

I looked at her cheeks, that were slightly flushed with excitement and felt indifferent in my heart, so I just replied lightly. "Perhaps, whether it's gold or stone, the truth will be revealed one day."

This almost indifferent calmness angered her.

She took a step forward and her manicured finger almost touched the tip of my nose. She said in a sharp voice, "Lucius! Don't be so shameless!"

"Who do you think you are now? Just a stinky cleaner who cleans toilets!"

"If it weren't for my dad's sake, you would have been fired long ago."

"The truth will be revealed? Let me tell you, you are nothing without the company! You are just ...."

At this moment, the mobile phone in her handbag suddenly rang.

Joana frowned impatiently, took out her phone and glanced at the caller ID. In an instant, all the anger and arrogance on his face receded like a tide.

The name appearing on the screen was obviously very important.

She took a deep breath, barely suppressed her emotions and pressed the answer button. "Hey, what's going on?"

The next second, her expression changed drastically.

"What? The intelligent robot crashed during testing and caused a large-scale failure?"

"The Quinndom Group said that if it is not solved immediately, they will cancel an order worth one hundred fourty-two million dollars!"

Keep Watching!
The story is getting intense! Switch to App to continue reading
Unlock All Episodes
Search for “700180” on novelshort_new to read the full book.
Copy the code and search in the Novelshort_new app to continue reading.
700180
copy

You may also like

After My Groom Left Our Reception With His Mistress Novel Cover
9.2
Surrounded by five hundred guests, crystal chandeliers, and white roses, a breathtaking wedding reception instantly transforms into a scene of public humiliation. Wearing a custom gown with a ten-foot train, a devastated bride stands abandoned at the sweetheart table. Her billionaire groom, Everest, publicly abandons her to whisper in Emely's ear and lead her away, shattering any hope of a happily ever after on a night defined by the ultimate betrayal.
Betrayed, I Married Their Greatest Enemy Novel Cover
9.1
Clara Vance was destined to rule her mother's empire, until the people she trusted most turned her into the enemy. Her fiancé and stepsister orchestrate her downfall, her stepmother slips her poison to paint her mad, and her own father schemes to lock her away for good. Desperate, she accepts shipping tycoon Julian Cross's ruthless proposal—a contract marriage meant to shield her and strike back. But their retaliation exposes a shadowy conspiracy surrounding her mother's murder. Now Clara must fight to reclaim her sanity, her shares, and the truth before her enemies bury her forever.
Husband's Obsession Costs All Novel Cover
8.9
Evelyn’s three-year marriage to Mark seemed perfect until she unearthed his dark secret: a deep-seated fixation on a former flame. The realization that her life is a facade built on manipulation leaves her reeling. As Mark’s obsession grows increasingly dangerous and suffocating, Evelyn finds herself trapped in a web of lies. She must find a way to escape his control and reclaim her future before his toxic devotion leads to her total destruction.
My Alpha Replaced Me Until His Rival Claimed Me Novel Cover
8.9
For five years, Elara wore another woman's scent, copied her laugh, and played the mate the Alpha demanded—until the real Scarlet Simpson walks back in and Elara is thrown away like a broken vow. But when the Alpha's deadliest rival turns his obsessive gaze on her, she faces an impossible choice: reclaim her independence or surrender to a dangerous passion that threatens to burn the pack down.
The Mafia's Celebrity Novel Cover
9.1
Pop star Elena's life is shattered when she sees a horrific mob hit. Now targeted by a deadly syndicate, her survival depends on Julian, a merciless mafia enforcer assigned to her shadow. As they navigate a treacherous landscape of violence and betrayal, an unexpected and forbidden attraction begins to burn between the singer and her lethal protector. In a world where every step could be their last, they must survive the crossfire together.
When My Husband Lied About Our Son’s DNA Novel Cover
8.3
High above Manhattan in their chilly glass-and-stone penthouse, a wife's world is shattered by her billionaire husband's cold, detached confession. Kellen, standing like a ruler over his empire, delivers a grim verdict with freezing indifference: "I'm dying." In this high-stakes modern mystery romance, the sudden, devastating announcement is only the beginning. A dangerous web of deception, lies, and hidden truths begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the dark secrets of their marriage.