PART 3: THE EMBARRASSING DISCOVERY
I opened the door to find Richard Harland standing in the hallway, carrying a briefcase and looking smug, having taken an early flight to Chicago to crash the meeting.
His eyes widened in shock as he looked past me, taking in the single bed, Clara’s relaxed attire, and the food containers scattered across the small table.
“Well, well,” Richard sneered, a cruel smile spreading across his face. “So this is how the brilliant Clara Mitchell conducts business with her quiet little assistants.”
Clara stood up immediately, her professional demeanor slamming back into place, but the flush on her cheeks betrayed her sudden, intense vulnerability.
Richard made it clear that he intended to report our “unprofessional lodging arrangement” to HR the moment we landed back in Manhattan, framing it as an improper relationship to force Clara out of her position.
Instead of shrinking back, I stepped directly between Richard and Clara, clutching the Henderson agreement folder tightly in my hand.
(The battle for the truth is about to reach the executive board! Click “Next Page” to continue reading…)
