Chapter 4 - The Retaliation
Monday morning arrived with a vengeance.
Clare walked into the corporate office of Harkort Industries at 8:00 AM, holding her breath. The moment she stepped into the open-plan office, the chatter died down. Coworkers stole glances at her over their computer screens, whispering behind their coffee mugs.
By 9:00 AM, she was summoned to Wesley Harkort’s corner office.
When she walked in, Wesley was sitting behind his mahogany desk, looking flushed and furious. Standing near the window was Blair Kensington, sipping an iced latte with a triumphant smirk.
"Sit down, Clare," Wesley snapped, not bothering to look up from his tablet.
Clare remained standing, resting her hands on the back of the visitor's chair. "I prefer to stand, Mr. Harkort."
Wesley threw his tablet onto the desk with a loud bang. "What the hell were you playing at on Saturday night?"
"I don't understand," Clare said calmly, keeping her voice even.
"You embarrassed this entire firm!" Blair piped up, stepping forward. "You made a scene on the dance floor with Vitali! Do you have any idea who that man is? He's dangerous, Clare! His family controls every union, every ton of concrete, and every major city permit in Minnesota. You made us look like a laughingstock!"
"I didn't start the scene, Blair," Clare countered sharply. "Wesley made a derogatory comment, and Mr. Vitali acted like a gentleman."
Wesley stood up, his face turning red. "Gentleman? He’s a ruthless beast who got half his face blown off in a mob hit disguised as a car crash! And you used my company's ticket to parade around with him like some cheap date!"
He slammed his palms on the desk. "You're fired, Clare. Pack your desk. You have twenty minutes to get out of my building."
Clare felt the ground drop beneath her feet. "Fired? On what grounds? I’ve doubled the logistics department's output for three consecutive quarters!"
"Minnesota is an at-will state," Wesley sneered. "I don't need a reason. Get out."
Blair smiled wickedly. "Maybe your big, scary boyfriend can get you a job pulling weeds on his construction sites."
Clare held her head high, refusing to let them see her cry. "Fine."
She turned and walked out of the office, heading straight for her cubicle. As she packed her personal belongings into a cardboard box, her hands shook with rage and fear. How was she going to pay rent? How was she going to find a job when Wesley would undoubtedly blackball her across the city?
Just as she taped the top of her box shut, a sudden commotion broke out near the elevator lobby.
May you like
The heavy glass doors of the executive floor slid open.
Four men in tailored dark suits marched into the office, led by Marko. Behind them walked Leandro Vitali, wearing a sharp charcoal suit, a dark silk tie, and a cold, lethal expression that froze every employee in their tracks.
