Chapter 9
Rebecca shifted in her chair.
“Everyone contributes to departmental outcomes, Claire.”
“I agree.”
Claire looked directly at her.
“Which is why everyone deserves accurate credit for their contributions.”
A long silence followed.
Rebecca’s expression hardened.
“Are you suggesting I took credit for your work?”
“I’m showing the documentation. You can decide what it demonstrates.”
Thomas turned another page.
“These warnings were sent in May?”
“Yes.”
“And again in June?”
“Correct.”
“Who received them?”
Claire didn’t look at Rebecca.
“The distribution list is on page eight.”
Thomas examined the page.
Rebecca went pale.
For the first time in six years, Claire wasn’t watching her manager explain away problems.
The facts were doing the talking.
Dominic remained silent.
His fingers rested against the closed folder in front of him.
Claire knew how easily he could end the conversation.
One sentence from him could silence Rebecca.
One angry look could destroy her position.
But that would give Rebecca exactly what she wanted.
Proof that Claire’s success depended on Dominic Vale.
So Claire had asked him not to interfere.
And he had listened.
Finally, Thomas closed the report.
“Miss Morgan, this is substantial work.”
“Thank you.”
“I’d like your analysis included directly in next month’s operational review.”
Another executive nodded.
“We also need to examine why these findings weren’t escalated earlier.”
Rebecca opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Dominic leaned forward.
“May I ask a question?”
The room went still.
He looked around the table.
“Why did it take my interest in Miss Morgan’s work for anyone here to notice she was doing it?”
Nobody answered.
Dominic’s gaze settled on Rebecca.
“You implied her presence here was personal.”
“Mr. Vale, I didn’t intend—”
“She has already answered that implication with evidence. I won’t insult her by pretending she needs me to defend it.”
Claire felt something tighten in her throat.
Dominic continued.
“But since my interest has become relevant to this discussion, perhaps you should understand how it began.”
Claire looked at him.
Several executives shifted.
“Several weeks ago, I removed Robert Harris from a position he’d held for twenty-three years because I believed he’d made an expensive mistake. Claire discovered that I was wrong.”
Thomas nodded.
“The contract authorization issue.”
“Correct.”
Dominic folded his hands.
“She sent me the evidence. I corrected the decision and offered her an expensive gift in appreciation.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened.
“She returned it.”
The room became very quiet.