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“I imagine if she hasn’t reached out to you, there’s a reason. But on a professional level, since you’re asking—in a professional capacity—” her look here is meaningful “—Melanie is out on leave due to a family emergency. I’ve approved three weeks, and she’ll be in touch soon if she needs more than that.”
My heart drops.
Jodie.
She’s the only family Melanie has.
I drop into the chair across from Giselle, staring blankly out the window as my mind tries to catch up. Why didn’t she say anything when I called her the day after? Why didn’t she let me know something happened?
The thought that Jodie might have passed runs through my mind, and nausea rolls through me.
Damn.I burned that bridge. If I call her now, I doubt she’ll pick up.
“We need to talk, Jenson.”
Giselle turns her full attention to me, purple nails clicking on the desk as she folds her hands. I blink at her in surprise, eyebrows drawn together.
“About Melanie? I know I shouldn’t have asked—”
“Not that. I’ve had some complaints.”
Giselle isn’t one to sugarcoat things.
“Complaints about…?”
Zach, I’m thinking, or the fact that only a limited number of employees got to go on the company retreat this year, or that the east wing elevators are down for maintenance for the next week.
“About you. Specifically, the way you’ve been treating everyone lately.”
My mind goes completely blank, then clicks back into gear, whirring with anxiety and disbelief.
“What?”
“There have been complaints that your attitude is unprofessional. You’ve been disrespectful and short with everyone. You walked out of a meeting yesterday.”
I wince; that one is true.
Maybe the rest are, too. I haven’t exactly been regulating my emotions. This conversation, sitting across from Giselle and her direct expression, is an awakening.
It cools off the anger, anxiety, and betrayal that’s been brewing like a storm in me these last few days.
“How bad is it?”
“It’s bad.”
She doesn’t need to say more. Giselle knows what my plans are for the company. She knows that I won’t,can’t,let Zach have it.
But here I am, hurting and scaring the very people I’ve been trying to protect.
“How can I make it better?” I ask, a pleading edge to the question.
When Giselle’s eyes soften and she sighs, I know I’m in deep.
A black hole opens up underneath me.
Everything is on the line now. I’ve just been so distracted by my own emotions that I didn’t realize I’m on the verge of losing everything I worked so hard for.
Mel’s words come back to me.Some things matter more in life than winning.
