Page 13 of Vows In Corruption

No more of this shit of someone else with a different last name running the company that was so near and dear to my parents’ hearts.

One way or another, I will be CEO.

And if I have to put someone in the ground to do it, then I will.

I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.

4

BENNETT

Ilook out the floor to ceiling window that is before me and marvel at the skyline of the city.

This view is one that I’ve seen more times that I can count. It’s a view that I have marveled at since I was a kid and one I will never get tired of seeing.

For years, I hated this view. I hated catching glimpse of it, of thinking about it, because all it did was bring up memories that I didn’t want to think about.

Memories that included my father and the time when this office was his. Memories of him working as my mother sat on the couch as she read and me and my brother sitting at the small conference table that was in here, doing homework as we waited from him to be finished.

For years, I didn’t even want to step foot into this room but things change. Now all I want to do is look at this view, at the Chicago skyline, every chance that I get. Now I want to make this office mine and be okay with letting myself get lost in all the memories, both light and dark, that I have. No matter how torturous is going to be. No matter if it brings up all the damn nightmares and makes me afraid to look into the darkness.

But in order to do that, in order for me to live with the nightmares willingly, I have to get rid of the current occupant first and from the way things are going, it doesn’t look like it’s going to be happening anytime soon.

I’m currently in my meeting with Gerald and for the majority of this so called meeting, all we have done is have lunch and talk about his wife and how she has discovered a new love for tennis. It’s been almost two damn hours, and there has been no mention of retirement or even stepping down on his duties just a tiny bit.

If the old bastard doesn’t say something soon, I may have to pull in reinforcement to make it happen. Because I’d rather make it come sooner rather than later. Just the thought of it has me itching to reach for my phone and start putting a plan in motion.

“Stop the daydreaming, kid, and help me with these potential new hires.” The current occupant of the office that should be mine, voices from the current conference table that sits where the old one once was.

The second this office becomes mine, I’m getting rid of that damn table. It makes the room look like shit and I hate so damn much.

Since I’m doing everything in my power to stay on this man’s good side, I follow orders and move my eyes away from the Chicago skyline and turn to face, Gerald Goldman.

Henry might be right on the whole Gerald is on his way to a casket thing. For as long as I can remember the man has been in his eighties.

“New hires? I didn’t think that we were in the market for new people.” I say the words as I walk over to the table and take a seat across the aging Gerald.

“We aren’t. Not executives or senior employees at least. This is for junior and lower lever employees. Apparently we have an influx of assistants that are quitting.”

I can think of a few reasons why that is happening.

I may not hold Gerald’s title, but I still very much know what the hell is going on within the company that has my name on it.

Assistants are dropping left and right because their working environment is toxic as fuck. Don’t get me wrong, there are some executives and senior employees that know how to treat the people that are there to make their life easier. But there are a handful of individuals that ruin it for everyone else. Gerald and some of our board members being some of them.

I’ve heard stories of yelling, of making people cry and sexual harassment. Every horror story that can come from an employer, some of our assistants and even interns have experienced.

I fucking hate it. More so since the actions of these people come back and reflect on my family’s name. We may be one of the most well known and respected Fortune 500 company but if we don’t do something about this, that will quickly go away. Something that Gerald and his buddies can’t wrap their heads around.

They are still stuck in a time where you can treat people like shit and the job will still get done without any complaints, no matter how wrong their actions are.

If my father was still here, hell even my grandfather, they would have gotten rid of toxic cloud that has surrounded our company in a damn heartbeat.

And as much as I want to do it, I can’t. Not yet, at least. I may work here, but I don’t have the power to fire Gerald or the likes of him.

“Maybe we should be looking at why they are quitting and not just replacing them.” I throw out, reaching for the first file sitting between Gerald and I and looking at our first candidate.

Standard. Degree in law and is applying to be a junior assistant for our marketing department? That would be a no. I’m not going to hire someone whose potential would be beneficial somewhere else that isn’t in marketing.

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