Page 49 of Ruthless Serenade

It doesn’t make much of a difference anyway.

Just go to your desk and wait for the final verdict.

I walk up to my desk, slide into my chair, power up my laptop, and hold my breath as I type in my password. To my shock, it still works. Maybe the Solomons haven’t had the time to block me yet.

I dive into my emails, looking for the "Please, clean out your desk" message from Christine. To my surprise, there’s nothing. Except for the usual flood of customer inquiries and inter-office memos. No pink slip. No "We need to talk" email.

For a few minutes, I’m not sure what to do. Should I go talk to Albert? Inquire about the consequences of my performance yesterday? But then again, Albert Solomon is not my direct superior. Christine is. If there’s anyone I should talk to, it’s her. Except she’s nowhere to be seen.

She’ll be here soon enough, Mindy.

Just wait and see.

Not really knowing what else to do with myself, I throw myself into work, trying to ignore the knot in my stomach. Easier said than done.

After about five minutes, I notice Albert standing up from Christine’s desk. He glances at me and makes his way across the office. My heart rate spikes as he stops right next to me.

Here we go.

"Miss Williams," he says, his voice unnervingly casual, "Can you come to my office in exactly half an hour?"

My mouth goes dry. Yup, this is it. My last thirty minutes with Vision Media. "Of course, Mr. Solomon," I manage to croak out, hoping he can’t hear the tremor in my voice.

Despite knowing what awaits me, the next thirty minutes are pure torture. Each second feels like an hour. The clock on the wall moves in slow motion, each and every minute stretching out into an eternity. In exactly thirty minutes and zero seconds, feeling like I've aged a decade, I stand up from my desk.

I smooth the wrinkles on my skirt and run a hand through my hair. It is a futile attempt to look composed when I feel anything but. But at least I’ll go out in style. I take a deep breath, in an attempt to calm my racing heart. Whatever’s waiting for me in that office, I’ve got to face it head-on. Even if it’s my execution.

As I make my way across the floor, I can feel eyes on me. I could swear I also hear whispering voices. But when I scan the space, I see all my coworkers staring at their screens like zombies.

It takes exactly forty-three seconds to get to Albert's office. When I get there, I take another deep breath and raise my hand to knock on his door.

"Come in," I hear him say from inside.

I push open the door and step in. He is sitting at his desk, not looking up from his computer. When he finally does, his expression is unreadable.

He gestures toward the chair in front of him. "Miss Williams. Please have a seat."

I sit down, trying to steady my trembling hands.

Albert leans back in his chair and gives me a stern look. "Let me be direct with you, Miss Williams. After your presentation yesterday, I could’ve fired you on the spot."

My stomach sinks. I feel my face flush with embarrassment.

"Your performance was unacceptable," Albert continues. "Not only did you embarrass yourself, but you also brought shame upon our company in front of its owners."

"I apologize," I croak out. "There's no excuse for… " I gulp. "For what happened."

Albert purses his lips. "Christine is adamant about firing you."

Of course, she is. Tell me something I don’t already know. "I’m aware of that, Mr. Solomon. I understand her decision."

I anticipate him handing me the resignation documents to sign, but instead, he does something else. He stands up from his chair and approaches me.

"I believe that would be a drastic move, Mindy. Your skills and expertise are too valuable to simply let go." He gets even closer. "And… being a single mother for a six-year-old, I imagine this job is important for you."

I nod, staring at him. He stands right in front of me, practically towering over me. "Fortunately, I have a solution for your situation," he says with a sly smile. His hand reaches out and touches my cheek, causing me to flinch in surprise.

What the hell?

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