Page 49 of Hers to Love
Mary smiled and licked the icing on her cupcake. “When I decided to be my own woman. I’m just sorry it took me all these years.” She grasped Kori’s hand. “You’ve always been able to do whatever you set your mind to. No matter what happens, it’ll be okay.”
And it was okay to fail. She had learned that in the days since she’d left Italy. Failure was part of the learning process. She couldn’t grow otherwise.
Tomorrow, she’d have to prove how much she’d grown.
Chapter 22
Kat exited the elevator on the thirtieth floor of the office building in downtown Manhattan. She spotted her attorney, Robin Braithwaite, at her firm’s reception desk. Robin quickly came forward, hand outstretched. “Kori! I’m so glad you were able to make it.”
Kori shook Robin’s hand. “I look like death, I know.” She touched her puffy hair, still in the same style since yesterday, and then rubbed the space beneath her eyes. “I caught the red-eye. I think I checked into the hotel at two a.m. and barely got any sleep.”
Robin scanned Kori. “Well, you look exactly how I want. Professional. Great suit, by the way.”
Kori looked down and smoothed the legs of her pants. She had chosen a hunter green pantsuit because she thought appearing in black would be bad luck. This wasn’t a funeral. Her claim wasn’t going to die a cold death at the hands of Brigham’s law firm. She and Robin were going to win. She wanted to pick a red suit for all the blood she and Robin would spill, but when Kat told her she looked amazingly sexy in red, and well…
Not a good look for a harassment claim.
Kori stifled her fears that this was all for nothing. On the plane, she had talked herself down to if she could just get an apology, then she’d be satisfied. It wasn’t what she really wanted, but it would be enough for her to put this whole ordeal behind her. But after the alarm jolted her up this morning, she was too ticked to accept anything less than a complete win. This man had ruined her life—almost. A week ago, she might’ve thanked him for firing her; she never would’ve met Marshall otherwise. But Marshall was no longer in her life so it didn’t matter anymore.
“Be confident,” Robin said as they walked toward a conference room. “If you have anything to say, please whisper it to me first, and then I’ll make the statement.” Robin rested a hand on Kori’s back and ushered her into the empty conference room. “They’ll be here in an hour. I suggest we take this time to review your statement and any other details you’d like to provide. Take a seat, and I’ll be back shortly. I’m expecting some other people to join us.”
“You are?” Kori sat at the place marked with her name on a placard.
Robin smiled. “Oh, yes. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. At least, Brigham’s team will be surprised. You might even consider giving me a raise.” She winked and disappeared through the door.
A raise? She could barely afford the first five minutes of this meeting without dipping into her retirement. Kori scanned the conference room table. Different names were on placards. A few she recognized from meeting at parties held by their bosses. Why were they invited?
Kori settled in her seat and looked over the paperwork in front of her. When she read the police report she had filed hours after the attack, the scene from that night returned and tormented her. A powerful man, angry that he couldn’t have what he wanted, and then her subsequent firing without cause.
They both knew exactly why she was let go.
Kori took a deep breath and closed her eyes to settle her nerves. Robin didn’t appear anxious or even worried. She had smiled earlier when she mentioned other people who were coming to the meeting. Did that mean she thought they would win?
In thirty minutes, the conference table was full of people whom Brigham had either propositioned or outright attacked. A few had brought their lawyers. Those that didn’t were being represented by Robin. Kori sat stunned by the number of people who were here.
“This has been brewing for some time,” Robin had whispered to her. “When you entered my office and mentioned Mr. Noland’s name, I thought to call around to other firms. Sure enough, lawsuits were already in the works. His legal team had been meeting with several attorneys.”
“I had no idea,” Kori had said, stunned. “I booked appointments for Brigham to meet with his legal team, but lately he hadn’t wanted me to attend them.”
“And now you know why.”
Brigham had kept her out of the loop about his impending harassment claims, and when he’d made a pass at her, she had to be let go immediately.
“I’m thinking,” Robin continued, “this was about to blow up with his investors, so he agreed to have the meeting.”
On the nose, Brigham and his team of attorneys entered the room. Kori took pleasure at seeing the color drain from his face as he spied the attendees. His hardened, arrogant expression morphed into guarded fear, and by the time he sat down, he wasn’t even looking at anyone in the room.
Robin began her speech, introducing Kori and then every victim in the room, including their attorneys. Kori sat straighter, her eyes pinned on Brigham, who still refused to raise his head.
“I think we all know everyone now,” Robin said. “Everyone should be familiar to you, Mr. Noland.”
Brigham grunted.
“Police reports have been filed, and if you look at the documents I’ve provided to you and your attorneys, you’ll see all the statements have been corroborated by other witnesses, who have given sworn affidavits and will be happy to testify in court,” Robin said with a lift of her chin.
Including the driver of the limo. Robin had convinced him to not recant his statement after all. Kori hoped his faith in Robin wasn’t misplaced.
“We’re going to need time to review these documents,” Brigham’s lead attorney said.
