Page 17 of Her Exception 3

I considered it but didn’t want to overstep. It would have been different if it was my sister. Even if she didn’t want my advice, I would offer it. Still, if Amaru planned to marry her and care for her and my niece, I would need to make sure he’d be able to provide for them. If I could keep him from making a career mistake, I would talk to him. He could take my advice or leave it. Maybe he had good reasoning behind his decision. I couldn’t focus on that right now. All I could think about was Maritza and what she wanted to talk to me about. Maybe after we talked, I could go and see what Amaru was thinking about doing after his departure.

Ten

Maritza

I asked Jeremy to meet me at Gracy’s since that was a lounge we both frequented already. I was curious about how he and his father were allowed membership but that was a conversation for another day. My understanding was that you had to be from the hood or in the streets to gain a membership. Our father was why Sakura and I were able to go. He used to be heavy in the streets before a ten-year stint in prison changed the course of his life. Mama held him down, then they both went to college and became lawyers. He advanced and now serves as a judge, but Mama retired early to enjoy life as a stay-at-home wife.

My leg shook under the table, but my expression remained calm. The last week had been a lot for me to process. Violet expressed her desire to meet with me so we could talk one on one after the announcement about the next named partner was made. She gave me time and space to talk when I was ready. I decided to finally meet with her after the funeral before meeting with Jeremy. That conversation still replayed in my mind.

We’d met at her monstrous mansion of a home. She gave me a tour, allowing me to bask in the potential of what could be my future. Once I toured her seven thousand square feet home, we settled in her cognac room, which housed lines of books along the wall. In the center of the room was a royal oak, round four-person table. Violet poured me two fingers of cognac, and we sipped slowly, as she opened up to me in a way I didn’t expect a woman in her position to do.

“At the first law firm I worked at, I was harassed by male counterparts in every way you could think of. Physically, sexually, mentally, emotionally… I struggled financially. I endured it all.” Her chuckle was soft and sad as she took a sip of her drink. “Women during that time weren’t an ally; they were either competition or an enemy because they were just as horrible as the men. I suffered for ten years before finally finding a firm that was a safe space for women, for Black women. Not just a safe space, but a safe space that offered security and advancement. That firm was Phoenix and Prime. At that time, it was managed by Jeremy and Quentin’s grandfathers. They protected me and took me under their wings, helping me become the woman I am today.”

Violet paused and sighed. “I keep the power because I need the control. I will not suggest that’s healthy, but it’s the truth. My truth. And anyone who doesn’t like that can leave.”

I didn’t respond right away. I appreciated her sharing her truth with me and I understood where she was coming from. I could only imagine the things she endured decades ago, and no one denied her deserving her place as managing partner. Upon hearing her story, it seemed she correlated help with losing power and control. If that was the case, I could understand why that was triggering for her. If her safe space was as the boss, of course, she wouldn’t want to share that power and position with anyone else.

“Thank you for sharing that with me. If I’m hearing you correctly, because of what you’ve experienced in the past, you feel safest in positions of power. You don’t want anyone in the managing position with you, but you are open to partnership.”

“That’s correct.”

“Then why lead people on and make them think they have a chance at management positions when you knew that wouldn’t happen?”

“I wanted it to happen,” she rushed out. “But it’s been easier said than done. I understand what I’ve suffered through is personal and should not affect the firm but that’s not easy.” Her chin trembled and I gritted my teeth as my eyes watered. “I wanted to make Jeremy, at minimum, senior managing partner to put him directly under me. I do trust him, but I don’t trust any man enough to feel as if he has power over me. And if I make a man my partner in this, there’s no guarantee he will maintain that role and try not to exert his power over me. A conversation about the budget that we don’t agree on will be too triggering and have me thinking about being sexually harassed while trying to fight for equal pay.”

She released a bitter chuckle and quickly wiped a tear. “I’m still working through the traumas I’ve endured over the years. My heart and mind are not often on the same page. When I made those offers, I meant them in those moments, but I simply am not in a healthy enough place to make them happen now. No matter what, it’s my responsibility to protect myself. If I have to do that by being the only managing partner, you’d better damn well believe that’s what I’m going to do.”

All I wanted to do was pull her into my arms and let her know that she was safe, protected, and loved, but I still needed to ask, “And Mecca?”

“I did have every intention of making you named partner, not in place of someone who left, but in addition to who I already have.” She slid a manila folder over to me. “Mecca is taking Quentin’s place, not yours. If you agree to stay, you will be named partner after one year at the firm. It’s there in writing and signed because I’m sure my word means less to you at this point.”

I didn’t bother opening the folder or responding either way. She’d given me a lot to think about. Above all, I was sure Violet would do what was best for her no matter what, and I wanted to take her example with that. Standing, I walked over to her and gently lifted her for a hug. As I assured her that she was safe, protected, valued, and seen, her tears poured. With a woman of her status, I wasn’t sure she had people she could have these kinds of moments with, so I was happy to be that for her. Once she was composed, we continued to sip our drinks and talk until my alarm alerted me that it was time to head out to go and meet Jeremy…

When I left Violet’s home, I had more clarity on the situation but still wasn’t sure how I would proceed. At the sight of Jeremy walking over to me, my mind seemed to make itself up without my permission. Waiting a year to become named partner at HGP2was realistic, but Jeremy was offering me exactly what I wanted right now. Plus, I got the chance to be his fake wife. I felt like I needed to be honest with him about my past, though, and let him decide if he still wanted to partake in this scheme with me.

He looked so good, sauntering over to my table as if he knew he was the finest damn thing in the room. Jeremy had changed out of his all-black suit into an ash-gray suit with a burgundy button-down shirt that beautifully complemented his skin. My eyes lowered to his wide chest as he unbuttoned his suit jacket. Jeremy placed a kiss to my temple that made me smile as my nipples hardened.

As he sat across from me, smelling just as good as he looked, he asked, “Have you been waiting long?”

“Not at all. I got here a little early because I came from Violet’s home instead of my own.”

“Oh.” His head jerked slightly at my words, but his expression remained its normal blank and unreadable stare. “You wanna talk about what that was about?”

Our waiter placed his drink on the table. I’d already ordered on his behalf. In the small bar area of his office, there were several kinds of brown liquor. I played it safe by getting him an Old Fashioned while I opted for a Whiskey Sour. Sakura and I shared our first alcoholic drinks with our father. He was a brown liquor man. That trait had been passed down to us.

“Good choice,” he said after taking a sip of his drink.

“Thank you, and I don’t mind discussing that with you. I wanted to talk to her before meeting you.” I paused before going into detail about my meeting with Violet without sharing her personal story. I made it clear that she explained why she did what she did and how, and gave me a contract that she had already signed promising me a promotion after one year at the firm.

“Do you have the contract with you?”

I pulled the folder out of my tote bag and handed it to him. While he read it over, I took small sips of my drink. He gave me an impressed nod as he handed the folder back.

“She’s given you a promissory note that did not require your signature or any promises or agreement on your behalf. Which means, regardless of how you perform over the next year, she’s going to remain a woman of her word and offer you that promotion. Violet has never done that for anyone before. She really values you.”

“That’s what I got from it after I read it.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

---