He stands there glaring around at everyone while I wave her over and meet her a few steps away.
"Are you alright?" I ask her.
She nods, scared, and bites her lip.
"What happened?"
She looks around, unsure.
"What's your name?" I change tactics.
"Tina."
"Tina, your supervisor should never bring you to tears." I lean over and make her look at me. "Do you understand?"
She nods and glances at Sebastian. His frown is frightening.
"I can't afford to lose my job." She squeaks.
He growls in a deep voice, "Go back to your desk. You're not getting fired."
She turns around and hurries across the room. I look at him, remembering his words that he can't fire Janet. How he handles her could blow up in his face. I step up close to him and lay my hand on his arm. "Bastian, you need to let me handle this."
His jaw flinches.
"I know it rubs you the wrong way, but you told me my job is to be a buffer between you two."
He looks down at me, and his eyes soften. Though his jaw remains hard.
I encourage him, "Let me do my job."
He nods reluctantly, and I spin away immediately and head to her office.
Just then, Janet's door flings open, and she yells out, "Faye! Where are you?"
I stop as everyone's eyes turn to look at a woman who stands. Janet's eyes demolish her for her insolence. "Get your ass in here."
But Faye doesn't move. Instead, she looks at me.
Janet's glare follows her eyes, and she realizes the room is eerily quiet. Her expression shifts to unease. Then her eyes search for the reason why and land on me. The realization that she's been caught red-handed dawns on her face. But it's only there for a fraction of a second before she recovers. My hands are on my hips, and she scoffs, "What are you doing here?"
"I came to introduce myself to your staff," I motion my hand away from where Bastian is standing and announce to the women, "I'm Sam Mathieson. I've replaced Chad as Sebastian's P.A., and your," I turn my attention back on Janet, "presence will no longer be required in my office each morning."
"What?" She squares her shoulders.
"I prefer to work in the thick of things. I like to get my hands dirty. I'm going to be coming down here instead. You know, have an ear on the pulse of the company. Get firsthand feedback on what's happening so I can report accurately to the boss."
She puts her hands on her hips as well. "Oh, I get it. You're making a grand entrance on the stage. Trying to impress Sebastian by changing how things are done. Well, I run a tight ship, and what I say goes."
"Maybe so, but nonetheless, you'll say what goes from now on, right here, in front of your staff, and not in the privacy of the penthouse."
"You're a glorified secretary. Don't pretend to be something you're not. You're not a business executive."
I walk up to her and stand toe to toe. "And you're not in the Human Resources Department. You'll be wise to address any issues with job performance directly with them from now on —instead of behind your closed office door."
She huffs, so I add, "Be here in the morning at nine-fifteen." Then I turn around and walk away.
When she sees Sebastian, her voice changes. Its sickening sweet fake melody sends the hairs on my neck standing on end. "Sebastian! What a pleasant surprise! I didn't see you there."
