As we discuss our ideas, I force myself to concentrate on the task at hand, even though my mind keeps drifting.
“Could you look at these numbers for the marketing budget? I want to make sure I'm on the right track,” he says, handing me an organized spreadsheet.
“Of course,” I agree, trying to ignore the warmth creeping up my neck as I focus on the numbers in front of me.
As I review the spreadsheet, I’m impressed by Dixon's work. It is thorough and well-organized, clearly showing his intelligence and dedication.Stop it!This is ridiculous.
“Would you like to grab lunch sometime? You know, just to discuss work stuff and… maybe get to know each other better outside the office?”
Inside, I’m screaming like a girl who just got asked to prom. “Um, sure.”
“How about tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow works for me.” I try not to smile too big until he’s walking out of my office.
“Perfect. I'll see you then.”
This isn’t a date. It’s just two colleagues discussing work over food. It happens every day in Corporate America. No big deal.
8
Chloe
I unlock my phone and see the notification for a new email, but don't recognize the name, Clara. The email contains multiple attachment, and the body has a brief explanation.
Dear Chloe,
Now that George is gone, I feel it's best to reach out to you next. Let me preface this by saying that I know it might come as a shock, but he was stealing my designs and passing them off as Legacy Inc's. After trying to get him to compensate me for my work, and not coming to an agreement, it's best to reach out to someone new. I would like to give your company one last chance to make this right before I get a lawyer involved. The designs attached were used without my permission and have gained the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. Please review the information and get back to me as soon as possible. If I do not hear back from you by the 20th, then I will have no choice but to get my lawyer involved.
Thanks,
Clara
There are emails attached of correspondence between George and Clara. In these emails, he even admits to taking her designs, but shows no remorse. A knot forms in my stomach reading through all the attachments. I have worked for George for a decade, and he has always been fair and professional, and I never would have expected something like this from him. The company is his livelihood, something he wants to pass down through his family for generations if possible, so for him to do something like this is out of character.
I quickly shut my email and start pacing around my living room, trying to clear my head and process all of this information. If this gets out to the media, it can completely tarnish Legacy Inc's reputation. My mind races with possible solutions- do I confront George? Should I take the information to Dixon and ask him to take action?
The thought of bringing this to him makes me pause. We have only been working together a short amount of time, and we get along well, but how will he react? This is his father, which makes me hesitant to take this information to him. He shouldn't have to deal with something like this so soon after taking over. But it’s the right thing to do. So for the rest of the night, I toss and turn.
The next day, Dixon and I are due to go to lunch today to talk about some projections, but that email is stuck in the back of my mind. Maybe this is the best place to drop the news. He will have time to process before going back to the office. This isn't something that needs to get out before we can find a way to diffuse the situation. At eleven, Dixon comes over and lets me know that the car is ready to take us to lunch, and I grab my purse, trying to give myself a pep talk for what I have to tell him. He’s been coming to this building since he was a kid, waiting to take over the family business, and this is what his father hands him? What kind of parent would do such a thing?
The car maneuvers over to the curb to let us out, and as much as I want to just blurt out what's on my mind, I keep it inside until the right time. I sit across from Dixon Myers at a cozy bistro. Our lunch meeting, focusing on the strategic marketing plan, turns into an enjoyable afternoon.
“Alright, I think we've got this sorted out, but there's something else we need to talk about.”
Dixon raises an eyebrow, his easygoing demeanor faltering for a moment. “Sure, what's up?”
I reveal the information that has been weighing on my mind since last night. “I discovered something unsettling. It seems he was complacent in stealing designs from other businesses.”
A tense silence settles over our table for a second. “W-what?”
“An anonymous source sent me a series of emails and documents implicating your father and some designers in the company. It looks like it's been going on for years.”
Dixon takes a deep breath, trying to process the revelation. “If this is true, it could destroy our careers and the entire business. Our reputation would be ruined.”
I nod, my heart heavy with the knowledge of the potential consequences. “We have a tough decision to make. If we expose the truth, we might save our own integrity, but it could cost us everything we've worked so hard for. If we keep quiet, we're complicit in the dishonesty, and it could come back to haunt us at any moment.”
“God, I can't believe this is happening. If we wait too long, the information might become public anyway, and then we'll be powerless.”
