She gives me a quick smile. “Sorry, Natalie. I can’t wait to get out of here.”
She puts the keys in my hands, and I watch her leave. Technically, Vanessa wasn’t even supposed to be here today. Everything had been handed over, and I thought she would hand over the keys to Layla. I glance at my assistant. “What happened when I was gone?”
Layla swallows. “Mr. Wilder was in a terrible mood. He fired a bunch of people. I thought he would fire Miss Taylor as well. There was some confusion with the files, and he got so mad. I think Miss Taylor cried. When I came back from lunch the other day, her eyes were red. After you called last week, his mood suddenly improved.”
I’m trying to process all this information. “He told me she was good. He liked her.”
My assistant gives me the side eye. “If that’s what Mr. Wilder’s favor looks like, I hope he never likes my work.”
My lips twitch as I make a mental note to ask Ethan what he did to Vanessa. She and I did some certifications together, and I know she’s excellent at her job. To see her practically run from this company because of Ethan is astounding. He really must’ve done something terrible.
I enter my office and Layla follows me.
“When you called me that day, I thought you were planning to quit. That’s what you said. What made you change your mind?”
I sit down at my desk and look at the files Vanessa has left for me. “Ethan. He wouldn’t accept my resignation.”
“But why were you trying to resign in the first place? You said you would stick out the contract you had.”
I give her a brief smile. “I changed my mind. Anyway, I’m back now. Do you have a list of the people he fired?”
She hurries back to her desk and returns with a piece of paper. “I’m going to email you the copies of all the termination letters. The reasons were given in each letter.”
I go over the names, not surprised by most of them, but a few of the names make me uneasy.
“Send me those letters,” I say grimly.
It takes Layla all of ten minutes to send me the termination letters of the seven employees. Letters and records in hand, I march up to Ethan’s office, gearing up to pick a fight.
When Clarice sees me clearly on a warpath, she tries to stop me. “He’s in an important meeting?—”
“Don’t worry. This is just as important. Ethan!”
I throw open his door. To my surprise, it’s not an employee he’s with, but his father.
“Mr. Wilder,” I stammer, shocked. “I—Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”
“Clearly you did.” Harold gives me a faint smile before getting to his feet. “I was just leaving.”
“Not on my account.” I take a step back, feeling embarrassed. “I can wait outside. This is not urgent.”
He looks between the two of us. “No. I have to go. I’m going to the club to meet a few friends.” His gaze focuses on Ethan. “Think of what I said. There’s a lot I can tolerate, but not this.”
Ethan doesn’t look very pleased. As his father walks past, he pauses and gives me a long look. “My wife will be happy to know you decided to come back to work. Give her a call. She wants to get lunch with you but doesn’t want to bother you.”
I blink at his abrupt words. “Ah, sure.”
His eyes flicker towards my feet. “I would also advise you to switch to flats for the next couple of months. Heels cause a considerable amount of back pain. Helen stopped wearing heels after the first time.”
With that, he walks out, leaving me dumbfounded.
That was definitely?—
When the door closes behind him, I look at Ethan. “He knows, doesn’t he?”
“If my mother knows, he knows. They don’t have secrets between them.”
I look over my shoulder at the door, and a small smile tugs at my lips. “He’s really like you, you know.”
