“Excuse me?” I half-rise out of my chair, stunned. “Was this the equivalent of you throwing a tantrum because I left the job?”
“I don’t throw tantrums,” he says stiffly.
I don’t skip a beat. “Of course you don’t. Because if the CEO of a company gets petty, people can lose their jobs and have their lives shattered.”
He has the grace to look ashamed. “Just fix this, Natalie.”
“Don’t worry. I intend to.”
I walk towards the door when he calls out my name, making me stop. “Are you disappointed in me?”
His question startles me. It is unexpected in so many ways.To have Ethan Wilder ask me if I am disappointed in him feels disconcerting.
However, am I disappointed?
I take my time, not wanting to lie to him because I can sense the vulnerability in the question, and it seeks my own.
When I answer, my voice is serious, and I face him. “I no longer put you on a pedestal, Ethan. Not like I used to once. You’re human, and you make mistakes. But you are also the CEO. You cannot afford to make these kinds of mistakes because lives and families can be impacted as a result. That’s why I take my job so seriously. I cannot afford to let my emotions or feelings towards an employee affect my work.” I take a moment, choosing my next words carefully. “I’m not in a position to be disappointed in you. From what I heard, this last month has not been easy on you either.”
A strain of emotion appears in Ethan’s eyes, which I try not to let affect me.
“I’ll fix this, Ethan,” I promise him quietly. “It’s over and done with. I’ve got it from here.”
I leave the room, my heart quivering.
Clarice looks up, and I give her an embarrassed smile. “Sorry about that. I was a little worked up.”
She glances towards Ethan’s door. “Is everything all right?”
I nod, but before I can walk towards the elevator, I hesitate. “Clarice, can I ask you something? You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel comfortable.”
She looks up from her screen. “Go ahead.”
“This past month that I was gone, how was Ethan?”
She studies me as if contemplating how to respond. After a brief pause, she answers, “He skipped a lot of his meals. Most of them. He wasn’t very focused. And he constantly lost his temper. I think he went home twice this entire month to sleep. And even that was only when Jake threatened him. He was not himself.”
I didn’t expect such an honest answer from her, and she must’ve seen it in my eyes because she smiles. “I wouldn’t divulge this information if it was anybody else but his family. But I know better than anyone how Ethan feels about you. I’ve been helping him look for you for a long time.”
She never uses his first name, and it surprises me. “How long have you been working for Ethan?”
“A long time. I was a graduate student when he gave me a chance. I’ve had the opportunity to move on with my career, but he gives me good benefits, an excellent salary, and only asks for competence and loyalty in return.” Her lips curve in a proud smile. “I’m his right-hand woman.”
I feel a flicker of uncertainty, and she must have sensed it because she laughs. “It was Ethan and Jake who gave me away at my wedding last summer. My wife is friends with Jake. He introduced us.”
“Oh,” I murmur, suddenly embarrassed. “Congratulations.”
Clarice beams at me. “Thank you. And I hear congratulations are in order for you as well?”
I give her a flustered look. “He told you?”
“No.” She smiles. “He ordered some parenting books, and I put two and two together. Congratulations, Natalie.”
Before I can say anything, her phone begins to ring, and she lifts a finger in my direction as she answers.
“I’ll head back,” I mouth, gesturing towards the door but she stops me.
“Actually, it’s for you, Miss Thorne. You have a guest waiting for you at the front lobby. A Miss Carrington.”
