Alicia is looking at me with concern now "you forget I'm a board certified lawyer what's going on?"
Shit I totally forgot all about her.
"Listen I just found out one of my candaites for VP of operations is a fucking sick bastard who likes to do nasty shit to little kids."
"Wow, what the game plan?"
"He has a fucking contract but I'm sure he wouldn't want his lovely wife to know that he like this fucked up shit. I want him out today"
"Got it I need a copy of his contract. When I drew these up I think I put a clause in about employment being terminated if there acts become a threat to the company's image. This is a very big threat."
"I know"
"I'll call Tiffany and let her know I'm on it. I don't have a suit to wear. I will just need to go in this."
She wearing a black evening gown that looks flawless against her skin. This will never do I need to let this asshole know I mean business.
"Listen will stop on the way and get you a suit"
She hates when I throw money around but she knows I'm in no mood to play around. I pick up my cell and call Patrick. I advise him to be ready to go to the office in ten minutes. I throw on a black pants suit with white crisp shirt. I dial Marcus and explain that I need him to forward all information via email and make my way to the elevator Alicia is behind me looking pissed about the situation. Jacob has agreed to stay at the penthouse until we get back. He looks at home in front of my flat screen TV. This is crazy I need help why did Juan opt to leave. He was my right hand man. My thoughts get interrupted by Alicia "What's the game plan?"
"Simple I sit his ass down and tell him he has two options he can leave quietly or he can go to jail and risk his wife finding out about his fucked up fetish."
"Whoa you are pissed? I've never seen you like this"
"You don't fuck with my baby, my company is all I have and I will be damned if this fucker will get the chance to tarnish my companies reputation. What would it look like to have him plaster all over the newspapers high ranking executive of Mason LLC arrested for child pornography?"
"Damn, I never thought about it like that."
"I have spent most of my adult life making sure this company gets off the ground and I will not let this prick jeopardize that."
"Yeah you have, and its off the ground hell its soaring you have to let go and watch it fly"
"What the hell are you talking about let go?"
"You haven't even eating you eat, sleep, and breath Mason LLC"
"So is that a crime?"
"No its not but you have no life and you are starting to make others around you suffer poor Tiffany you treat her like she is shit on your shoe and you wonder why she doesn't want to be VP shit she is probably looking for a new job as we speak."
"Shit you think, she is a great assistant I would hate to lose her but I would give her this promotion."
"You need your VP to be able to run your company when you can't she is afraid to make a move without you. You go into your queen of hearts 'off with your head' to damn quick you. You act like a mental patient sometimes."
"Mental patient …. Wow that was harsh"
"Harsh but true. You are so tense you need to get some quick make everybody smile."
"Whatever"
As we exit the elevator Patrick is waiting in a black suit, looking very business. Alicia shoots him a huge smile. He holds open the car door and we climb in. He pulls up outside of Niemen Marcus. I tell him to give us fifteen minutes. Alicia is very small she can easily fit into any suit with easy. She pick a simple black suit with a light blue camisole. While she changing into her suit I wait in the lobby. My cell phone goes off its Tiffany.
"Ms. Mason I have Waters and HR were awaiting your arrival"
"Great we will be there in ten"
I glance at my blackberry and check to see if Marcus has emailed me all materials found on Waters. The email is waiting. Alicia comes out of the dressing room looking like a million bucks I hand the sell person my Amex. Alicia checks herself out in the mirror and sweeps her hair into a quick bun she looks like a force to be reckoned with. We make our way to the car Patrick is waiting. We arrive to Mason Headquarters ten minutes later. The front lobby is like a ghost town security meets us. They look shock to see me. I tell the guards they will be escorting an employee of the premises and they will need to remain ready at a moments notice. Both guards tower over me and it a great to know there is protection here if we need it. I walk into my board room and sitting there like a deer caught in the head light is Waters. Neither Tiffany nor Mark know what is going on and they are looking puzzled. I shoot Mark a glacial stare he knows I'm pissed. "Mark I need Mr. Waters file now!" He leaves the room quickly looking relieved its not him on the chopping block.
Waters is squirming in his chair we make eye contact he hesitates. If looks could kill he would be one dead motherfucker right now. "Victoria what is this all about?"
"You will address me as Ms. Mason and speak when spoken to" take that in your pipe and smoke it. He looked down confused but definitely scared. That's right squirm you sick fuck.
"Oh… okay"
"This is my legal counsel Alicia James. I called you hear because your actions on company computers have been brought to my attention. Simple point I'm not fucking happy. You have two options when Mr. Turner gets back in here you can take the contract in his hand and rip it up and excuse yourself and pack your shit and get the hell out of my building or we can play rough. It's totally up to you"
"Your letting me go… why what have I done …I'm sorry we can fix this!"
"Fix what? The fact that you like looking at sick picture of underage boys and girls? Or the fact that you almost fooled me into giving you the VP of Operations? You have so much shit to be fucking sorry for lets start with your reason for living! You piece of shit I have a good mind to report you to the authorities."
"What…. how did you find out … ?
How did I find out, How did I find out ….. My whole body is in rage. I am seeing red right now. He wants to know how I found out. I'm a fucking control freak that wants to know the ends and out of everyone who works for my company. I have to take a deep breath because I'm ready to whip his ass. "What will it be door number one or door number two? Trust me you want door number one because your wife won't find out through that damn door you have sixty seconds or I will choose for you." I glance at the clock "time starts now". Turner walked back in holding his file. Waters looks like he wants to cry. "Thirty seconds" Turner looks shocked to see me seething. He clears his throat "Here you go Ms. Mason." I look at him and want to slap him with it. He is suppose to run extensive background checks on everyone employed here. He is so fucking fired too he will pay for the monumental mistake. "Tiffany get me Mr. Turner's file" Tiffany jumps up and exits immediately. Alicia looks at me like wonder what the fuck I am doing. "Mr. Turner did you do an extensive background check on Waters?"
"Yes Ma'am I did" he looks scared I think he wants to cry too. He should .
"I see and what did you discover?" I turn back to Waters before Turner starts speaking "you have ten seconds remaining don't waste my fucking time." Turner loosen his collar and starts sweating.
"He was clean Ms. Mason"
"I see. Waters time is up. What is it going to be talk fast I don't have all day."
Waters looks up and says "You lonely, fat, evil bitch, I will sue your ass. You are so fucking ruthless. You can't fucking fire me!"
That did it, I can't believe he called me that. I will rip him a new asshole.
"Wrong fucking answer you little, little man. Your right I can't fire you, but I guess you didn't read the contract thoroughly when you signed it because you just broke it. I wanted to give you the option to leave and maintain some fucking dignity. Oh well." I shrug my shoulders and lean over the conference table and look him dead in his eyes. "Now I will have you thrown the FUCK OUT."
I pick up the conference phone and hit the button for security. "Game on gentlemen please escort Mr. Waters from the building give him thirty seconds to collect his belongings. Mrs. James please explain to Mr. Waters what is about to happen."
Alicia looks at me and shakes her head and takes a deep breath.
"Mr. Waters since you choose not to go of your own free will. You forfeit your right to severance pay. Your rights to have your termination be listed as nondisclosed are forfeited. Let me explain what that means fully. Ms. Mason can now express to all of your future employers your reason for termination. You have also forfeit all right to the unemployment and will be fought if you attempt to file a claim against this company. Your termination will be effective as of today and all benefits will been terminated. All money paid into your 401K will be divested back into Mason LLC. Do you have any questions?"
Waters looks physically ill he says nothing and shakes his head. Which shows me his lack of intelligence and legal knowledge. What the fuck was I think making this asshole VP of operations. Waters lungs at me and I move just as the security guards are entering; "Fuck thirty second get him out of here NOW! We will send this piece of shit his belongings."
Marshall the head of security grabs Waters by the arm. As Waters leaves he yells "You heartless bitch you will regret this mark my words". Marshall grabs him tighter and push him from the conference room toward the elevators. Turner looks visibly shaken. "Turner you're not fired yet, you have thirty days to redeem yourself or your gone. You will speak with Marcus Right he will instruct you on proper procedure for background checks. Once briefed you will run extensive background checks on everyone in this building. I expect to be brief on all employees in this company within ten calendar days. You will spend this week training with Right and running background checks. Do you understand?"
"Yes Ma'am." He looked truly grateful for my mercy. He has been a good employee in the past and the least I can do is give him a break I'm not that heartless.
"If you find anything terminate their employment, I want a memo sent to the entire staff that all PC activity will be monitored on a daily basis. If anyone is on any illegal sites they will be terminated immediately. Ms. James will let you know the legal terminology for such memo also I want new contracts drawn up that reflect employee are working on an at will bases if they fuck up there gone effective immediately."
"I will need to call HR back in to assist"
"Do what you must, get it done and just so you know I had every intention to firing your ass today don't make me re- think my position on your employment."
"Yes Ma'am"
I look in Waters file I see his home number listed as contact. I'll show him a heartless bitch. I called his wife and explained why he was terminated. I asked for her email address to forward her the contents of his computer. She cried and thanked me for the information. Don't fuck with me Waters. I may be a bitch, but I will ruin you before you ruin me. Alicia looks on and smiles, Tiffany looks on and tries to make herself look busy. I look at Tiffany after Turner leaves
"You see why I want you to be VP? I need people around me I can trust."
She looks up and smiles "I will give you my decision when we come back from vacation, but I highly doubt I the woman for the job. Are we still on vacation?" I look at her and laugh "Of course I just had to go thermonuclear bitch today we should be good for the rest of the week. I need a favor before you go put the content of Waters office into a box and ship them to his home address?"
She looks at me and smiles "Sure boss" She walks out of the board room leaving me and Alicia.
I walk over to the floor to ceiling windows overlooking the New York Skyline. The view is stunning and it manages to settle my nerves. Alicia walks over to me and puts her hand on my shoulder. "You sure did jack up his vacation! I bet he gets his ass whipped by his wife when he gets home."
I look over to her feeling drawn from the confrontation I mange to smile. The things that Waters said really hit close to home maybe he is right maybe I get to emotional about all of this. How can I not ever since I was five years old I wanted to run my own company. I will not run it into the ground. This is more than business to me this is personal. My life is tied up into this company I won't have someone jeopardize it.
Alicia knows me to well she breaks my train of thought "Don't go over thinking what that asshole just said." I look down and try hard to fight back tears."Yeah, I sure did hand him his balls in a nice pretty package." I know a part of me hates being this way, how will I ever find someone to love me when the only relationship I have is with my company. "You are very mercurial, you came in here and ate Waters for breakfast, and you're a fucking shark. I'm proud of you."
I look over to her and smile. Thank God she was here. She knew the contract to a tee because she wrote it. I'm glad I didn't have to prep a new lawyer she knew just what to say. "You were pretty good yourself you handled him with ease."
It's good to be able to trust someone completely I haven't been able to do that since Juan left. How am I going to find help for the LA office maybe I will hold off on opening it? New York is my home I don't see a life on the west coast. I would miss my family and Alicia too much.
Alicia interrupts my thoughts she had a strange perplexed look on her face " Looks like you need someone in your corner and I don't trust that damn Tiffany. I'll try being your VP of operations, but I will need to be based in New York. Jacob's restaurant is here. I wouldn't want to take him from it." I am shocked by her admission I trust her with my life she has always been my sounding board. This makes me so happy to have her on board. I know she will give it her all. and hold the place down while I'm away. Would I really be able to be away from this place?
"Great, I will hold off on opening the LA office for a while. I'm so happy you decided to accept the job. I have another candidate that I will move into Waters position if he does well I will train him to run the office in LA. I know you know all the inner working of this place you can have Juan's old office."
I almost choke on his name life moves on and I bet he is somewhere happy on his honeymoon. I grab her and give her the biggest hug ever. I will need to figure out a salary for her.
"How much do you want a year? Will 250k do?"
"Shit that's damn near twice what I make now it will do"
"We need to get you an assistant someone that will help you with everyday task."
"Really an Assistant ?"
"Of course you are second in command here Juan left big shoes to fill."
"Shoes well I prefer pumps." We both break out into laughter.
"Come on lets go rescue your husband from my house. I'm sure he cooking the furniture by now."
She laughs and grabs my hand. There is so much peace in knowing someone has your back. I must try not to push her away this will not come between our friendship. She knows me we have been friends since high school. She knows my heart, she knows my fears, and she is the only one who still pushes me. She is the true definition of a friend. This will work.
"I will try not to be over bearing, I will trust you and depend on you. Let me know when I'm being too much and I will back off. I'm happy more than you know"
"I will. You know I will tell you when you're getting on my nerves."