Chapter 32 Tearing My Staff Apart
Briar's POV
I froze, my fingers hovering over the laptop keyboard. Inside my chest, Selene bristled, her hackles rising at the disrespect, the challenge to our authority. Every instinct screamed at me to tear into whoever had just spoken, to remind them exactly who had saved their jobs six months ago when the company was circling the drain.
But I forced myself to stay still, to let the silence stretch across the video call. Three seconds. That was all it took for the chatter on the other end to die completely, for everyone to realize I'd heard every word.
When I finally spoke, my voice was perfectly calm, which somehow made it worse. "I can hear you."
The screen erupted in a flurry of movement as people scrambled to figure out who'd left their microphone on, fingers flying over keyboards, heads swiveling to identify the culprit. I didn't bother waiting for excuses or apologies because I had bigger problems than one idiot's loose tongue.
Last night I'd signed the investment agreement with Reginald, but the funds hadn't cleared yet, hadn't shown up in our accounts where I could point to them as proof. Until they did, I couldn't prove anything to these people, couldn't silence their doubts with hard numbers. Until then, I was just the boss who'd disappeared to a mountain resort while the company burned, and their skepticism was written all over their faces.
The meeting room on screen was full of whispers now, uncomfortable shuffling, people avoiding eye contact with the camera. A few brave souls tried to look sympathetic, but most just looked embarrassed to be caught in the middle of this mess. The silence stretched on, punctuated only by the sound of someone clearing their throat nervously.
My phone buzzed with a private message, breaking through the tension.
Owen: [Briar, real talk. Did you actually get the money or not? Because if you didn't, I've got a small villa I can sell. Won't cover everything, but it'll buy us time.]
I stared at the message, something uncomfortable twisting in my chest. I'd written him off as useless more times than I could count. And now, when everyone else was ready to jump ship or question my competence behind my back, he was offering to sell his house to keep us afloat.
Before I could respond, another message popped up from Jack in finance.
Jack: [Boss, the funds just cleared. We're good.]
Relief hit me so hard I actually felt dizzy for a second, my vision swimming slightly before I blinked it back into focus. I typed back to Owen quickly: [A few minutes earlier and you'd be homeless. But thanks for the offer.]
I took a deep breath and reopened the video conference window I'd minimized, my expression carefully controlled. The faces on screen looked wary now, uncertain.
I started, keeping my voice level. "I've spent the last one year trying to be the kind of boss who takes care of her people. When I inherited this company, half of you were about to lose your jobs. I could have let you go and started fresh with a smaller team, could have cut costs and rebuilt from scratch. Instead, I fought to keep every single position, and I paid you one point five times the market rate because I valued your experience and your loyalty."
"So I'm trying to understand what gives anyone in this company the right to question my decisions or suggest I'm incompetent while I'm working to save all of your jobs. What gives you the standing to mock me behind my back when I'm the only reason you still have paychecks?"
More silence, heavy and uncomfortable. Good. They should be uncomfortable. They should be thinking about what they'd said and whether it was worth their careers.
"Harris," I said, my voice dropping to something colder, sharper, the tone I used when I was done negotiating. "The one who just said I've lost my mind and we can't make payroll. You're fired. HR will process your severance by end of day. Consider it generous, because frankly, you don't deserve it."
The screen erupted in chaos. Harris's face went white as he tried to stammer out an explanation, words tumbling over each other in his panic, but I wasn't interested in hearing it. Seconds later Harris's icon disappeared from the call entirely, kicked out by Owen.
"The money is in our accounts," I continued, addressing the rest of the staff who were now sitting very still and very quiet. "Next month's payroll is covered. So are bonuses, assuming we hit our targets. But Harris won't see a cent of it, because loyalty matters, and so does respect. Anyone else want to question my leadership?"
No one spoke. Perfect.
I turned my attention to Eric, who'd been conspicuously quiet during the entire exchange. He was watching me with an expression I couldn't quite read, something between shock and grudging respect and maybe a hint of fear.
"Your specialized contract is being finalized today," I told him, my voice still carrying that edge of steel. "You'll have it to sign before close of business. I've given you everything you asked for because I respect your expertise and I believe you're valuable to this company. But I'm not going to beg you to stay, Eric. If you can't commit to this team and this vision, then leave now. I'd rather replace you than deal with someone who's going to undermine me at every turn."
Eric didn't respond immediately, but I saw the way his jaw tightened, the way his eyes flickered with something that might have been surprise that I'd actually delivered on my promises when he'd clearly expected me to fail.
I was about to close the meeting when I heard footsteps on the gravel path behind me. I turned and found Reginald approaching with his butler and secretary in tow. He looked thoroughly amused by whatever he'd overheard.
"You sounded angry," he observed, stopping a few feet from the gazebo. "Everything alright?"
I felt my cheeks heat slightly, embarrassed to be caught in the middle of tearing my staff apart. "Just a company meeting. Had to handle some personnel issues."
"The kind that involves firing people?" Reginald's eyes sparkled with approval. "Good. The world is full of talented people. If someone won't follow your lead, replace them. Simple as that."
He moved closer and leaned over and waved at the camera. "Hello, everyone. Don't mind me, just saying hi to Briar's excellent team."
People who'd been slumped in their chairs suddenly sat up straight, faces transforming from skeptical to shocked. And then Owen's voice, loud and enthusiastic and completely shameless, burst through the speakers.
"Mr. Smith! Oh my god, it's really you! It's been too long, sir!"
I stared at the screen, then at Reginald, then back at the screen. Owen knew Reginald? How the hell did Owen know Reginald Smith?
The chat box exploded with messages confirming that yes, that was actually Reginald Smith, asking if he was really the one backing our company, speculating wildly about what this meant. I felt like I'd lost control of the meeting entirely.
Reginald seemed delighted. He adjusted the laptop so he was fully visible and started chatting with Owen like they were old friends, asking about his family and career. Owen responded with smooth social grace that made me grudgingly admit he had skills I didn't possess, flattering Reginald without being obsequious, making him laugh with stories about industry gossip.
They talked for nearly six minutes while I stood to the side and the rest of my staff watched in stunned silence. By the time Reginald finally wrapped up with a promise to take Owen golfing next month, I'd gone from annoyed to impressed despite myself.
"You've got a good one there," Reginald said, gesturing at Owen's face on the screen. "Smart, personable, knows how to work a room. You should bring him along when you're negotiating deals. Much better at small talk than you are."
I wanted to argue, but he wasn't wrong. Owen had just spent six minutes charming one of the most powerful businessmen in the country while I stood there like furniture.
"Good advice," I called after Reginald. "I'll bring Owen next time."
By the time he walked away, the chat box was flooded with messages of support and enthusiasm. People who'd been questioning my leadership twenty minutes ago were now falling over themselves to express their loyalty.