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Chapter 1
“You can’t fire me!” I stare across the desk at my boss, shocked. When he called me in here this morning, I thought it was to talk about a promotion. Which, considering everything that’s happened over the past two weeks, would be some very welcome news.
“I’m your top earning junior associate,” I sputter. “I single-handedly closed the Johnson account.”
“An account which we’re about to lose because of your father’s association with this company through you.”
“I’m not my father,” I say through gritted teeth. “I have nothing to do with his company.” He made damn sure of that over the years. Van Bauer & Sons is strictly a male-only operation and has been for three generations. No daughters allowed. A thought which still rankles me even now, though I should be thanking my lucky stars I’m not caught up in the scandal and FBI scrutiny.
Dan shakes his head at me, the fluorescent light shining off his bald spot. “It just doesn’t make for good optics to have a Van Bauer associated with our company right now, Melanie.”
He can’t be serious. “Look, I’m happy to change my name. Legally, if that’s what it takes. But I just bought an apartment in Manhattan, I can’t afford to lose this j—”
“Your father defrauded some of the most influential people in this city,” Dan cuts me off, slashing a hand through the air. “Not to mention the thousands of regular Americans who lost their pensions to his scheme. New World Media and Design cannot and will not be associated in any way with Frank Van Bauer. You’re out. Today.”
My mouth drops open, ten rebuttals on my tongue. I glance down, momentarily distracted by the giant New World Media and Design paperweight Dan has on his desk. It’s a horrible logo, created from a giant round-tipped arrow shooting up out of what I think is supposed to be a mountain range?—the whole thing just looks incredibly phallic.
In stressful situations, my mind likes to focus on super useful details like this. But really, what am I supposed to say to that? That it’s completely unfair. I’ve spent my entire professional career trying to make it on my own instead of leaning on Dad’s business connections. And I’ve done it, too. I’ve fought tooth and nail to climb the corporate ladder since I graduated early from Brown six years ago. To prove I could do it, that I was just as good as the son I know Dad always wished he’d had.
And now?
If this is any indication, I’ll never be able to work in this town again. And Dad, he’s facing jail time. As in, a life sentence.
I bite back the threatening tears, knowing if there’s one rule above all others, it’s never to let the bastards see they affect you. Any emotion, especially tears, in a corporate environment will be mocked as womanly weakness and held against you for years.
I stand abruptly and hold my chin high. “This is wrongful termination.”
Dan looks at me disdainfully. “I already told you we almost lost the Johnson deal over this.”
I can’t help but swallow hard at that. Only weeks before Dan was falling over himself praising me for bringing in the multi-million-dollar contract.
“Your very presence at the company weakens our brand, which gives us perfectly legal means for termination. Not to mention that the CFO himself personally lost millions to your father’s little scam. Be glad you’re leaving with a severance package, Ms. Van Bauer.”
He stands and leans over his desk. “Now remove your things immediately. Your ID badge will be deactivated at noon.”
I grit my teeth together and start toward the door. Take the high road, Mel. They go low, you go high.
At the last second, I twirl around. “The company’s logo looks like a penis and balls. Just an FYI.” I smile sweetly and then stomp out the doorway.
***
When I get down to my office, all of my coworkers are eyeing me like I’m a contestant on the latest reality show about to head for the chopping block. God, did everyone see this coming except me? I knew it was bad when the news broke about Dad a week and a half ago.
Bail was set at one and a half million dollars. The bank froze all his assets. I was only able to pay it by not only using up everything in the savings Grandpa left for me but also by putting a second mortgage on the apartment I’d just bought. Not imagining that I’d have any suddenly dramatic life expenses, I’d put a lot of cash down on the place, so I had some equity in it… Which I then needed right back to get my father out of prison.
I bang into my office, ready to throw my things in a box and get the hell out of here as fast as possible.
But I stop in my tracks when I see a stranger sitting in one of the two chairs across from my desk. He’s an impeccably dressed older gentleman. I was always around wealth growing up, but over the last few years especially, I’ve learned to pay attention to the small details that differentiate true wealth from the cheap imitation of it.
So I recognize the elegant tailoring and fine cloth that indicate this man’s suit was custom made and expensive. And the fact that his cufflinks appear to be real gold, maybe an heirloom. Grandpa used to have some like that. The man’s black wingtips are polished and expensive. I always check men’s footwear when sizing up a potential client.
This guy is real money. The serious kind.
Too bad I didn’t pay more attention when Dad started wearing knock-off Louis Vuitton shoes a few years ago after Mom died. She’d left him years before but he was always stupid over her.
I knew he was struggling. I just thought it was personal—I never dreamed the business was in trouble, too. Once when I dropped by to check on him, I caught him at home, drunk at eleven a.m., sitting on his couch in nothing but his boxers. It was obvious he’d been crying.
He yelled at me to get out, and Dad never yelled. Then he didn’t talk to me for a whole month. When he finally invited me out to one of Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurants for dinner—a place you go to be seen as much as for the exquisite cuisine—he was in his most expensive suit and smiling his salesman’s grin. Business was good, he was hobnobbing with the rich and famous, and all was well in the world.
