Chapter 6 - Bloodline
The sentence hung in the heavy corporate air, sharp and jagged.
Brenda furrowed her brow, her laugh thin and erratic. "I’m sorry? Her badge clearly says Operations Trainee, Level One. Her resume lists state college—"
"Her name is Elena Vance-Montgomery," Evelyn said clearly, articulating every single syllable. "She holds a Master's degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Systems from Stanford University. She owns fifteen percent of the voting shares of this enterprise through her trust. And she requested to work this summer under an assumed badge to understand how my front-line managers treat the people who build this empire from the bottom up."
The entire atrium seemed to spin.
Carter let out a faint, strangled groan and took three quiet steps backward, trying to melt into the architecture. Two administrative assistants covered their mouths in genuine horror.
Brenda’s eyes bulged so wide the blood vessels showed. Her jaw slackened, skin draining of every drop of color until she looked like an embalmed corpse under the harsh LED lights. "V-Vance? No... no, there was no Vance on the onboarding roster. I personally vetted—"
"Because I sealed the file," Evelyn stepped closer. The scent of French lavender and cold tobacco rolled over Brenda like a funeral shroud. "I wanted to see if the rumors of your toxic fiefdom were true. I wanted to see if my division heads were leaders, or if they were pathetic, insecure tyrants getting off on barking at twenty-two-year-olds."
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"Mrs. Vance, I swear to God, I didn't know!" Brenda choked out, clutching her chest, her breathing turning shallow and frantic. "If I had known she was your daughter—"
"If you had known, you would have kissed her boots," Evelyn cut her off without hesitation. "Which makes what you just did infinitely worse."
