Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN WHO WOULDN'T DISAPPEAR
Claire transformed the gala preparations in six days.
She replaced the unreliable caterer.
Renegotiated vendor contracts.
Reorganized the seating chart.
And convinced three feuding board members to stop behaving like children.
Dominic watched from his office.
He had employed hundreds of people.
Most feared disappointing him.
Claire appeared more concerned about disappointing herself.
One afternoon, she entered his office carrying a stack of folders.
“Your transportation director is incompetent.”
Dominic looked up.
“Excuse me?”
“He approved three conflicting delivery schedules.”
Dominic frowned.
“Which director?”
“Anthony Vescari.”
The name made Dominic's expression change.
Anthony was one of his oldest associates.
A man connected to the darker side of the Moretti organization.
Claire continued.
“I've corrected the schedules, but if he does this again, I'm removing him from the vendor approval process.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You can't remove Anthony.”
Claire raised an eyebrow.
“Why?”
“He's been with the company twenty years.”
“And apparently spent nineteen of them learning how to misuse a calendar.”
Marco laughed.
Dominic gave him a warning look.
Claire folded her arms.
“Mr. Moretti, you hired me to fix problems. If you want me to pretend they don't exist, you should have hired someone cheaper.”
Dominic studied her.
Then nodded.
“Remove him.”
Claire blinked.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
She smiled.
“Wonderful.”
After she left, Marco looked at Dominic.
“You realize Anthony is going to be furious.”
Dominic leaned back.
“He'll survive.”
Marco grinned.
“You like her.”
Dominic's expression hardened.
“She's an employee.”
“Of course.”
“Marco.”
“Absolutely, boss.”
But Dominic couldn't deny the truth.
He liked Claire Bennett.
Her honesty.
Her humor.
Her refusal to shrink herself.
And the way she walked into his office without asking permission when everyone else waited outside.
May you like
For the first time in years, someone treated him like a man rather than a legend.
And he found himself looking forward to her interruptions.
