An hour later, I’m on the trading floor discussing the new pension plan with some traders when a commotion erupts at reception. A group of about ten men stroll in, flanked by the admin team,and they’re headed straight for Liam’s office. And right there in the middle of the pack is Sir Whitmore himself.
“Gemma,” he greets me kindly as he passes by on his way to Liam’s office.
“Hi, Sir.” I smile, masking my inner turmoil. “I heard the news.”
He returns my smile with a sad one of his own. “Let us hope it works out for the best, my dear.”
My eyes lock with Liam’s through the glass walls of his office. For a fleeting moment, I see past my heartbreak and see the cold, calculating businessman he truly is.
He watches me intently as I stand with Sir Whitmore, and in that instant, I know exactly what I need to do. It’s like a switch flips in my brain. The “fuck this shit” switch. The one that’s been gathering dust for far too long.
“It won’t work out,” I blurt out before Sir Whitmore can turn to head into Liam’s office.
He pauses, and one of his lawyers sighs impatiently. “Sir, we really need to be—”
But Sir Whitmore’s attention is fixed on me. “What’s wrong, Gemma?”
My heart starts to race, pounding so hard I can feel it in my throat. “Can I talk to you for a second? In my office?”
He nods to his entourage. “Gentlemen, give me a moment.”
To my shock he follows me. I don’t need to look to know Liam has emerged from his office, no doubt wondering why Sir Whitmore isn’t already in the boardroom, withhim, not me. I can feel the heat of his stare scorching me from across the room.
I swallow hard, struggling to find the words. What the hell am I doing?
“Do go on,” Sir Whitmore gently encourages, his posh accent making this whole situation feel even more surreal.
“Do you want to take a seat, sir?” I ask, pulling out the guest chair, my hands visibly shaking. I’m pretty sure I’m about to pass out from sheer nerves.
“No, no, it’s quite all right. I shall be sitting down soon enough. I do prefer to stay on my feet when I can.”
“Okay.” I clear my throat awkwardly as I see Ollie and one of the other execs heading toward my office like a pair of sharks who’ve smelled blood in the water.
Shit shit shit.
But it’s too late. The words are bubbling up inside me, clawing their way out of my throat. “Sir, you said let’s hope it works out for the best. Well, I don’t believe it will.”
I take a deep breath, steeling myself. Come on. You’ve already lit the match. Might as well burn the whole fucking house down.
“Liam asked me to present the company and him in a good light. To tell you that we care about people and that we’ll do anything to maintain our integrity. When I said those things to you, I meant them, but I’ve since learned that’s not the case.”
I look Sir Whitmore straight in the eye. “You can’t trust your company with Liam or Alastair. They’re both unscrupulous, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get what they want. Believe me, I’ve seen it firsthand.”
My words are coming faster now, unstoppable. “Alastair bribes people in our company to feed him information, which I’m pretty sure counts as corporate espionage, but I guess you can do that when your dad is a Lord. And Liam? Liam fucks his business rival’s wife because he will use any means necessary to get what he wants.”
My voice rises with emotion. “I hate the scandals that get covered up. I hate the incredible work pressures we put on our people, and I hate the obsession that we have with money andwinning at all costs. I tried to tell them to maintain the charities and the legacy, but it’s become clear to me that’s not going to happen. And as a result, I’m handing in my resignation and I’ll no longer be working at this company. But whatever choice you make with Liam or Alistair, or hopefully neither of them, it’s yours to make.”
I take a breath, my heart hammering so much I feel light-headed.
“Hmmm.” Sir Whitmore clears his throat, looking gobsmacked. He blinks a few times, trying to wrap his head around the bombshell I just dropped.
“Sorry for the language, sir,” I whisper, the absurdity of apologizing for swearing when I’ve just accused two powerful men of corruption not lost on me.
Ollie is right outside the door, glaring at me with murder in his eyes. He raps sharply on the glass.
Sir Whitmore glances at him, then back to me. “Thank you for your honesty, Gemma. Although I fear it may be a tad late.” He takes a breath, his eyes softening. “Do take care of yourself, my dear.”
He says it like he knows this is it for me. Like I’ve just signed my own pink slip.
