I didn’t want to stay on as the CEO, I realized, my shoulders relaxing. I’d only been doing this to please my dad. It hadn’t made me even one percent happy.
I nodded at Tom, keeping my mouth shut, and he got up to leave when something else occurred to him.
“By the way, the manager for the same team came forward with some allegations of his own after this online article,” he said. “Someone called Rafael Suarez. It looks like he was being harassed by his subordinate, someone called Stacey Andrews.”
I raised my eyebrows. I’d asked Lexi once about Rafael, and she had told me that she hardly knew him. He hardly spent time with the team, preferring to rub shoulders with folks from upper management teams instead.
I picked up the phone and reached my assistant. “Bring Rafael Suarez and Stacey Andrews into my office, Kacie,” I said, while Tom looked on. “Individually first, and then I’ll have ameeting with both of them together. And Tom, I want you to join me for these meetings.”
He nodded, and took a seat.
I remembered Lexi’s words about how Stacey had been such a good contributor to their team. It was time we understood what went on at the heart of this problem before firing a good contributor.
My emotions were all over the place that day, but I could finally see a light, a way out.
62
JONAH
That afternoon, I’d met with Rafael and Stacey multiple times. The allegations about harassment? Well, it turned out that Rafael and Stacey had had an affair, one Stacey had ended abruptly upon learning about Rafael’s marital status. And from their conversations, both offline and in texts, it turned out that Stacey had been the victim of harassment, not the other way around.
Except for a ten-day blip, Stacey had continued to contribute well at work after the affair, and had maintained professional dignity and behavior, as attested by Tom, who had conducted interviews with other employees who’d interacted with her.
Tom and I also learned that Rafael’s performance at work had gone downhill, and more than one co-worker had something to say about his curt attitude and lack of help to the other teams that relied on him.
I presumed it was because his bullying tactics against Stacey weren’t working and his obsession with harassing her was consuming his attention instead of him focusing on his actual responsibilities.
The meetings ended with Rafael getting kicked out of the company. He didn’t get references, nor did he get any compensation for the abrupt termination of his employment.
Stacey had been promoted to manager of the team, and that suddenly left open a full-time spot. A full-time spot for an employee who could fill it,ifthere wasn’t an alleged romantic relationship with the CEO in the picture.
Now, seven hours and a private jet ride later, I was driving up the winding road to my dad’s home in Star Valley, Wyoming, my jaw clenched in determination. I needed to find Cora and Dad and put things to rest between us, once and for all. Learning that details of my personal life had been leaked from within my own family circle? That crossed every line.
Darkness had settled over the valley as I parked on the cobblestone driveway. The scent of pine and fresh hay mingled with the crisp mountain air, but the familiar comfort of this place felt hollow now. Cora’s pickup truck sat closer to the house alongside Dad’s favorite Bentayga.
Walking toward the entrance, I felt the weight of years of disappointment settling on my shoulders. To Dad, I had always been just the heir. Someone to eventually take over his beloved company while he invested so little time in actually knowing me as his son. I could have tolerated that cold distance, but involving Lexi in his games? That was unforgivable.
I loved Lexi beyond words, and this man simply couldn’t fathom the depths of my emotion. My days started and ended with thoughts of her. Even now, as I prepared for this confrontation, I found myself wondering: Was she taking Evie to the playground like she usually did at this time? Was she worried about what the article might mean for her job?
The mansion’s huge foyer felt unwelcoming as I made my way through familiar hallways toward Dad’s study. Floor-to-ceiling windows on my right framed a stunning view of thesunset over the Tetons, but even that breathtaking sight couldn’t calm the storm building inside me.
I found them both in his study, a room that perpetually smelled of old books and polished wood. Dad sat behind his massive oak desk, looking every bit the patriarch of Altika, while Cora occupied the leather chair beside him.
Both looked up as I entered. Dad’s expression shifted from surprise to wariness, while Cora’s face remained carefully neutral, perhaps calculative.
“Jonah,” Dad said, rising slightly. “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“I’m sure you weren’t.” I remained standing, needing the height advantage for what was coming. “We need to talk about the smear campaign.”
“What smear campaign?” Dad asked, but his tone was measured.
“The one where someone’s been working behind the scenes, suggesting I should step down as CEO.” I kept my eyes on his face, watching for recognition. “The one that’s been going on for months, using every mistake I make as ammunition.”
Dad settled back into his chair, his expression unreadable. “If there’s been criticism of your leadership, perhaps it’s warranted. You’ve made some questionable decisions.”
“Questionable decisions,” I repeated slowly. “Like what, exactly?”
“Like getting involved with an intern,” he said bluntly. “It shows poor judgment, Jonah. The kind of judgment that makes the board question whether you’re fit to lead.”
