“Christina, I can’t do that campaign.” Blood rushed in my ears, my cheeks burning with anger and panic. “I specifically told Becky no.”
“Why would she think you said yes?”
“Because it’s whatshewanted to hear. She needed to suggest someone, and she set her mind on me. Christina, this crosses a line professionally. I didn’t give my permission for her to do this.”
Letting out a long, frustrated exhale, Christina rounded her desk to sit in her chair. She studied me for a few seconds until I had to bite back an irritated“Well, say something!”
“The wheels are already in motion. Legal drew up a contract for you and Will to sign.”
“Then they’ll need to shred that contract.”
“I don’t think you understand what I’m saying. Becky took this to Hilary, who took it straight to Iain. They want one of their own in this campaign. ‘Look how we treat our employees.’ ‘Come spend your money at a department store who cares.’ All that kind of nonsense. And let’s be honest here, Maia, you’ve got the face and body of a cover girl. You’ll look divine in a wedding dress and a bikini for your honeymoon.”
“I have to do bikini photos for social media?”
“Yes.”
“No.”
Her lips pinched. “Yes. Hilary and Iain are in raptures over this idea. I … I think you’re talented and I’ll fight for you. But I can’t tell you that I have it in my power to protect your job if this goes south.”
I gaped at her. “Are you saying if I say no, they’ll fire me? I didn’t say yes in the first place. That can’t be legal.”
“It’s your word against Becky’s. They’ll think you got cold feet and messed them around.”
“B-b-but,” I spluttered.I’m not engaged anymore, I wanted to scream.
Oh my God.
“You’re right. Legally, they can’t fire you for this. But they’ll find a way to get rid of you. Pennington’s want only team players in their company. They value loyalty. And I doubt very much they’ll give you a reference when you try to move on.”
I was going to be sick. Everything I’d worked for … “And they’d see this as disloyalty? Me saying no?”
“Yes.”
“But I didn’t agree to this,” I repeated lamely. I could tell her Will definitely wouldn’t agree to it butthen I’d be outright lying to her about the state of my relationship by suggesting we were still together.
Christina stood up abruptly. “It is unfair. I absolutely agree. But look at it from a positive place, Maia. Your entire wedding and honeymoon are now bought and paid for. And since you select our bridal collections, you know you’re going to love your dress. I’d say this is a win. Just don’t let it interfere with your work. Tomorrow afternoon, we have a meeting with Hilary. I’m sure legal will be sending the contract over for you and Will to sign too, and I’d suggest getting independent counsel to look over that and not our in-house. Okay, off to work.”
I left her office in a panicked daze.
Eli, my assistant, greeted me from their desk just outside my office. “Morning, boss. Ooh … why do you look like someone just peed in your Birken bag?”
“Um …” I stopped beside their desk, trying to shake off my mounting anxiety so I could bury my head in work. “Did Liza send over the data from our customer feedback surveys yet?”
Eli shook their head.
The report was overdue. With a sigh, I left my purse on Eli’s desk and marched down the hall to the shared office spaces. Liza’s desk was in the open-plan office area with all the marketing department, finance, and HR staff.
I didn’t particularly want to face Becky right now, but I’d emailed Liza several times for the customer feedback document this week. Before Becky’s arrival, Liza and I had gotten along great. She was a wonderful assistant buyer and eager to work her way up. However, ever since she and Becky got buddy-buddy, our working relationship had deteriorated. I hated confrontation, so I was trying my best to avoid out-and-out reprimanding her.
Thankfully, Becky was nowhere in sight, but Liza was standing by the coffee machine, flirting with David from accounts.
“Liza.”
She turned slowly, not quite meeting my eyes. “Maia.”
“I need the customer survey report ASAP.”
