Voss taps Tom’s shoulder and says, “Well, that’s like you, Tom. If only you’d meet the deadlines. We probably would have released sooner if people stopped procrastinating like Tom over here.”
Everyone does that nervous, restrained laugh people do when a dangerous man is joking but not really joking.
Then he elbows Gabrielle playfully, as if trying to rope her into the humiliation.
She doesn’t miss a beat.
“Well,” she says lightly, “if only you didn’t work your employees beyond their human limits and treat them like the robots you’re trying to create, you’d have a healthier environment. People might actuallywantto keep up with the deadlines… if they were realistic.”
The entire cluster freezes.
My pulse spikes so hard I feel it in my throat.
Tom stops chewing.
Sarah nearly drops her drink.
Someone across the room actually turns around because the silence is that loud.
Voss’s smile drops.
Oh shit.
Oh shit.
He turns to her fully, shoulders squared, eyes narrow.
“Well, if only you actuallyworkedhere and knew what the hell was going on,” he states, “you wouldn’t be so quick to open your mouth about things you don’t understand.”
Gabrielle smiles at him like he’s adorable.
“Sir, I probably havemoreexperience being empathetic with people and knowing how humansactuallyoperate than you do, obviously,” she says calmly. “You don’t surround yourself with real people or real representations of them because everyone respects you enough to be afraid of you, but not enough to tell you the truth to your face. Andsomehowyou go on your interviews claiming you ‘foster a prolific environment’. You’re a hypocrite and a liar.”
Gabby says all of this with a smile, as though it’s funny.
Holy shit… did she have too much to drink?
“I’m so sorry. She’s a little drunk,” I start to say, reaching out a hand slightly as if I can reel her back in.
Gabby cuts me off immediately. “No, I’m not. What, is your CEO afraid of hearing the truth? Or is he man enough to take constructive criticism from the very people he’s trying to sell his product to?”
Everyone goes dead quiet.
Voss swallows, like he’s trying to keep his temper in check. “I can assure you, you’renotthe audience to which I’m selling thisproduct,” he says, very pointedly implying she’s too poor for the demographic.
Gabrielle lifts her chin. “Yes, but… since I know that you’re probably not aforwardthinker, someday I’m thinking that people like mewouldbe the audience; or you’d want them to be over time. Would you not?”
No one breathes. Voss just stares at her like a cat humoring its prey before it lands the kill strike.
But Gabby doesn’t stop. I really wish she would. But it’s too late. The train is now off the tracks.
“So what, do you want people to keep lying to you so that your business is short-lived and your competitors eventually overtake you because they’re better at the part that you refuse to improve on? Or do you want people who areactuallygoing to try and help you?” she continues.
“Not that I want to help you. I don’t know anything about you, but I can tell that you’re so full of yourself, you’re going to end up being your own downfall.”
Oh my God.
A pin could drop and echo off the walls.
