“I’m just glad the subject changed.” I breathed out heavily and sat down, watching Liam’s tall frame disappear into the crowd. “I thought I might be about to pass out.”
“Wow, Wilhelm von Roth is a fucking prima donna.” James looked disgusted. “Never seen anything like it. Demanding scones and—what was it, frittata squares?—in abar? Who does he think he is, Beyoncé? I guess that’s what happens when you’re raised with a silver spoon in your mouth. Althoughquite how that was related to whatever his problem was with Gerald, I have no idea.”
“He does seem entitled,” said Monish disdainfully. “Life has no doubt been delivered to him on a platter.”
“Probably has a jar of yellow-only hand-polished M&Ms in his penthouse,” I scoffed.
“Just another douchebag, but with prettier bone structure.” James shook his head. “Disappointing.”
“And we’re still no closer to coming up with a solution to save me from getting fired,” I said. “Or made redundant, if they can get away with calling it that. I’ve got a target on my back now. Even if he’s ‘not the litigious type.’” I made sarcastic air quotes with my fingers.
James froze.
“What?” I asked.
He held up both hands and looked into the distance like he was having some sort of vision. “Shh. I think I’ve got it.” He rolled his eyes so hard I half expected a vending machine prize to fall out. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier.”
We looked at him expectantly.
“Well, technically, you’re not the one who’s on dangerous ground over what happened today, Andy.”
“What do you mean?” I didn’t know if I could take any more of James’s schemes.
“It’s von Roth.” The table was silent.
“I… I don’t think so?” I couldn’t for the life of me think what Liam would have to worry about. He probably had a butler who ironed his newspapers every morning. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but he’s the CEO. He’s literally the only one whodoesn’thave to worry about losing his job. Or anything else for that matter.”
“Well, yes and no, Andy,” said Monish. “James may have a point.”
“Not just a point, asolution.” Kelly slammed both hands down on the table, making the drinks wobble dangerously. Fortunately, all four glasses were almost empty.
“Same again, please?” Kelly mouthed at a waiter, who gave her a thumbs-up.
“He can’t get rid of you, Andy,” said James. “At least, not anytime soon. You’re not just another employee now. You’re a liability.”
He waited for me to catch on. I didn’t.
“You could sue him,” he said.
“Or go to the media.” Monish looked at his immaculate nails. “He’s just bought the company. Whatever he’s planning for Novexia, he won’t want any bad press.”
“Von Roth knew you worked at Novexia, but he kept his identity from you,” said James. “That’s not a good look.”
“It’s almost entrapment.” Monish swirled the ice in his glass.
“Exactly. You can’t use your unwitting employees to research the company you just bought without telling them,” James said.
“At best, it’s unethical,” added Monish.
I looked at them all cautiously. I had a feeling I knew where this was going, but I didn’t like it. “He didn’t use me to research the company,” I said. “I mean, he didn’t know I worked there until after we’d… ah…”
“Shagged, yes, we know.” James waved his hand. “Whatever. He had ample time to tell you who he was before the company meeting. But he didn’t.”
This felt unfair. Liam had thought I worked at Pixel andGrace. And if anything, that wasmyfault for borrowing Saskia’s card.
“I’m not sure about this,” I said.
“Hon, the fact that youwantedto sleep with him is neither here nor there,” said James. “There was a power imbalance there, that he never disclosed. This is way worse than the lift falling thing. I mean, from a liability perspective, anyway. Do you want to save your job, or not?”
