Page 3 of Ansel

Now what?

“So…you’re letting her go?”

“Yeah.”

“I thought she wasallthat as an assistant.”

“Sheisjust an assistant as you say, which means, she’s entirely replaceable,” Ansel drawled.

I felt like throwing up.

“Have you talked to HR?” Vanessa prodded.

“Yeah. I tried to get her a good package. She’s been here three years so she gets three weeks. They wouldn’t give more no matter what I said.”

“Oh please, like she deserves more. Assistants are a dime a dozen.”

Tears filled my eyes. After everything I’d done for Ansel, he was going to fire me?

“True…I’m sure she’ll find another job.”

“In Sterling?” Vanessa wanted to know.

“If someone wants her, I got no problem with it.”

I remembered all the times he told me he was worried someone would poach me, and I promised my loyalty to him. Didn’t I now feel like a big, fat, stupid fool?

“When will you tell her?” Vanessa wanted to know.

“Next week,” Ansel said. “I’m taking her to lunch today to Delmonico’s, soften the blow when it comes next week.”

He was taking me out tosoften the blowof firing me? Like anything could.

“You know she goes around telling people you can’t do your job without her,” Vanessa scoffed.

I’d never said that to anyone. I didn’t even feel it. I supported Ansel, I brought value…didn’t I?

“Yeah, I know, which is why I can’t have her with me. I need someone I can trust.”

Vanessa hummed in agreement.

I held my tablet and envelopes close to my chest. I should move, get to my cubicle, I thought, and not stand here listening to these cruel and awful things Ansel was saying.

I would have just done that when Ansel showed me he could be crueler. “And she has a crush on me. Right now, I’m just embarrassed on her behalf but as a Vice President, she’d be a liability.”

“I told you,” Vanessa chided.

“I wish I’d listened.”

“I can’t believe why she thinks she has a chance with someone like you.” Vanessa laughed.

“I have no idea! I never encouraged her, always kept her at a professional arm’s distance. I’m relieved she never made a pass…that would have been a disaster.”

The arrogance in his tone made me wince inwardly. I knew his words said more about him than they did about me—but that didn’t make them hurt any less.

“So, I’m assuming you’ll wantmeon your team in M&A?” Vanessa prodded.

“You’ve got to give me time to get settled and then we can talk. Does that sound good?”

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