Page 2 of The Naughty Or Nice Clause

“No one wants mass-produced anymore. We need to lean into our customers’ needs, and there’s no better time than Christmas. Show some company spirit! Have you never removed that damn suit and acted like a human being in your entire life?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Removing my suit? What was it you said about sexual harassment?” Apparently that was the only part of her tirade he had paid attention to.

“Cancelling is one thing, but you gave such short notice. It’s embarrassing!” she exclaimed – though hehadavoided talking about it for weeks. He’d refused to help organise or look over the budget she’d prepared, acting as though she were a lowly intern and not his partner.

“It’s expensive,” Klaus countered. “Catering, champagne; the staff are already receiving generous bonuses for their hard work.” He turned his screen towards her with her own budget brought up, as if she didn’t already know what the final figure was.

“Everyone loves Christmas, and it only happens once a year. What’s the harm in splurging a little?”

“I see plenty of harm in it.” He pulled the screen back to its original position.

“And you think it’s fair that instead of rewarding them for their hard work, you’re making themworkChristmas Eve? I’ve already ordered everything, arranged the venue…” They would lose their deposits for cancelling last-minute.

“I cancelled the venue last week; the Continental was much too expensive,” he said. “And your old policy was much too excessive. Twelve days off for Christmas? Absolutely insane.”

“You’re serious about working Christmas? Without consulting me?” She gritted her teeth, which only seemed to amuse him. “You can’t blindside me with new staff policy! There’s nothing to do during the season. We outsource manufacturing, so staff work from home. They aren’t completely off, but it gives them flexibility during the already stressful season, and we start those twelve days with a goodbye party.”

“Lyla. I’m not blindsiding you; I’m merely changing policy. That piece of paper,” he pointedly shoved it towards her, “is me informing you. As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm for Christmas morale, I own the majority of the company. Christmas should be our busiest time of year, and I think this will help turn the company around. Yes, it’s a sacrifice, but you have to sacrifice if you want to be successful.” He opened the ledger on his desk.

Lyla closed it. “This how you imagine success – numbers on a spreadsheet? Then I’m sorry to tell you, but this isn’t the company for you. Peoplewantto work here. We bring joy to thousands with our toys, and so we should be joyful too.”

“I know why your father decided to give me his shares,” he muttered under his breath. “Optimism in place of realism can only lead to failure.”

Lyla took a step back, seething with fury. She almost picked up the cactus on his desk – spiky like his soul – and hurled it at his beautifully groomed jawline. Too angry to continue the conversation, she turned on her heel and marched towards the door, closing it behind her with extra vigour. His secretary eyed her sympathetically as she stalked past, but she wasn’t going to take this lying down. Not when it came to Christmas.

“I told you he wouldn’t budge,” Sam said, sat outside her office, as she returned with her tail between her legs. She didn’t mind his idleness; staff had little to do right now, since all the orders for the year had already been filled for the Christmas rush. This was their calm before next year’s orders.

“No harm in trying,” she reasoned, sitting on the edge of his desk. “And I’m not done fighting. We won’t break tradition for one Christmas-loathing Grinch.”

“I love your enthusiasm, but how exactly are you going to pull it off? I called the Continental; I may have been eavesdropping. I swear his voice could bring anyone to their knees…”

“Focus, Sam,” she warned, and he rolled his eyes.

“They’ve already filled the space. Our clients received the cancellation notice a week ago, and most have responded to say they understand and look forward to next year.” She clenched her jaw, humiliated by being the last to know.Was I just going to show up and be alone? Then again, the staff would have arrived and been just as confused. This is a power-play on his part. Trying to show me my place as second to his. What an insufferable arse.

“He said the event was too expensive…” It suddenly struck her. “But he never said anything about funding it ourselves. If we aren’t hosting the clients, then we can have a more intimate gathering.”

Sam gawked. “You want the staff to pay? And where should this gathering take place, since everywhere worth going has been booked for weeks?”

Lyla shoved him gently as they walked to the coffee machine. “No. I would never ask them to pay! Christmas is expensive enough. I’ll foot the bill, and why not here? There will only be fifty or so of us – I can have the downstairs café prepare some food for this evening,” she said, adding a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to her coffee.

“And if the Grinch hears of it? He might take you over his knee,” Sam said, looking down the hall towards the monster’s lair.

“Over his knee? I’d like to see him try.” Lyla laughed, taking a large gulp of coffee. The caffeine hit made her all the more excited about her scheme.

“I’m sure you would.” Sam grinned as they returned to her office. Her phone was ringing. “There’s only a slight difference between hate and passion,” he told her, before answering the phone and asking the client to hold.

“Keep any thoughts of passion to yourself. Spread the word about the party, but keep it quiet. Looks like we have to steal Christmas back,” she told him, ignoring the worry in his eyes.

Chapter Two

ONCE THE DAY’S work was done, Lyla was surprised to find that Mr Klaus had already left.Maybe he wanted to catch the train, if his driver is out? He cuts the company cars, yet insists on having his own. Hypocrite.Any change in his rigid schedule made her more nervous than she cared to admit. She had ordered the party food during her lunch break, and the champagne saved from the previous event had been brought up from storage.

The staff all filed up to the top floor, and they cheered when she arrived, eager to partake in the rebellion against Mr Klaus. Lyla took a bow.

“I know tonight is a rather last-minute occasion, but there was no way I wasn’t marking the end of the year without celebrating all your hard work. I also decree that this is your final day of work. Go home to your families and celebrate the season.”

“What about Mr Klaus? What will he say if we don’t show up tomorrow?” Gemma, their social media manager, asked. The question chilled the atmosphere.

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