Trent followed Arthur’s gaze.
Nora stood beside Bianca in a server uniform with her coat folded over one arm.
For one second, Trent looked uncertain.
Then he recovered.
“Those two are part of a personnel matter,” he said. “I can have them wait downstairs.”
Arthur looked at Nora again.
“No need.”
Trent nodded as if he had received approval.
“Of course.”
He turned to Nora.
“Staff room. Both of you.”
Bianca started walking.
Nora did not.
Trent lowered his voice.
“Do not make this worse.”
“For who?”
“For yourself.”
Nora glanced at Arthur.
Her grandfather gave nothing away.
That was one of his talents.
She followed Bianca downstairs.
Inside the staff room, Bianca sat on a metal chair and pressed both palms between her knees.
“Why did Mr. Vance look at you like that?”
Nora hung her coat on a hook.
“Like what?”
“Like he knew you.”
“He does.”
Bianca stared.
Nora regretted the answer immediately.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’ll explain after the meeting.”
“Nora.”
“After.”
Bianca stood.
“No. I have spent two days thinking I’m about to lose my rent money. Everybody keeps talking around me. Trent talks around me. HR emails around me. Now you’re doing it.”
Nora looked at her.
Bianca was right.
Power did not become kinder simply because Nora believed she would use it well.
“I’m sorry,” Nora said.
Bianca’s anger flickered.
“I should have told you more.”
“More what?”
Nora reached into her coat pocket.
Her fingers touched the silver leaf.
Then footsteps approached.
Trent opened the door.
“Bianca, you stay here. Nora, upstairs.”
“Why?”
“Your review was moved.”
Nora followed him.
They stopped outside the meeting room on the third floor.
Through the glass wall, Arthur and the board were taking seats.
A large screen displayed the first slide of Trent’s presentation.
QUARTERLY FLAGSHIP REVIEW.
Trent held the door closed with one hand.
“You have one chance to save your job.”
Nora said nothing.
“Tell them the video was staged.”
She blinked.
“What?”
“Say the guest was joking. Say you misunderstood. Say social media cut out the context.”
“That would be a lie.”
“It would protect eighty-three jobs.”
“No. It would protect you.”
His face reddened.
“You have no idea what it takes to run this place.”
Nora looked through the glass at the presentation.
“I know what the building costs.”
Trent laughed.
“Everyone knows rent is expensive.”
“That isn’t what I meant.”
He stared at her.
Before he could answer, the meeting-room door opened.
Arthur stood there.
“We’re ready.”
Trent straightened his jacket.
He pointed toward a chair outside the room.
“Wait there.”
Nora sat.
Through the glass, she watched Trent begin.
His voice was calm.
Confident.
He moved through revenue, guest spending, labor cost, retention.
Every slide was polished.
Every number was clean.
At slide twelve, he reached STAFFING EFFICIENCY.
At slide sixteen, ACCOUNTABILITY CULTURE.
At slide nineteen, FLOOR DISCIPLINE.
The screenshot from the viral video appeared.
Nora on her knees.
Trent spoke for nearly three minutes.
She could not hear every word through the glass, but she could read his body.
A regrettable incident.
An inexperienced server.
Failure to follow guest recovery.
Corrective action already underway.
Then the final slide appeared.
REMOVE RESISTANT EMPLOYEES BEFORE BEHAVIOR SPREADS.
N.V.
B.R.
Arthur said something.
Trent stopped.
One board member turned toward the glass.
Then another.
Arthur raised his hand and beckoned.
Nora stood.
She slipped her coat off.
Before opening the door, she took the silver leaf from her pocket.
She pinned it back onto her apron.
Trent saw it first.
His face tightened.
Nora stepped into the room.
Arthur rose from his chair.
Then every board member stood with him.
Only Trent remained seated.
