Chapter 2
Chapter Two
A month had passed since the CEO jumped from the roof, but the haunting image lingered in my mind. I avoided the fifth-floor break room, opting to use the kitchen facilities on the sixth floor instead. No one questioned my change of routine.
I came back downstairs after putting my lunch in the fridge. As soon as I pulled out my chair, Brooke descended. “Have you seen the latest article in the Herald?” she asked.
“No. What article?”
“Well, apparently, Alex was being audited for financial discrepancies in the business at the time of his death. That’s why the police closed the case, ruling it as suicide.”
I let her words sink in, mulling over their implications. Something didn’t sit right. “Why steal money from the company? He was already rich enough.”
Brooke rolled her eyes. “Duh. Greed, of course.”
Ellen stuck her head through the gap between our monitors from the other side, joining our conversation. “I wonder if that means the other rumours aren’t true.”
“You mean that he was having an affair with an employee?” Brooke asked.
“Yeah. And the one about the rickety railing up on the roof—that maybe someone had tampered with it.”
I threw up my hands. “I’m sure what the police have concluded is based on solid evidence. They would have noticed a so-called rickety railing if there was one.”
Ellen and Brooke exchanged unconvinced glances. I was about to turn my focus back to work when Brooke changed the subject to a related tangent. “I wonder when there’s going to be an announcement about who’s going to replace Alex as CEO. It’s been a month already.”
Mike, who had evidently been listening in on our conversation from the row of desks behind ours, rolled up in his office chair. “You guys are way behind. Catch up.”
Brooke narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean?”
“Management has already chosen a new CEO—and get this,” he leaned in and lowered his voice, “mass layoffs are on the cards.”
His statement struck me like a slap across the face. “What?” I spluttered. “Where did you hear that?”
“I know someone who knows someone who works on the twentieth floor. Apparently, Alex left the company in a state of financial difficulty, and the person who’s going to fill his shoes has got a big ol’ mess to clean up.”
“Mess or no mess, layoffs so soon after such a big tragedy… That’s just evil.”
Brooke eyed Mike doubtfully. “If what you say is true, you don’t sound too concerned about it.”
“That’s because I’ve got my exit plan all sorted out,” Mike said.
“And what’s that?”
“I’ll take voluntary redundancy.”
“Really?” I asked.
He shrugged. “Yeah. Maybe.”
“How can you be so calm?”
“I’m twenty-three, and I’ve already gone through two redundancies in my brief career. What’s a third?”
“He lives with his parents and doesn’t have to pay any rent,” Ellen explained.
“So what? Being a full-time gamer living in my parents’ basement is a valid plan,” Mike said.
“Not if you want to get a girlfriend,” Brooke countered.
“One day I’ll meet the gamer girl of my dreams. Just wait and see.”
“I believe you,” I offered with a smile. “Just don’t forget about personal hygiene.”
Brooke snickered.
As farfetched as his plan sounded, I knew Mike was smarter and more determined than he looked. I wouldn’t be surprised if it worked out for him.
Ellen sighed. “I hope this isn’t true. I like my job just the way it is.”
“Me too,” Brooke agreed. “Whoever the new CEO is, they can get fu?—”
Brendon swooped in to break up our conversation. “All right, everyone, I know it’s been difficult to focus lately, but work still needs to be done. Speculating won’t achieve anything. Besides, tomorrow there’s going to be an announcement and a question-and-answer session, and I have it on good authority that we’ll find out what’s going on then. Let’s wait and see what management has to say.”
Mike rolled away while Brooke grumbled under her breath, shaking her mouse to wake up her monitor.
I checked my emails, but my mind was still on what Mike had said. Could it be true? Was my job in jeopardy? I swallowed a rising sense of foreboding.
The conference theatre buzzed with anxious murmurs, twitching, foot tapping, and knee jostling.
This was our chance to get some answers—about what happened to Alex Patterson and what was going to happen to the business going forward.
Staff members crammed the conference theatre, spilling along the aisles and overflowing out the door. Brooke and I had secured two seats near the back right-hand corner.
David Green stood at the lectern in the centre of the stage. He was a middle-aged man, dressed in a snazzy pink shirt, grey trousers, and a black bow tie. He looked out to the audience through tortoiseshell-rimmed glasses, the stage lights bouncing off his shiny forehead and lenses.
I sat on the edge of my chair, hands clamped at my sides, body rigid. Were we finally going to get worthwhile answers? What if the rumour about layoffs was true?
“Thank you all for coming,” David said. “I know you have busy schedules, but this shouldn’t take too long. For those who don’t know me, my name is David Green. I’m the Chief Operating Officer of this company, second in command to the CEO.” He paused, surveying the room. “I’m sure you’re all aware of the tragic loss we’ve suffered in recent weeks with the passing of our CEO, Alex Patterson.”
A sombre hush fell over the crowd.
“I want to offer a personal apology for the lack of clarity about the situation. I know you have been left with unanswered questions and rumours going around. The truth is, there has been a lot to work out behind the scenes before the business can move forward. But with those rumours spreading, I felt it was important to call this meeting, to set the record straight and provide you all with the information you need to know.”
Brooke leaned in, whispering beside me. “This sounds promising.”
I nodded, my fingers tapping an anxious beat on the armrest.
David continued. “The last few weeks have been difficult for all of us. I hope each of you has taken the time you need to recover from this tragedy, and I want to remind you that our on-site counsellor is available if anyone needs additional support.”
He took a deep breath. “I know there has been a lot of speculation about the circumstances of Alex’s death, as well as the future of this company. I’m here today to provide you with the facts—to the best of my knowledge—and to address any concerns you may have.”
The room fell silent, the anticipation palpable. All eyes were fixed on David, waiting with bated breath for the revelations to come.
“I’ll start off by confirming recent media reports. Zelthia Group—our parent company, based in Singapore—ran an audit which exposed financial discrepancies in the business. The police believe stress and mental illness were a prominent factor in Alex’s death. Let’s trust this outcome and leave the matter to rest. Please consider his family, who are still grieving, and withhold from speaking to the media.
“Secondly, I can now confirm that Zelthia Group has selected a new CEO. Someone with a very high position in Zelthia will take over here. Final arrangements are still underway, but we can expect the new CEO to take up the post early next month. Meanwhile, I will remain in charge. Please bear with me during this difficult time.
“Now, I’d like to invite anyone who has questions or concerns they want to share to raise their hands, and I’ll do my best to answer them.”
Several hands shot up. David picked someone, making eye contact and aiming a nod in their direction. An assistant passed a microphone down the row.
“I’ve heard the new CEO doesn’t have any experience in this sector. Is that true?” a man asked.
“He has a broad range of experience, but no, not in household appliances and whiteware specifically,” David explained.
“So, the new CEO is a man?” someone else asked.
“Correct.”
David pointed to another person in the crowd with their hand raised.
“Was Alex Patterson stealing money from the company?” a woman asked.
“We are still reviewing the findings of the audit, but I’m afraid it looks that way, yes. We will release more information once we have all the facts straight.”
More hands shot up, stretching towards the ceiling in a bid for David’s attention.
He picked someone else.
“What was the reason for the audit in the first place? How come we never heard anything about this?”
“Profits have been in decline for some time now, so I suspect that’s what caused our parent firm to investigate.”
The next person didn’t wait to be chosen. He yelled his question without the mic. “What Alex did must have been pretty bad. Is the company in trouble because of him?”
Someone else cut in before David could answer. “Why is Singapore getting so involved all of a sudden? Luxmore is a New Zealand business.”
“Yeah!” someone shouted.
“That’s right!” others chimed in.
The questions and opinions started coming thick and fast.
“Is Zelthia going to take control of the company?”
“Are they going to take our jobs?”
“There’s going to be a big restructure, right? That’s what I’ve heard.”
“I think it’s about time we got new leadership. A new CEO could do us a lot of good.”
Just like that, the organised manner of raising hands and waiting turn devolved into a free-for-all.
All I could do was watch on. I had the same questions everyone else had, and my voice wasn’t powerful enough to cut through the chaos, especially from my position near the back of the theatre.
Beside me, Brooke seemed much more relaxed about the situation. Her uncle was high up in the management team, which must have afforded her a sense of security. If job losses were around the corner, she would likely be safe.
David was turning redder and redder, trying but failing to restore order among the staff. I thought he might give up and storm off, but then a sudden atmosphere shift took place. The tone of questioning changed from frustrated outbursts to murmured enquiry.
“Who’s that?” someone asked.
“Is that him?” another person echoed.
I looked around, trying to see who they had noticed.
I heard the footsteps before I saw him. Leather soles thudding on the wooden stage, even and deliberate. He emerged from the shadows and approached the lectern.
I recognised him at once.
The man who walked across the stage in a flawless black suit was the same man I had seen in the lift on that fateful morning. I flashed back to that awkward moment, his penetrating eyes on me, his humourless, straight-faced remark.
“ Your top’s on inside out.”
I slid down my seat in an aftershock of embarrassment.
Why is he up on the stage? He can’t be… can he?
The man made a shooing gesture, and David Green stepped out of the way like a meek underling. He took the stand. Under the harsh stage lights, he looked even more severe than I remembered. Hard eyes, clenched jaw, sharp nose, pursed lips.
“Wow. He looks sinister,” Brooke said.
“He does,” I agreed.
The man commanded attention with his pin-straight posture and his stern expression. He scanned the audience as if sizing us up, and he didn’t look impressed with what he saw. He clearly wasn’t going to tolerate our behaviour and wouldn’t speak until everyone had settled down. His fingertips drummed the side of the lectern. His jawline was stiff, his brow creased.
A hush fell over the audience like a blanket smothering a fire. All eyes were on him.
He tapped the microphone, causing a screech of feedback. Then, at last, he spoke. “How is it that so many people are gathered here? Who is out doing the work, running the business?” His voice had a low, luxurious timbre that made me shiver.
Confusion and nervous laughter rippled through the room.
“Anyone?” he pressed.
A woman near the front spoke with a slight tremor in her voice. “A few staff members from each department have stayed behind.”
“But coming here to argue and complain is a productive use of your time?”
“Staff aren’t machines. They’re human beings. Trust and transparency go a long way in business.”
“How wise.” His words dripped with snide sarcasm. “Your name and position?”
“Clara Evans. Head of HR. And you are?”
He smirked, dark eyes glinting. “How rude of me. I haven’t introduced myself.” He turned his attention to the audience at large. “My name is Neil Kingston. I’m sure most of you have put two and two together, but for those who are a bit slow, I’ll spell it out. I am going to be the new CEO of Luxmore Appliances.”
Fresh gasps and murmurs broke out.
Just as I suspected. That man, Neil Kingston, was the new CEO. I slipped further down my seat, mortified. I had tried to flirt with the CEO in the lift. What had I even been thinking?
“There’s no point wasting more time,” Neil said. “I’ll keep this short and sweet. Yes, the future of Luxmore is at risk. Is that the confirmation you were after?”
A collective sinking feeling was palpable. No one called out. No one dared say anything.
Neil continued. “For the company to stand a chance at survival, changes are going to have to be made, and not everyone will like them. Anyone who doesn’t wish to comply can walk away and leave the company at any time. Voluntary resignations will make my task of organising a restructure that much easier.”
Restructure. The word seared itself into my brain like a hot iron brand. It was true. People were going to lose their jobs—and I could be one of them.
The audience bristled. A few individuals were brave enough to raise their hands, but Neil ignored them. “Please, do not speak to the press. Anyone who does so will ensure their position is terminated. That is all I have to say on the matter at this point. I won’t be taking any questions.”
With that, he strode off stage and exited the conference theatre.
Brooke furrowed her brow. “What’s with that guy? What an arsehole.”
“We might lose our jobs,” I whimpered. That was all I could think about.