The Fashion of Love | Adult F/M Romance [COMPLETE]

ch. 27 - July

JULY

Sora signed off on another press release. Morale is up. Profits are finally ticking up. We're back in business. Today's staff meeting had gone well on the whole. Her presidents and VPs were cautiously optimistic about the coming quarter. Saffron, head of Accounting, finally seemed like she might be able to lay off the antacids.

She spun her sturdy office chair, gleeful that she could tell her nosy ex-husband where to stick it the next time he asked how his company was running. Beautifully. Himura is running beautifully. That's how you rule, iron fist in a velvet glove. I didn't have to commit corporate espionage either. Sora had learned from the worst and it hadn't been easy.

When her assistant came for their morning breakout session, Sora handed off a sheaf of legal documents to be rushed to Legal. Sora knew the Himura competitors too well, and was perpetually filing paperwork to cover their interests.

"After you fast-track those to the legal department, would you have Bertie Aldon and Joey Reeves resend their PIT financial summaries? I'm seeing some discrepancies between this set and the last quarter earnings reports. They might be typos, but I can't evaluate typos. Have them upload them online, I'll review them on the intranet. Nobody even has to leave their offices."

"Got it, boss."

"Thanks."

She was all set to move on to the next task on her packed to-do list when Michael Sherman, legal eagle, her ex-brother-in-law and all-around stooge to her former husband, barged into her office well ahead of their scheduled meeting. Cristina presented him sarcastically, eyebrows raised. She deserves a raise. Sora made a note of it.

"Michael, what brings you to my office early?"

She gestured for him to sit and he did, as casually as Anthony would have in her presence.

"I have some concerns."

"Such as?"

"You and I don't have the best relationship anymore. It's not conducive a sterling performance from me."

"Perhaps not."

"I am, however, still official counsel for this office." He represented Himura and the office of its CEO because Sora hadn't found a good enough reason to fire him yet. Michael knew where the bodies were buried; it paid to tread lightly.

"You are, for now."

Michael narrowed his eyes in response.

"I can't do my job if I don't have access. I've been shut out of your inner circle and that hampers my ability to represent this office well. I can be good for you if you let me. I do my best work when I have all the information I need."