Corporate Affairs

Chapter 1

Judging by the look on her face, Stephanie McMahon couldn't quite figure out how she had ended up in the position she currently found herself in. It was the night after Survivor Series, and she was in the ring at the start of Raw, about to hand a resignation letter to her father.

The person standing just behind the curtain that separated the backstage areas from the arena was watching on the monitor. Stephanie's stupidity was worth a shake of the head. What had she been thinking, talking her brother into putting their Commissioner positions on the line at Survivor Series? Only an idiot would do something like that without a backup plan, and a backup plan to that backup plan. But not Stephanie, apparently. She had gambled, Raw had lost, and now she was out of job, much to the delight of the fans.

"Steph, this isn't easy for anyone," Mr McMahon said. The truth, of course, was that it was only tough for him and his daughter. No one else would be sad to see Stephanie go, including the person watching the monitor. The opposite, in fact. In one person's misfortune lay opportunity for another. That was the way of the world.

Eyes closed, looking like she might be about to cry, Stephanie handed the sealed envelope to her father, thereby confirming that she had stepped down as Raw Commissioner. At least she was a woman of her word.

Even better, as far as the person backstage was concerned, was the fact that Kurt Angle had also chosen to leave his job, citing in his resignation tweet (since apparently that was an acceptable way of conducting official business) that as he had been appointed while Stephanie was Commissioner, he felt it was right for him to go, so as to allow whoever was incoming to make as fresh a start as possible.

"Thank you," Vince said with a sigh as he accepted the envelope, while everyone else in the arena started chanting "Yes!".

With that, it was time for Stephanie to take the walk of shame. She left the ring and climbed down the steps. It took that long for the inevitable chorus of 'Na Na Hey Hey' to start raining down on her. Predictable or not, the person watching the monitor had to smile.

Even more amusing than the song was the fact that Stephanie had chosen to walk up the ramp, not down the side of it. She would be walking back through the curtain any moment now.

Sure enough, the curtain opened and Stephanie walked backstage, looking very upset. Her expression quickly changed when she saw who was there. Her nose did that strangle wrinkling thing that seemed to happen to it sometimes as she looked down at the other person.

"What are you doing here?" Stephanie demanded.

"Taking your job," came the simple yet cutting reply.

Stephanie looked horrified by the thought, but it was none of her business anymore. She stormed off, maybe before losing it all together.

It struck the person Stephanie had just spoke to in that moment that no matter how good a General Manager or Commissioner was in WWE, their tenure always ended in failure. This was definitely not a time for thoughts like that, though.

Out in the ring, Vince had started having a set-to with the fans about them disrespecting his daughter. He was only making things worse by raging, so he gave up and moved on.

"As you all know, after Survivor Series last night, Kurt Angle also chose to resign his position as Raw General Manager. For that reason, and with time being of the essence to have some sort of authoritative structure in place, I have decided that Raw will indefinitely proceed without a Commissioner. I will shortly be announcing a new General Manager, and that General Manager will have full rights and privileges to run Monday Night Raw, in conjunction with Constable Baron Corbin."

Corbin's name was booed by the fans. The person waiting to be announced tended to agree. It would have been better if Corbin had also gone. But no, he was made of sterner stuff than that - sterner stuff than Kurt Angle.