But he had also let HR reduce your salary to $730.
So charm was currently under review.
“You have five minutes,” you said through the intercom.
“Here?”
“Yes.”
“In the lobby?”
“You’re not in a lobby. You’re on the sidewalk.”
“Sofia.”
“Four minutes and fifty seconds.”
Nina whispered, “I love this version of you.”
Alejandro took a breath.
“I didn’t approve what Lucia did.”
“Then your company is badly managed.”
Silence.
Good.
You continued, “Either you knew and allowed it, or you didn’t know and lost control of your own executives. Neither option is flattering.”
“You’re right.”
That surprised you.
Nina’s eyebrows shot up.
Alejandro continued, “I’m asking you to come back to the office so we can fix this properly.”
“No.”
“We’ll restore your salary.”
“No.”
“We’ll increase it.”
“No.”
“We’ll give you the division president title. Equity. Full budget control.”
You stared at the intercom.
Nina mouthed, Equity?
For one dangerous second, the old part of you woke up.
The ambitious part.
The exhausted but hungry part.
The woman who had spent years being almost promoted, almost credited, almost included, almost protected.
Then you remembered Lucia sliding that file across the desk.
Performance below standards.
$730.
Sign here.
“No,” you said again.
Alejandro’s voice lowered.
“Sofia, this is not just about money. The division is collapsing. Kira won’t speak to anyone. Morrison’s legal team is threatening a breach claim. The Seoul partnership is asking if you left because of misconduct. We have a board call in three hours.”
“That sounds stressful.”
“Sofia.”
“You wanted company standards,” you said. “Enjoy them.”
Nina covered her mouth.
Alejandro was quiet for several seconds.
Then he said, “Please. At least tell me why Lucia did this.”
You closed your eyes.
That was the first real question.
Not “How do we get you back?”
Not “What do you want?”
But why.
You opened your eyes.
“Ask Julian Price.”
Another silence.
This one was different.
Alejandro knew that name.
Everyone did.
Julian Price, Senior Vice President of Artist Relations, professional golden boy, expensive smile, permanent golf tan, and the man who had spent the past year taking credit for your work while telling executives you were “brilliant but difficult.”
Alejandro’s voice changed.
“What does Julian have to do with this?”
“You have three minutes left.”
“Sofia.”
“Ask him why my Q4 performance file suddenly included failed campaigns I was not assigned to, missed deliverables I completed, and revenue projections he personally changed after approval.”
Alejandro said nothing.
You continued, “Then ask Lucia why my compensation adjustment was processed two days after I refused to sign off on Julian’s fake expense reimbursement for the London rollout.”
Nina stopped chewing.
Alejandro’s voice became very quiet.
“What fake expense reimbursement?”
You smiled without humor.
“Oh. So he didn’t tell you.”
