Chapter 21
Shifting Power
Damien
Elena? What was she doing here? I felt my mind spin as I stood on the spot, my gaze fixed on the door she'd just walked out of.
She'd changed, her hair was plusher and she looked more… I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but she was so much more than I could remember.
I could still feel the warmth from her lips on mine.
Conor had come in with the draft of this proposal and I'd noticed he hadn't been able to explain the subtle sides of it. Out of frustration, I'd asked for the finished proposal and he'd confessed it was handled by someone, Elena.
The name had piqued my curiosity, but I'd never imagined in my wildest dreams that she was the one.
She'd come in with some documents I recalled, quickly turning to pick them up, my brows shot up as I scanned through the file.
This project? She was part of it? I frowned, scanning through the detailed proposal. Oh, she was good, I unconsciously nodded my head as I read through.
She'd added second, third, and worst-case scenarios for if the proposal wasn't accepted and even now I couldn't find anything wrong with it.
"Clara get in here," I spoke into the intercom and I took my seat, the file still in my hands.
Moments later Clara walked in, she held a small clipboard in her hands. "Yes sir?" She paused before my desk.
"Get the HR Director here," I snapped, not taking my eyes off the file.
"Sir," Clara didn't leave, and she looked hesitant.
"What's the matter?" I asked, looking up from the file.
"The Director hasn't come in for days," Clara shifted uneasily on her feet. "He reported in sick last week," Clara explained.
"Sick?" I repeated, blinking. "Are you saying he's not been in since last week?" My eyes narrowed dangerously when Clara nodded slowly.
"Hmph!" I snorted coldly, the implications of her words sinking in. I'd taken over the company a few months ago and I'd encountered little difficulties, to say the least.
Howard, the HR Director was one of them. I'd heard he'd been a stout supporter of the previous CEO, I guessed the previous CEO had been grooming him to take over.
'Well too bad.' My lips thinned into a grim line, I was his boss now and I would make sure to put him in line.
"Call the supervisor," I said after a moment, waving my hands. "Tell her I want every single file on Elena, the lady who was just here," I waved the file Elena had just brought in.
If Clara was surprised, she didn't show it. She nodded and walked out
"Oh, and get Conor in here," I added just before Clara walked through the door.
I sat back in my seat, my mind a mess of thoughts as I silently tried to sort them. I couldn't suddenly come to terms with the fact that Elena who'd been missing for months had suddenly appeared.
Albert should be told I thought, reaching for my phone but I hesitated. Something about how Elena had behaved earlier bothered me.
She'd acted like she didn't recognize me. My eyes narrowed as the thought festered. I thought back to Elena's reaction, her words. Did she really not recognize me?
Impossible!
A knock at the door cut off my train of thoughts and Conor walked in. He wasn't a very bright lad I thought, glancing at him in his clean-cut suit.
I'd let him be as I knew he was some protege of an influential investor, I might've been unyielding but I was smart enough to know I had to choose my battles wisely.
"You called for me," Conor nodded, his clear blue eyes met mine steadily.
"You mentioned that Elena was—" I'd just begun speaking when the door opened and a lady walked in. I stared at her for a moment before her face jogged my memory—Olivia. She was the HR supervisor.
"Sir these are the files you requested for," she handed over a file to me. I collected them and opened them, becoming engrossed in them.
She'd changed her name I noted, staring at the name. She'd taken out her family name and in place was a name I wasn't familiar with. Probably her maiden name I thought.
Masters in business management and administration… I scanned through the section that listed her qualifications and my brows shot up in surprise. I hadn't been expecting that.
"Sir," Olivia broke the silence. "Is there any issue with Miss Elena's documents?"
"Of course not," Conor interjected quickly and he glared at Olivia.
'Interesting' I thought, watching the two of them. My eyes narrowed for a split second when I came across Olivia's grading of Elena's application.
Interesting indeed.
"I'll be keeping these," I tucked Elena's documents into my desk drawer before I leaned forward, my hands folded together on the desk.
"I will be taking over project Houston," I began, "the whole project is of immense interest to the company considering the present and future estimated growth of the Arabian markets. We have to be prepared."
"I and my team are working round the clock sir, we—"
"Actually," I interrupted Conor Midway. "I will be taking control of everything," my eyes met his squarely. "And Miss Elena will be assisting me in this."
The room suddenly fell silent as the words left my mouth.
"But sir," Conor's eyes flashed with a flicker of rage but he masked it easily. "I've spent months working on this project, you can't—"
"I can and I will," I interrupted him, cooly, I had no interest in hearing anything he had to say.
"And you…" I tapped my desk, looking up at Olivia, "You're fired."
"Sir?" Olivia froze and her face drained of color as my words sliced through the tension in the room. Conor beside her didn't look any better as he also looked taken aback.
"Sir, I—" she began, but I raised a hand, cutting her off without sparing her another glance.
"You may leave now," I said, my tone as indifferent as ever, already turning my attention back to Elena's documents.
I still felt a brief annoyance when I recalled her words on Elena's application; 'She lacks relevant
qualifications and experience. She also failed to demonstrate the necessary skills and competencies.'
If Elena wasn't seen as competent, then what was competence? I clicked my tongue in displeasure.
I knew I was probably going overboard with my reaction but I didn't care, firing her would be a good way to get Howard's attention anyway.
"Sir?" Conor waited till Olivia had walked out before he spoke up, he had a darkened gaze.
"Anything else, Conor?" I asked coolly, my gaze locking onto his.
The look in his eyes told me he wasn't going to let this slide.