The CEO looked back.
“No.”
“It was not.”
The director’s voice rose.
“You’re making this racial.”
“I haven’t used that word once.”
“You don’t need to.”
“No.”
The CEO closed the folder.
“Your own messages did.”
That stopped her.
The chairman pushed another document across the table.
Printed internal chat messages.
The director glanced.
Her face emptied.
One line read:
I’m done putting people in front of clients who look like they’re headed to a protest instead of a presentation.
Another:
If she wants VP work, she can start by learning how to serve the people already there.
Another:
These diversity hires have no gratitude.
The director pushed the papers away.
“Those are taken out of context.”
The CEO said:
“Context will be your lawyer’s problem.”
The director’s breathing changed.
Then she noticed the second folder.
Finance.
Her fear deepened.
“What is that?”
The CEO did not answer immediately.
The chairman did.
“North Shore Workplace Solutions.”
The director became still.
For the first time, genuine panic entered her face.
The CEO watched.
There.
That mattered more than denial.
The director said:
“That’s a facilities vendor.”
“Yes.”
“They’re legitimate.”
“Then this part should be easy.”
The CEO opened the folder.
“Who owns it?”
The director looked toward the chairman.
“I don’t manage vendor ownership records.”
“You approved eighteen contracts.”
“Procurement cleared them.”