“You mocked her.”
“You told her she did not fit this showroom’s presentation.”
“Then you changed your tone after learning she owns the building.”
Cassandra’s throat tightened.
“I didn’t mean—”
Simone stopped her again.
“Intent is useful when deciding what someone tried to do.”
“Impact is useful when deciding what they actually did.”
Martin lowered his eyes.
Cassandra folded her arms.
Defensive now.
“Are you firing me?”
Everyone looked at Simone.
That was the moment they expected.
The satisfying moment.
New owner.
Public humiliation.
Instant revenge.
Simone closed the folder.
“No.”
Cassandra looked surprised.
So did everyone else.
Simone continued.
“Not for this.”
Cassandra almost exhaled.
Almost.
Simone’s voice sharpened.
“But before noon, I want your customer complaint history.”
“Refund records.”
“Financing escalations.”
“Cancelled deals.”
“Employee turnover under your department.”
“Every pricing exception you approved in the last three years.”
Cassandra’s face changed again.
“Why?”
Simone looked at Martin.
“Because one interaction can be a bad moment.”
“A pattern is management.”
Martin understood immediately.
Cassandra did too.
Her confidence disappeared.
Simone turned toward Martin.
“Freeze administrative deletion permissions.”
He stared.
“For which departments?”
“All.”
Cassandra stepped forward.
“That’s excessive.”
Simone looked at her.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“You haven’t seen what I’m looking for.”
“Yet you’re worried about deletion.”
Cassandra went pale.
Martin said quickly, “I can call IT.”