Page 75 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

Rob leaned back in his chair. Through the narrow crack in the door, I could just make out his arms hooked behind his head.

“Six months working under Dimitri and suddenly she’s running an entire division. Come on. There are people in this room with a decade of industry experience.”

“And she doesn’t even have a real background,” Ken added. “No degrees to speak of. No long-term corporate track record. Just a high school diploma from a fancy boarding school that probably let her get away with whatever she wanted and didn’t care about her grades. I mean, seriously, who names a school Wayward?”

I’d told Nathaniel that making me their boss was a mistake. He didn’t listen. He said I had a great eye and head for business, and he only wanted those he knew he could trust in leadership roles. He even gave me a seat on his board.

And now my fears had come true. With the exception of Deb, my team didn’t follow me out of respect. It sounded like they hated me.

“Agreed,” Vanessa said. “I’ve been working my ass off since I was eighteen just to get sidelined. If my last name were Mikhailov, I’d be unstoppable too.”

Crissy’s voice sharpened. “This is favoritism. Plain and simple. We should go to HR.”

Rob perked up. “Seriously. Unfair treatment. Conflict of interest.”

“Guys,” Deb tried again, “this is getting out of control. Kaylani hasn’t done anything to us. She’s been a nice boss, and gives us credit for our work. I’ve had two bonuses already.”

But they were on a roll, feeding off each other now.

I recognized this type of dynamic. Pack mentality. I’d seen it a lot in the mean girl circles at Wayward.

Ken scoffed. “Sure, but what would you have gotten if you were in charge? It doesn’t matter. HR won’t touch this. Who are they going to take the grievance to? Her brother? Or her other brother?”

“Then they’re cowards,” Crissy snapped. “She shouldn’t be managing us. If she wants to prove something, she should be here working beside us.”

Vanessa gasped. “Oh my God. Did you guys see this meme?”

“No. Let me see,” Crissy said.

My blood went cold.

Crissy laughed, then Rob and Ken followed. I pictured the phone being passed around the room.

Rob was the first to speak. “Holy shit, that’s bad. But man, she has nice legs.”

“Eww…pig. Now that’s an HR complaint,” Vanessa shot back.

Deb sucked in a breath. “Put that away. What if that was one of you?”

Crissy’s tone turned vicious. “Dancing on a table like she’s above us…untouchable? Please spare me. She acts like nothing she does affects those around her. Our head marketing director, ladies and gentlemen.”

Ken lowered his voice. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Nathaniel fires her for this. It’s humiliating for all of us. It’s not right.”

Crissy grunted in agreement. “It’s embarrassing, and I’m tired of it. I think I’ll look for another job. One that appreciates me.”

The door creaked as I pushed it all the way open.

Five heads snapped up.

Silence crashed into the room like a dropped plate.

Ken went pale. Rob straightened. Deb blushed and looked down. Vanessa fumbled her phone and nearly dropped it. Crissy’s mouth fell open, frozen mid-breath.

I walked in calmly and set my laptop bag on the conference table.

No one spoke.

I made sure to look each of them in the eye before speaking.