Foxy Lady
Star
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2014
- Location
- United Kingdom
'Miss Palmer, a word if you please.'
There was no mistaking the stern tones of the CEO, Mrs Woods.
'In my office, NOW.' Her words carried across the office, as they were intended to.
She marched into her office, leaving the door open.
'Leave the door,' she snapped as Valerie Palmer, her finance director, made to close it behind her.
'Miss Palmer, are you doing this deliberately? Is this your way of undermining my position? We all know you are plotting to replace me.'
'Mrs Woods,' Valerie was struggling to keep her voice level, but she knew all ears in the outer office would be listening to their exchange. 'Mrs Woods, I have no idea what you are talking about.'
'Don't you, indeed. Well let me remind you. I told you to have your report on our proposed expansion in my hand by 10am sharp. Is that not so?'
'Yes,' Valerie agreed, 'it is so.'
'Well,' the CEO snapped, 'where is it? It's gone 10:30 and I don't have the report in my hand. How do you explain that?'
Valerie let the question hang before replying, in a slightly raised voice. 'I came to hand the report to you at 9:55 precisely. You were not in your office and no one knew where you were, so I placed it on your desk for you to find when you returned.'
Both women turned to look at the CEO's desk, where the report lay, unopened.
Valerie turned, walked to the door and closed it quietly.
She walked slowly back to Mrs Woods and delivered a sharp slap across her face. The CEO was visibly shaken, but it was Valerie who spoke first.
'Just for your information, Mrs Woods,' she emphasised the Mrs, 'under this dress, I am stark, bollock naked.'
Turning smartly on her heel, she walked sedately out of the office, closing the door behind her.
That afternoon, at 03:38, an email hit her inbox. It was from Mrs Woods.
There was no mistaking the stern tones of the CEO, Mrs Woods.
'In my office, NOW.' Her words carried across the office, as they were intended to.
She marched into her office, leaving the door open.
'Leave the door,' she snapped as Valerie Palmer, her finance director, made to close it behind her.
'Miss Palmer, are you doing this deliberately? Is this your way of undermining my position? We all know you are plotting to replace me.'
'Mrs Woods,' Valerie was struggling to keep her voice level, but she knew all ears in the outer office would be listening to their exchange. 'Mrs Woods, I have no idea what you are talking about.'
'Don't you, indeed. Well let me remind you. I told you to have your report on our proposed expansion in my hand by 10am sharp. Is that not so?'
'Yes,' Valerie agreed, 'it is so.'
'Well,' the CEO snapped, 'where is it? It's gone 10:30 and I don't have the report in my hand. How do you explain that?'
Valerie let the question hang before replying, in a slightly raised voice. 'I came to hand the report to you at 9:55 precisely. You were not in your office and no one knew where you were, so I placed it on your desk for you to find when you returned.'
Both women turned to look at the CEO's desk, where the report lay, unopened.
Valerie turned, walked to the door and closed it quietly.
She walked slowly back to Mrs Woods and delivered a sharp slap across her face. The CEO was visibly shaken, but it was Valerie who spoke first.
'Just for your information, Mrs Woods,' she emphasised the Mrs, 'under this dress, I am stark, bollock naked.'
Turning smartly on her heel, she walked sedately out of the office, closing the door behind her.
That afternoon, at 03:38, an email hit her inbox. It was from Mrs Woods.