“We've been through enough changes.”
CHAPTER 3
Victoria nodded.
Richard motioned toward the service elevator.
“Come on.”
She followed.
As they walked, he began talking.
Not because she had asked.
Because he assumed she wasn't important enough to remember what he said.
“We streamlined operations last year.”
“How?”
“Cut support staff.”
“Why?”
“Quarterly targets.”
He laughed.
“That's corporate life.”
They entered the elevator.
Richard pressed B2.
“Between us,” he said, “some of these diversity mandates are killing efficiency.”
Victoria looked at him.
He didn't notice.
“They make everything complicated.”
The elevator descended.
Richard continued.
“But that's how the game is played.”
The doors opened.
He pointed down the hallway.
“Maintenance office is there.”
Then he walked away.
Victoria remained inside.
She took out her phone.
Opened her notes.
Typed one sentence.
Operations Director Richard Keller: openly dismissive of diversity policies.
Then another.
Volunteers confidential opinions to people he considers subordinate.
She looked down the corridor.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Victoria returned to the executive floor.
She wanted to understand the Human Resources department.
That was where companies either protected employees or protected themselves.
She walked past framed photographs of senior executives.
Every picture contained almost the same faces.
Men.
Mostly white.
Mostly over fifty.
Then she saw Sandra Miller again.
The HR vice president stepped from her office wearing designer heels.
She spotted Victoria immediately.
“Are you the new maintenance staff?”
Victoria nodded.
“I'm familiarizing myself with the building.”
Sandra sighed.
“We've had serious issues with cleaning on this floor.”
Victoria remained silent.
“The executive bathrooms were completely unacceptable yesterday.”
“I see.”
Sandra's eyes moved over her.
“Standards have been dropping since we changed contractors.”
She paused.
“The executive floor requires attention to detail.”
Victoria looked at the framed harassment policy behind Sandra.
The poster was three years out of date.
She pointed toward it.
“Are those policies current?”
Sandra glanced back.
“What?”
“The harassment policy.”
“That isn't really your concern.”
“I was only asking.”
“Your supervisor handles training.”
Sandra adjusted her sleeve.
“Just make sure everything is immaculate.”
Victoria nodded.
“The new CEO arrives today.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any thoughts about who it might be?”
Sandra laughed.
A brittle sound.
“Let's hope it's someone who understands how we do things here.”
“What does that mean?”
Sandra looked around before answering.
“We've had enough disruption.”
Victoria waited.
Sandra continued.
“The last thing we need is another diversity hire.”
The sentence hung between them.
Victoria's expression remained neutral.
Inside, something hardened.
Not because Sandra had insulted her personally.