Free Business and Pleasure by Jinni James Page A

myself.”
    We both reach for the phone at the same
time, but I’m just a little bit faster. I put the phone to my ear
and take a step back so he can’t reach to snatch it away from
me.
    “Hello. Christina? This is Elizabeth
Hamilton. I don’t know what you and Bob are trying to pull, but as
of right this second, it’s over. Alexander told you he’s no longer
interested in acquiring my company, so there is no reason for you
and my CFO to still be talking.”
    At first, I hear only silence, but then she
sighs and finally answers me.
    “Alex may have decided to leave your company
alone, but I have not. You have no idea what I manage to accomplish
behind his back. He has so many companies under him that he has no
idea what goes on with half of them.”
    “Well, Ms. Miller, I can assure you that
once Alex finds out what you’re doing, you’ll be sorry you ever
decided to go up against me. Have a nice day.” I hang up the phone
and look at Bob. His entire demeanor has changed, and it appears he
has regained his composure.
    “I didn’t want you to find out like
this.”
    “Find out what? That you and Christina were
planning something behind your bosses’ backs? I told you I’m not
selling. This is my company! I built it, Bob, not you!”
    “Yes, you did, but I think you’re allowing
your ego to stand in the way of making a sound business decision.
The name Hamilton doesn’t hold nearly as much sway in this industry
as does the name Preston. Once Preston Enterprises put their name
on our company, we’d become a real contender. Think of how much
better things would be for us.”
    I slam my hand down on his desk. “You mean
better for you ! You want a bigger office, a bigger pay
check, and more perks! That’s all you care about! Well, I hate to
tell you this, but none of that’s going to happen. Not on my watch,
and you won’t be here to worry about what kind of contender we are,
because you are fired. Pack up your things; I’ll have a
someone from security walk you out.”
    Bob went completely white. “Fired?”
    “Yes, fired. I’m certain you’re familiar
with the concept. Now, get your things and get the hell out of my
building. You have thirty minutes.” I turn, walk out, and instead
of slamming the door like I want to do, I pull it closed and head
straight for my office. I phone security and instruct them to send
someone up to see Bob out, and then I grab my phone and call Alex.
Screw sending a text; I need to hear his voice. He answers before
the second ring.
    “Elizabeth, are you okay?”
    “I’m fine. I did, however, just fire my CFO.
He and Christina were discussing taking over my company. Can she
even do something like that without your involvement?”
    “She has taken point on a few buyouts, but I
know about them all. She has to know I would eventually find out.”
He sighs. “I’m not sure what to do right now.”
    What does he mean; he doesn’t know what to
do?
    “I can’t just fire her,” he says.
    “I don’t care what you do to Christina, and
I’m not asking you to fire her. Just keep her ass away from me and my company.”
    “I will take care of this. I promise
you.”
    “Okay.”
    “In the meantime, you should have your IT
department go through every file and every email on Bob’s
computer.”
    “I’ll call IT now.”
    “Oh, and Elizabeth, you might want to have
them search a few others, just in case. You never know who else
might be working with Bob.”
    “Okay. Thank you.”
    I hang up the phone and immediately call my
IT department. As soon as Bob walks out the door, I want his
computer searched. As I hang up with IT, Natalie knocks on the
door.
    “Come in, Nat.”
    She walks in and shuts the door behind her.
“What’s going on? We just saw Bob walk out with all his stuff. Did
you fire him? Or did he quit?”
    “I fired him.”
    “May I ask why?”
    I let out a sigh. The day’s just begun, and
I’m already exhausted. “Bob and Christina Miller from