“I’ll take the job,” she said.
“But I work for the company.
Not for Giovanni personally.”
Franco paused.
“Mr.
Moretti expected you to say something like that.”
“Did he?”
“He said if you accepted too easily, he’d worry.”
Hannah hated how close she came to smiling.
She started Monday.
The same morning Giovanni was supposed to finalize the Ashford partnership.
Outside counsel confirmed Hannah’s reading before noon.
The French annex created a liability shift substantial enough to expose Moretti Imports to losses its executives had not been shown in the English summary.
Whether the wording had been deliberately concealed or irresponsibly translated remained unclear.
Giovanni did not accuse anyone without proof.
He simply suspended negotiations.
Rebecca Ashford called within twenty minutes.
By lunch, Tyler had called twice.
By three, Hannah understood that people accustomed to instant obedience considered delay an act of war.
She was working through an Italian supplier agreement when Giovanni appeared beside her desk.
“The Ashfords know you work here.”
Her stomach tightened.
“How?”
“They asked.”
“And you told them?”
“I don’t lie about my employees.”
“That wasn’t what I asked.”
“No.
I didn’t tell them.”
Hannah closed the file.
“What do they want?”
“You fired.”
She stared at him.
Giovanni’s expression was almost bored, which Hannah was beginning to understand meant he was furious.
“Rebecca says your presence creates a conflict of interest.”
“Because her son dumped wine on me?”
“Because she believes you convinced me to suspend the contract as revenge.”
“I found the clause because you put it in front of me.”
“I know.”
“Does she?”
“She doesn’t care.”
Hannah looked around the office.
People pretended not to listen.
For one horrible second she was back beneath the Ashford chandeliers, surrounded by witnesses waiting to see what powerful people would do to her.
Then she remembered the marble floor.
She remembered kneeling.
She remembered getting up.
“What did you tell her?”
“That you remain employed.”
“That’s it?”
“For now.”
The next attack came the following morning.
Rebecca claimed Hannah had stolen jewelry during the party.
The allegation reached the event staffing company, then the Ashfords’ attorney, then Giovanni.
No police report had been filed.
No missing item had been identified.
