Chapter 7 - The Cleanup
"Security," Harrison called out, his voice sharp and commanding.
The two burly guards who had roughed Julian up minutes earlier snapped to attention, their faces completely drained of color.
"Pack Mr. Pendelton’s personal belongings into a cardboard box and throw them into the alley behind the dumpsters," Harrison ordered coldly. "Then escort him off the property. He is permanently banned from every facility owned by Sterling Global Industries, effective immediately. If he comes within five hundred yards of this building, have him arrested for criminal harassment."
"Yes, Mr. Sterling! Right away!" one of the guards yelled, practically tripping over his own feet as he hauled the weeping, broken manager up by his arms and dragged him toward the back service exit.
The corporate lawyers standing near the entrance stepped forward, opening their leather briefcases. One of them handed a pristine, gold-embossed folder to Harrison, who accepted it with a nod.
"Julian," Harrison said, opening the folder and sliding a document across the smooth surface of the reception desk. "Read this."
Julian looked down at the paper. It was a formal corporate executive appointment contract.
"General Manager of Apex Motors flagship operations," Julian read aloud, his voice shaking as his eyes scanned the base salary and commission structure. The numbers were staggering—more money in a single month than Julian’s family had earned in five years combined. "Sir... I... I can't accept this. I'm just an assistant. I don't have a college degree in management—"
"You have a degree in human decency, which is vastly more expensive and infinitely rarer," Harrison cut him off with a warm chuckle. "Besides, the previous general manager just vacated the position with extreme prejudice. Someone has to run this floor by Monday morning, and I want someone who knows how to treat people."
Harrison patted Julian’s shoulder once more, then turned his gaze toward the stunned, silent crowd of wealthy clients watching from the center of the showroom.
May you like
"As for today's interruption," Harrison announced, raising his voice so every patron heard every syllable, "Apex Motors will be closed to the public for the remainder of the afternoon while we sanitize the management. For those of you who found the presence of a wet, shivering human being offensive to your delicate sensibilities, your accounts have been flagged, and your pending vehicle allocations are hereby canceled. Good day."
The wealthy patrons flushed crimson with embarrassment. Without a single word of protest, Mr. and Mrs. Van Der Bilt and the surrounding prospective buyers gathered their coats and hurried out the front doors into the rain, eager to escape the blistering wrath of the billionaire.
