Olivia sat at the head of a long walnut table in a charcoal suit that probably cost more than Leonard’s monthly mortgage.
Not flashy.
Just perfect.
To her right sat David Chen and the senior team from Johnson Capital.
To her left sat members of her board.
And along the far side of the table sat representatives from three other major investment firms.
Different ages.
Different races.
Different genders.
Real power, arranged without needing to look alike.
Nobody stood when Leonard walked in.
Nobody offered him a hand.
“Mr. Harrison,” Olivia said. “Please take a seat.”
Her voice was calm enough to make him feel the imbalance more sharply.
He sat.
His attorney opened a folder.
Leonard tried to speak first.
“Ms. Johnson, I want to express sincere regret for any misunderstanding during your visit.”
Olivia raised one hand.
“This is not about misunderstanding,” she said. “It is about accountability.”
She slid a thick binder across the table.
Leonard looked down.
Tabs.
Charts.
Internal records.
Interview summaries.
Compensation analysis.
Promotion patterns.
Attrition by demographic category.
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