Chapter 14 - The Monday Briefing
By Monday morning, the personal visit felt like a distant chapter as I stepped back into the executive suite at Beaumont & Hart headquarters.
David Higgins was already waiting at my desk, organizing a stack of quarterly reports alongside a steaming cup of dark roast coffee.
“Good morning, Chief,” David greeted smoothly. “You look well-rested. Did you survive the weekend reflection?”
“Barely,” I replied with a wry smile, taking a seat behind my desk and flipping open the top folder. “What’s on the docket for today?”
“We’re formalizing the international distribution contracts with our European retail partners,” David said, pulling up a digital tablet. “And the flagship store audit is completely cleared. The new floor management we appointed is already increasing customer satisfaction scores by eighteen percent.”
“Good,” I said, scanning the numbers. “Make sure those retail partners are locked into fair-wage agreements. I don’t want any shortcuts in our supply chain.”
David chuckled, making a quick note on his screen. “You sound less like a corporate executive and more like a visionary monarch, Claire.”
“I sound like someone who remembers what it’s like to stand on the other side of the counter,” I replied without looking up. “When you know how the floor operates, you run the penthouse differently.”
May you like
He nodded in quiet agreement, gathering his files. “I’ll have the legal team draft the compliance clauses by this afternoon.”
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