He worked above Jack’s level in the same division.
During the reception setup, Grace had greeted him with the casual familiarity of someone she had known for years.
At the time, I had thought nothing of it.
Now he picked up his jacket.
That was all he did.
But nearly every executive in the room noticed.
Jack noticed too.
His eyes followed the man.
Grace said quickly, “Don’t.”
The man stopped.
Jack turned back to her.
“Him?”
Grace’s silence became an answer.
A murmur moved through the room.
Her father slammed one palm against the nearest table.
“Enough.”
Everyone fell quiet.
He looked at the executive who had stood up.
“Sit down.”
The man hesitated.
“I said sit down.”
He did.
Grace looked furious now rather than frightened.
“This has nothing to do with the company.”
Her father stared at her.
“You are marrying one of our employees while carrying on with a senior person in his reporting structure, and you think that has nothing to do with the company?”
“I didn’t say Jack was getting favors.”
Jack recoiled.
Nobody had accused him of that.
Not yet.
Grace had introduced the possibility herself.
Her father realized it at the same moment.
His expression became sharp.
“What favors?”
Grace blinked.
“I didn’t mean—”
“What favors, Grace?”
“There weren’t any.”
Jack looked sick.
Months earlier, he had been promoted.
I remembered the night he called me, so excited he could barely finish his sentences.
He had believed it was the first great reward of his professional life.
Now doubt moved across his face.
“Did you have something to do with my promotion?” he asked Grace.
“No.”
Her answer came too quickly.
Jack turned toward her father.
“Did you?”
The older man shook his head immediately.
“No.
Not directly or indirectly.”
Then he looked toward the other executives.
“But after tonight, there will be a review.
Properly handled.
I won’t participate in it.”
Grace stared at him.
