The next morning, the office was a cacophony of ringing phones and urgent emails. High finance has a rhythm that is fast, loud, and unforgiving. I was in the middle of a steel-grade confirmation meeting for the Skyline Project when Jenna hurried in, looking uncharacteristically pale.
“Morgan, I’m sorry to interrupt, but there’s a man in the lobby. He’s causing a scene. He says he’s family, but he’s demanding to see ‘the person in charge of investments.’”
I stood up, smoothing my $3,000 blazer. I knew before she said the name.
I walked out to the mezzanine overlooking the grand lobby. Standing in the center of the glass-and-chrome cathedral, looking like a man who had wandered onto a minefield, was Tyler. He wore a suit that was too tight in the shoulders and a tie knotted with the frantic energy of someone who was drowning.
He was shouting at the receptionist, his face a blotchy red. “I have a legitimate business proposal! I was told Falcon Ridge handles private equity for development!”
I descended the stairs slowly, letting the click of my heels announce my arrival. The security guards stepped back, recognizing the authority in my stride.
“Good morning, Tyler,” I said, my voice cutting through his bluster like a diamond through glass. “You’re a long way from your subdivision.”
He froze. He looked at me, then at the panoramic view of the skyline, then at the massive, brushed-steel logo of Falcon Ridge on the wall.
The realization hit him with the force of a physical collapse.
“You…” he stammered. “What is this? What are you doing in this office? Are you… a secretary here?”
I didn’t smile. I let the silence do the work. “I oversee three commercial divisions, Tyler. This is my office. In fact, this is my floor. Why are you here?”
He gripped the doorframe of the glass suite, his ego visibly disintegrating. “I came to speak to an investment officer. Britney said her sister worked in ‘real estate’ and might have a contact for a private loan. I thought… I thought you did apartment rentals. I thought you were struggling.”
I leaned in close, so close he could see the lack of pity in my eyes. “You told my mother I shouldn’t come to the house because I ‘ruin the vibe,’ Tyler. Tell me, how is the vibe in my boardroom?”
