"Adela, perfect timing. Yesterday—you were eating takeout in my car, right? And you left that glove wrapper behind."
"Viola's got the wrong idea. Clear it up for her. Right now, to her face."
Adela was quick. She clapped her hands together and let out a dramatic groan. "Oh my God, that was me! I'm so sorry!"
"I was even joking with Mr. Shaw about it in the car—I said the wrapper looked like a condom packet. I just tossed it aside and totally forgot to throw it away!"
"Viola, come on. You trained me yourself. How could I possibly go after your husband?"
She sidled up to me with a sheepish grin and took my hand. "Viola, I'm your eyes and ears at the company. Your most loyal person."
I looked at her. Held her gaze. Said nothing for a long time.
Maybe once, that had been true. But now I knew with absolute certainty that it wasn't.
Adela had joined our company straight out of college, back when Panorama was still in its infancy. I'd taken her under my wing personally—taught her everything I knew. Finance. Management. HR. Sales. If I had the skill, I passed it on.
Because I saw myself in her. A girl from a rural town, no parents to speak of, who'd clawed her way forward on sheer will alone.