Chapter 11 - The Cost of Staying
The independent audit began on a Thursday and turned Ashford Living upside down by Friday. Investigators occupied three conference rooms, froze electronic archives, and interviewed everyone from senior directors to warehouse assistants.
Naomi’s suspension was lifted, but Marcus removed her from the Second Life launch team pending review of her conduct.
“You can return to your desk,” he told her. “Your authority has been limited.”
“My authority was never yours to give.”
“Everything in this company is subject to structure.”
“Then perhaps structure should have noticed the missing shipments.”
Marcus leaned close enough for her to smell mint on his breath. “You think Weston will protect you forever?”
“I have never asked him to protect me.”
“That is not what the newspapers say.”
“You read newspapers?”
His smile disappeared. “Be careful.”
Naomi returned to the workshop, where Theo, Priya, and Celeste greeted her with coffee and an expression of cautious relief.
“What did they take?” she asked.
“Everything,” Priya said. “Our files, prototypes, even the sample drawer.”
“Why would they take the prototypes?”
“They said they were checking for unauthorized materials.”
Celeste opened a cabinet beneath the cutting table. “I kept one copy of the original plans.”
Naomi hugged her before remembering Celeste disliked displays of affection.
“I tolerate you,” Celeste said. “Do not make this sentimental.”
Weston did not come to the workshop. He was spending every day in board meetings and every night with the auditors. Their conversations became brief and formal.
Naomi told herself that distance was necessary. She did not tell herself that she missed him.
On Monday, a business website published an article alleging that Naomi had stolen design concepts from an independent maker in Ohio. The claims were false, but the article included photographs of a chair that resembled her first prototype.
Priya found the source. “This maker submitted a complaint through a law firm connected to Northstar Property Group.”
“Marcus,” Theo said.
“Maybe,” Naomi replied. “We need proof.”
The maker, Rebecca Sloan, agreed to meet. She was furious, not dishonest. Her chair had been designed years earlier, but the resemblance came from a common folding mechanism.
“I did not accuse you,” Rebecca said. “Someone offered to pay me if I signed a statement.”
“Who?”
“A man named Peter Vale.”
Naomi wrote the name down. Cedar Vale. Northstar. Peter Vale.
The auditor confirmed that Peter Vale had been Marcus’s college roommate and later served as a consultant for Northstar. The connection was strong enough to suggest coordination but not enough to prove the article came from Marcus.
At the next board meeting, Marcus accused Naomi of creating chaos.
“She has accessed restricted files, encouraged employees to bypass management, and now appears in a public dispute involving stolen intellectual property,” he said.
Naomi stood at the end of the table. “The dispute has been resolved. Rebecca Sloan confirmed the claim was fabricated.”
“Fabricated by whom?” Judith Hale asked.
“That is what the audit should determine.”
Marcus turned to Weston. “You cannot allow a temporary employee to dictate the company’s legal strategy.”
Weston’s face was unreadable. “She is not dictating strategy. She is providing evidence.”
“You are compromised.”
“Because I know her?”
“Because you are emotionally involved.”
The room went silent.
Naomi looked at Weston. He did not look away.
“That is an allegation,” he said.
“It is obvious.”
“Then make it formal.”
Marcus smiled. “Would you like me to?”
Weston placed a document on the table. “I am recusing myself from decisions involving Naomi’s employment. Ava will oversee that process.”
Naomi felt anger, not relief. After the meeting, she followed him into the hallway.
“You did not discuss that with me.”
“You asked me to stop making decisions for you.”
“I asked you to stop controlling me. Recusing yourself while Marcus attacks me is not the same thing.”
“Ava is fair.”
“Ava is compromised too.”
“She is cooperating with the audit.”
“And you are hiding behind procedure again.”
Weston’s composure cracked. “What do you want from me?”
“I want you to stand beside me when the room tries to make me disappear.”
“If I stand beside you, they will say you need me.”
“Let them say it. I am tired of building my life around what dishonest people might claim.”
He stared at her. “I am trying to protect your credibility.”
“My credibility is mine. You do not get to protect it by abandoning me.”
The hallway seemed to narrow around them.
“Naomi,” he said, “if I lose control of the company, the audit can continue. If I lose control because the board believes I am favoring you, they will shut it down.”
“Then maybe you should lose control.”
His eyes flashed. “You say that as if losing everything is noble.”
“No. I say it because sometimes keeping everything costs more.”
She walked away before he could answer.
That afternoon, Celeste found her sitting alone beside the unfinished lounge chair.
“You are in love with him,” Celeste said.
Naomi nearly laughed. “That is an irresponsible conclusion.”
“I have been married twice. I know what people look like when they are trying not to want something.”
“Wanting him would be a mistake.”
“Probably.”
“That is not helpful.”
“Neither is denying the weather.”
Naomi ran her hand over the chair’s unfinished arm. “What if he cannot separate me from the power he has?”
“Then make him prove he can.”
May you like
Outside, cameras gathered near the company entrance. Another story was coming.
This time, Naomi knew it would not be about furniture.
