"Messages? Like on your voicemail? I don't have the password," Amy said.
I pressed a hand to my forehead. "The password is in the binder. I don't have time to sort through them now."
/> Amy's blank expression was too much. I turned away from her and looked out my office window. The view was bleak compared to the one I had admired upstairs. I faced the gray facade of the neighboring office building and saw only long rows of cubicles through its plain windows. There was nothing to inspire me there, but inspiration wasn't really what I needed. I needed an explanation. How had Rainer been assigned to my project just in time to reap the benefits?
"Could you please call Mr. Maxwell's assistant and inquire about his morning schedule?" I turned around to face Amy.
"Why don't you just ask Mr. Maxwell?" Amy blinked a few slow times.
Somewhere in my usual flurry of voicemails was surely a quick message from Stan or one of my other bosses, telling me why Rainer Maxwell was suddenly on my project. I could give Amy the password, but it would take her too long to decipher the messages and write down any pertinent information. Her wide-eyed expression did not offer any help.
"Never mind. I'll be attending this morning's meeting by myself. That should give you time to review the binder and get caught up on your daily duties," I said. "Shut the door behind you, please."
Amy wandered out of my office and had to double back to shut the door. As soon as I was sure she was back at her desk, I raised both hands to the ceiling and mimed a frustrated scream. Then I cleared my throat and picked up my phone.
"Rainer Maxwell's office; this is Topher."
I pinched my nose and did my best impression of Amy's questioning voice. "Ms. Nichols would like a word with Mr. Maxwell. Is he available?"
"No, sorry. Mr. Maxwell is finishing up the press conference for the GroGreen application. I'm expecting him soon. Can I take a message?"
Images of Rainer smoothing back his wavy, dark-brown hair and checking his image in the antique mirror flashed through my head like lightning. He had been preening and practicing his lines in the penthouse office when I had stumbled in this morning. Now he was downstairs smiling into dozens of cameras and taking credit for all my hard work.
I strangled the phone hard, imagining it was him before I hung up. Rainer Maxwell had assumed he'd picked an easy target, but he was dead wrong. I had sacrificed everything for my career and no one, no matter how slick, would stand in my way.
Chapter Two
Rainer
I watched Tasha Nichols march out of the elevator and stride off down the office hallway. Hyperion Industries was a huge corporation, so it shouldn't have bothered me that I didn't know where her office was before today. The detail that struck me was the direction she took to get there.
All the junior executives had offices on the same floor despite our varied department focuses. It was meant to make us feel like a larger team, in charge of the masses on the multiple floors below. Our floor was supposed to be an equalizer, but as I watched Tasha go, I realized how obvious the hierarchy was structured. Junior executives who fit the part, sucked up to the higher ups, and played the game all had offices on the east side of the building, overlooking San Francisco Bay. Those who weren't as highly favored had their offices facing the gray behemoth building on the west side.
No wonder I hardly ever ran into Tasha; her office was on the far west side of the floor.
George elbowed me as he left the elevator. "She looks good, I'll give her that, but I don't think she looks like boss material."
Our cronies laughed as they made their way down the east side hallway and into their offices. The elevator doors shut, and I savored the few minutes alone. I wanted to prepare myself for the press conference, but I found myself remembering Tasha's penetrating look instead.
Later, after the buzz and flash of the press conference, I found myself hesitating outside the elevator again. I took two steps down the west hallway but could not come up with a legitimate reason to visit Tasha in her office. And, by now, she knew what I'd done and was probably plotting the demise of my career.
"What career," I muttered. I dragged myself to my office to wait out the ten minutes before the big product meeting. It wasn't my office role to be early.
"Mr. Maxwell, congratulations!"
My overeager assistant, Topher, jumped up from his desk and rushed around to shake my hand. "Word is already going around that you nailed the press conference. What was that line you delivered about respect? I think the GroGreen app should use that as a slogan."
I slapped him on the back. "All I did was point out that we respect nature and now there's an app to help nature respect our busy schedules."
"Amazing, sir. I'm so impressed how you memorized all that information and went to that party last night."
I could tell that Topher was dying to hear some details about the glamorous product release party. He was practically drooling over his own daydreams of tailored suits and palm-greasing business deals. It tied my stomach in a tight knot. "Someone's got to do the hard work," I said.
Topher laughed and returned to his desk. "I've been reviewing all the product memos, but I'm still not sure I could convince the world to buy it. You really are very talented, sir."
I thought of Tasha Nichols. All the hard work had been hers, and yet the entire office was ready to put the laurels on my head. I knew it was wrong, but I also knew this was how our business went. Hyperion got ahead on image just as much as innovation.
"It's got nothing to do with me," I said. "The GroGreen app is going to change the way that people garden. It helps organize ideas, plot out the best use of the garden space, and keep the planting, watering, and everything on a tight schedule."