Chapter 85

Caroline Gluck's POV

I stepped out of the elevator into Howard Technologies' pristine lobby,taking a moment to appreciate how my Louboutins clicked satisfyingly against the marble floor. The receptionist smiled at me with that practiced corporate warmth as I flashed my employee badge.

"Good morning, Ms. Gluck."

"Morning, Heather," I replied, making a point to remember her name.People are always more useful when they think you value them.

I'm Caroline Gluck, and I've been working at Howard Technologies for several months now. Most people here see me as a colleague. What they don't know is that I'm also Sarah Johnson's closest confidante-her secret weapon inside these glass walls.

Sarah and I clicked instantly when we met at a charity gala. Both of us understand what it means to be truly cultured, to have an eye for quality that goes beyond mere money. We became fast friends, kindred spirits navigating a world of pretenders.

I made my way to my office, observing my colleagues with the trained eye of someone who grew up in Manhattan's elite circles. Emma from Marketing walked by,Howard Technologies logo emblazoned on her travel mug like some garish billboard. So nouveau riche, I thought. Real class whispers, it doesn't shout. Kevin fromn Tech hurried past in what he probably thought was a decent suit. The shoulders were at least a quarter inch too wide,and the fabric clearly off-the-rack. I doubted he'd ever attended a truly sophisticated social gathering in his life. Poor thing. Miranda from HR nodded at me, her recently dyed hair catching the light in a way that screamed "salon chain" rather than "private stylist." No woman in a high social circle would ever be caught with such obvious coloring.

These people all graduated from prestigious universities, but education can't teach taste. That comes from generations of refinement-something Sarah and I understand implicitly.

I settled at my desk,checking my calendar for the day. Ever since Annie Baker's childish comic series exploded in popularity, Susan Moore had taken complete control of its promotion, shelving my carefully crafted marketing proposals for Sarah.

The thought still irritated me. Annie's simplistic drawings gaining such traction while Sarah's sophisticated storytelling remained underpromoted?Absurd. The masses truly have no discernment.

My phone buzzed with a text from Sarah: Can't wait much longer.Time to make my move on Howard.

I smiled to myself. Sarah was getting impatient, and when Sarah got impatient, things got interesting. Philip Baker had served his purpose as a stepping stone, but Howard Thompson was the real prize-wealthy,powerful, and infinitely more connected than Philip.

I texted back: Don't worry. I'll get you what you need. Speaking to Susan today about resources. Time to see what that glorified secretary was up to. I smoothed my dress and headed toward Susan's office. Susan's office was meticulous but utterly lacking in personality. The framed diplomas, perfectly aligned desk supplies, and that hideous motivational poster about "Determination" screamed middle-class functionality.No original artwork, no family heirlooms-nothing that spoke of history or heritage.

Susan herself was nowhere to beseen, but her computer screen remained on. I glanced around the hallway before stepping closer to peek at her monitor. Always good to know what's happening before asking for favors.

What I saw made my blood boil. A comprehensive plan for Annie's comic empire lay out in meticulous detail:

OPublishing contracts with major houses in twelve countries

OProduction capacity expansion for merchandise

OFactory acquisitions to increase manufacturing scale

OInternational marketing rollout scheduled for next quarter

Unbelievable. A simple secretary was controlling business decisions worth millions of dollars. For some amateur illustrator's childish doodles.Meanwhile,Sarah's sophisticated narrative art languished without proper support.

I heard footsteps and quickly stepped back, assuming a casual pose by the bookshelf. Susan entered carrying a stack of files, her sensible heels making substantially less noise than my designer ones.

"Caroline, I didn't see you scheduled," Susan said, not unkindly but with that slightly officious tone secretaries often adopt to feel important. "Just thought I'd drop by," I replied with my warmest smile. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything crucial." "Not at all. What can I help you with?" Susan settled into her chair,straightening her serviceable but clearly off-the-rack blazer. I took the visitor's chair, crossing my legs elegantly, "I wanted to discuss a new comic series I've discovered. The content is quite extensive now, and I've drafted a promotion plan that I believe would resonate beautifully with upper-tier demographics."

"Oh? Which series are you referring to?" Susan's expression remained neutral, professional curiosity evident in her tone.

"It's a relatively unknown work," I replied smoothly. "But the artistic voice deserves cultivation. I was hoping we might allocate some resources toward building the creator's platform-similar to what we've done for Annie."

Susan's lips tightened almost imperceptibly. "All promotional resources are currently directed toward Annie's work, per Howard's explicit instructions.Her content has proven market viability."

I maintained my pleasant expression while internally rolling my eyes. This secretary actually thinks she has decision-making authority.

"I completely understand Howard's focus on proven performers,"I said,my voice honey-sweet. "But diversification benefits everyone. Sarah's sophisticated storytelling would attract an elite demographic that might find Annie's work a bit... simplistic."

Susan's professional mask slipped momentarily. "Caroline, with all due respect, company resources aren't allocated based on personal friendships.Annie's work generates substantial revenue and positive brand association.Her merchandising line alone outperforms most of our tech products in profit margin." How dare she speak to me like that? I thought, while maintaining my pleasant expression. One day, when Sarah succeeds with Howard,I'll make sure this overpromoted secretary understands her actual place in the hierarchy. I smiled to myself. This was classic Sarah-bold but clever. "What's your strategy?" "Of course," I said with practiced graciousness, "I completely understand the business perspective. I simply thought Sarah's unique vision might comnplement our existing portfolio."

Susan softened slightly. "All promotional decisions go through proper channels. If Sarah's work has commercial potential, it can be evaluated through standard procedures."

I nodded,accepting defeat for now. "Thank you for clarifying. I appreciate your time."

As I left Susan's office, my smile disappeared the moment her door closed behind me. That woman had no idea who she was dismissing so casually.

Back in my office, I immediately called Sarah, closing my door for privacy.

"You won't believe how dismissive Susan was," I said when Sarah answered. "The woman actually lectured me about 'proper channels' and'proven market viability.' As if she has the first idea about what sophisticated audiences appreciate."

Sarah's voice sounded tired. "Philip was here all night again, talking endlessly about reconciling with Annie while expecting me to comfort him.I'm done playing this waiting game,Caroline."

"I understand completely," I replied, genuinely sympathetic. Sarah deserved better than being Philip's emotional crutch. "Don't worry about your comic promotion. I'll leverage my publishing contacts directly.We don't need Howard Technologies' marketing department." "I need intelligence," Sarah replied. "Howard's schedule, his routines,where he goes when he leaves the building. Can you track that for me?"

"Absolutely," I said, already mentally cataloging what I knew about Howard's patterns. "The security system here logs all executive movements.As an employee, I can easily monitor the building exits without raising suspicion."

"Perfect," Sarah said, her voice gaining energy. "I need to orchestrate accidental meetings-nothing too obvious, just enough to establish a presence in his awareness."

"The coffee shop across from the south entrance," I suggested."He stops there most mornings around 8:30. And there's a restaurant on 53rd where he often takes business lunches on Thursdays."

"You're brilliant, Caroline," Sarah said warmly.

"I'll need photographs," Sarah continued. "Nothing explicit,just images of Howard and me together-angled to appear more intimate than they actually are. Something that could create doubt in Annie's mind if she happened to see them."

"And if she confronts Howard?" I asked, intrigued.

"Even better," Sarah said. "From what you've told me about their relationship, Annie already has insecurities from her marriage to Philip.One accusation leads to defensiveness, defensiveness leads to arguments,arguments create distance." I leaned back in my chair, impressed. "And you'll be there when the distance becomes unbearable.""Exactly," Sarah confirmed. "Small conflicts accumulate into major problems. When Howard finally becomes disillusioned with Annie's constant suspicion, I'll be the understanding, supportive presence he turns to."

The plan was brilliant.

If she succeeded-when she succeeded-my own position at Howard Technologies would be transformed. Perhaps a vice presidency? Director of Marketing? The possibilities were delicious to contemplate.

"I'll start monitoring his movements today," I promised. "And I'll coordinate with building security to ensure your entry won't raise questions."

"Thank you,Caroline," Sarah said warmly. "I knew I could count on you."

After hanging up, I immediately created several social media accounts to promote Sarah's work. A few well-placed posts in the right circles would create a ripple effect of curiosity.

I made notes about hiring a digital marketing team to boost visibility and engagement. If Howard Technologies wouldn't promote Sarah's work,I'd prove them wrong by creating demand independently. Susan Moore would regret dismissing me so casually.