As the applause died down, Ethan didn’t sit. He took a sip of his champagne, his eyes scanning the front tables.
“I also want to extend a very special thanks to my new sister-in-law, Claire,” Ethan said smoothly.
The entire ballroom shifted their attention to Claire. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming freight train. She physically shrank backward, her mouth opening and closing silently.
“As a Senior Marketing Manager at Whitmore Dynamics,” Ethan continued, his tone perfectly polite, yet laced with a subtle, lethal corporate edge, “Claire has always spoken highly of the company’s rigorous, uncompromising high standards.”
My parents’ jaws dropped simultaneously. They stared at Ethan, then at Claire, the reality of the power dynamic finally crushing their enabling complacency.
“I am very glad,” Ethan said, his eyes locking directly onto Claire’s terrified face, his voice chillingly calm, “that now, as your CEO, I have had the opportunity to personally evaluate if your standards for how you treat your own family match your professional competence. Integrity is a core value at Whitmore Dynamics, Claire. We expect it in the boardroom, and we expect it in how our employees treat the people around them.”
Ethan raised his glass slightly toward her.
“We will have a very interesting, in-depth conversation regarding your performance review in my office this coming Monday morning, Claire.”
