It was remarkably difficult for Eva to walk into work the next day without the broadest grin splitting her face. After all, today would be that magical day; she had all but taken the CEO position for herself and there was naught anybody could do about it. It was impossible to overstate the sheer magnitude of the deal she had clinched. With Amazon as a client under their belt R.E.I. would gain a powerful foothold in the worldwide shipping industry; and with one tech giant on their side, others would undoubtedly follow suit. It was an opportunity like no other. A veritable masterstroke that would cement Eva as the visionary for R.E.I’s future. 

Her temperament was as plain to see as it was infectious, Eva striding down the company halls with a swagger of her hips and a rare exuberant smile that was somehow more unsettling to her peers than her typical icy glare. As ever, she cared little what they thought. Her gaze swept over various coworkers and cubicles, not seeing them but instead seeing the changes she would have to implement. A number of these slovenly employees had to go; trim the fat as it were to make room for the rapid expansion other departments would need. A monumental administrative undertaking to be sure, but nothing those beneath her couldn’t handle. 

Upon arriving at her office, she noted her petite assistant’s conspicuous absence from her desk. Considering the late hour she had messaged Eva it wasn’t difficult to assume what had happened there. Oversleeping or being late were things that often put you on a fast track to a reprimanding in Eva’s office - But not today.

You know what? For once, I’ll let it slide. Eva graciously thought.

She moved on from Tina’s messy workstation towards her own expansive and tidy private office. The woman entertained no fantasies that she would somehow be productive today; her mind was racing far too much for that. While the day slowly drudged to a start, Eva reclined in her chair and indulged in musings for the future. It was so very tempting to just come out swinging and make sweeping changes overnight, but it would be best to wait until Dan’s little transition window was over and done with. Then when he was out of the way she could spring into action unhampered.

She supposed she could start small. The deal with Amazon came first and foremost. Papers would need to be signed and lingering details worked out and legitimized. Perhaps, she mused, it would be best to form a committee to draw up figures and estimates on what they’d need. The initial company growth would be quite messy for a while; no helping that unfortunately, but when the dust settled they could trim any fat as needed. What, was someone going to tell her no? Ha. 

As CEO her influence wouldn’t be limitless, but she would have the clout and leverage to push her ideals inexorably forward. Alan lacked the spine to cross her. Alonzo was close to retirement himself and wouldn’t want to endanger that. And Dana? Well, she might have moralist complaints about cutting jobs or lowering wages, but her vote was simply one among many. Honestly, it might be worth it for Eva to try and butter them all up somehow. Perhaps a generous bonus to all Board members to grease their palms a bit, and mayhaps just the slightest raise for Eva herself. Only what she would deserve to make of course. 

“I should get Tina started on that after today.” Eva mused aloud. Speaking of, she could hear what appeared to be her assistant’s voice on the other side of the wall. It seemed only right to rise and greet her. After all, Eva couldn’t have done it without her. 

Standing up, Eva left her office and spied Tina immediately, and it was to the mousy woman’s fortune that her boss was in a good mood. Unkempt brown hair and bag-riddled eyes behind uneven glasses screamed the story of a woman who rushed out of bed in a hurry. Her typical bulky attire seemed a bit wrinkled under scrutiny, only supporting Eva’s speculations. Tina turned to Eva just as quickly as Eva had focused on her, her stare hesitant and meek. With good reason to be fair, but today Eva was willing to forgive a bit of unprofessional sloppiness. 

“Good Morning Ms. Rhodes! I’m sorry I’m late.” Tina greeted with a forced energy to her expression. “I-”

“Think nothing of it my dear!” Eva interrupted with a joyous chuckle. “It’s only natural after all the late nights you’ve been working lately, right? Who can fault you for wanting to sleep in a little bit more than usual.” She crossed her arms beneath her chest and laughed. In what seemed to be the running theme of the day, Eva’s good mood seemed to alarm more than relax.

Tina blinked and observed Eva like she was a stranger. “Are you...feeling okay ma’am?” She asked. 

“Oh Tina...” Eva’s gaze filled with mirth as she brought a hand onto her assistant’s shoulder. It fit nicely over the slim thing, fingers drumming against the back of Tina’s sweater. “I feel wonderful!”

Tina tensed as she was touched, eyes darting nervously to her shoulder before focusing back upward. She forced a smile and breathed just that little bit easier. “Oh...Good. I was worried you’d be upset about the agreement or something.”

“Upset?” Eva scoffed. “Why would I ever be upset? I never once doubted your ability, my dear!” The woman praised. Besides, she had better things to do than review dozens of pages of legal agreements for the umpteenth time. She attempted to pull Tina in, the woman proving surprisingly resistant until allowing herself to be pressed into Eva’s side. 

“Everything’s taken care of, no?”

Tina’s body seemed almost wholly enveloped by Eva’s taller, fuller one, her cheeks flushed from the compliments - And perhaps the fact that the side of her face was pressed into her boss’s bosom. “Of course. I-”

“Then what is the problem?” Eva laughed. “Between you and the Legal Team it felt like I barely needed to lift a finger.” She in fact hadn’t needed to do anything but that was beside the point. 

“In fact…” Eva went on. “You look awful if I’m being honest. Why don’t you take the day off?”

“A day off? Me?” Tina repeated with a blank look, not especially offended at the snide remark. If anything, she appeared more alarmed by this alien hugging her and masquerading as her boss. “Are...you sure Ms. Rhodes?”

Eva nodded. “I insist.” She released Tina and stepped back, laying a hand over a wide hip. She surveyed the shorter woman a second time and regarded her with a smirk. “Unless you would rather sleep at your desk instead?” She teased.

That was evidently the surefire way to get a quick response from her. “Nono! I...Thank you ma’am.” Tina shook her head and her glasses slipped along her nose. She pressed the round-rims back against her face and managed a slight, but grateful smile. “I’ll get ready then. Are you sure you won’t need any help today?” 

It almost brought a tear to Eva’s eye to see how well her assistant was trained. “Go already. I’m not some pet that you need to look after.” She dismissed. “Besides, at this point I’m just killing time anyway.”

Despite some initial hesitance, Tina gave a firm nod; and in doing so made it necessary to adjust her glasses yet again. “Okay, thank you.” She said before stepping around her desk to gather her belongings. It didn’t appear like she’d had time to set much down yet. It was only a few seconds before she had a violet bag slung over one shoulder and a key ring in the other. “And Ms. Rhodes?”

“Yes Tina?”

“Congratulations. You deserve it.” She said with a small smile. 

Eva paused as her own lips curled up. “I really do, don’t I?” Rare to get someone who understood that. She bid Tina farewell and returned to her office, heels thumping against the carpet. Loyalty like that was hard to come by. Perhaps she would give Tina a bit of a vacation when she became CEO. Hell, come to think of it, maybe she would take one too.

Past that morning the hours ticked by rather uneventfully. Courtesy of her Ice Queen reputation, Eva rarely needed to entertain visitors. Usually for the best since she didn’t care to be bothered, especially today. Bereft of work and company, Eva ended up mindlessly passing the time with whatever online videos caught her fancy. One in particular was rather engrossing and featured a young woman applying intricate makeup to herself while explaining true crime stories. Her channel had proven oddly addicting and served to get the Vice President through the odd hours of the day.

Even so, the day proved agonizingly slow, saved only by internet meandering and a pleasant lunch break. Eventually, however, the appointed hour had come at last. A short walk from her office and Eva finally filed into the Board Room with a heart ready to burst from anticipation. Six others joined her, taking their assorted seats and engaging in pleasantries and small talk. Normally she would’ve been socializing like the rest, but her thoughts remained firmly inward. The last several minutes had seen her musing over what she would say when Dan announced her name, but alas; it appeared that her calm and collected faculties abandoned her when they were needed most.

She was normally a woman of cold demeanor behind a professional mask. Were one to look at her at the moment, however, they would’ve seen the flushed cheeks. The constant shuffling of feet and the repeated crossing and uncrossing of legs. An unbecoming display more befitting a clown than the future CEO of R.E.I.. Thankfully, Eva wasn’t so far gone as to make it too obvious. A couple deep breaths steadied herself marvelously as she heard the door click behind her back. The soon-to-be former CEO had arrived at last and shuffled to his seat at the head of the table.  

It was time for the meeting to begin.

Knowing the ending made the normal routine especially dull for the impatient woman. Everyone did as they always had, offering up little assorted updates and plans for the next work week. When it came time for Eva’s turn she betrayed little, opting to keep the surprise for when Dan elected to inform the room. It would’ve been one thing to hear her gloat, but wholly another for it to come from the big man himself. 

They all spoke in turn as they always had. The inevitable end to the meeting, however, hung over the proceedings like a curtain. On the surface all was normal. Although, a stillness fell over everyone as it finally came to Dan’s turn. The older man cleared his throat at the head of the table, giving one last sweeping gaze to the room. 

“Well, last week I admittedly dropped a bit of a bombshell, as I am known to do.” He said with a chuckle. “It’s official though. At the end of the day my assistant will be sending the official notice to the staff. And I will be stepping down from my position at the end of next month.” He paused to give everyone a chance to process that and commit it to memory.

“Now, I’m sure you all are curious as to who I’m going to recommend take my place…” Dan began. 

Oh God here it was. The man’s kindly gaze turned towards her, his wrinkled lips curling into a warm smile. Eva’s breath caught in her chest as her foot hopped incessantly beneath the table. Seconds dragged into hours as Dan opened his mouth and slowly said the words Eva had been awaiting for the last five years…!

“Dana, I’m nominating you to lead R.E.I. in my stead.”

Yes!!! Eva’s heart skipped a beat and she grinned confidently as she leaned into her seat. It was a given of course. Nobody else could hope t-What. 

She...She couldn’t have heard that right. Dan wasn’t looking at her, but to the person right beside her. The blonde on her immediate right whose features were warped by a combination of shock and joy. Nowhere near the stunned shock of Eva herself, however.

She watched on as an onlooker to the moment that should’ve been her own. The blissful happiness and pride on Dana’s maternal visage as she cleared her throat and nodded. “I-I’m honored Dan. If you would have me, then I’d be happy to accept.” She said with emotion choking her voice. “Thank you! I...I don’t know what to say.”

Murmurs of congratulations came from all around, Eva’s decided lack of one thankfully lost amidst the white noise. She could scarcely sense the world around her anyway. Words became amorphous, muffled sounds and the others in the room melted away until it was a dark void with only Eva and her alleged friend. It was supposed to be Her name that came out of that old bastard’s mouth! Her moment of tearful pride and joy. Something must’ve gone wrong - This had to be some kind of mistake!

“Nonsense Dana, you’ve more than earned it.” Dan said. His voice served to bring Eva back, the black-haired woman watching as her soon-to-be-former boss addressed the room in the manner of a proud father. “That’s not the only announcement I have. Thanks to Dana here, I’m happy to announce that Reduction Enterprises has now entered into an official partnership with Amazon Delivery Services! Still things to be signed of course, but they’ve agreed to a contract where we’ll be supplying their warehouse with ReSize Machines, Reducers, and will be coordinating with them to form a new business model integrating our units into their procedures!”

To the room at large it was a shocking revelation, one written upon each and every person’s face save for three. Dan, Dana, and Eva. The man stared at Dana’s exuberant face while others began to praise and cheer for the company’s boon. For Eva though, her mind was a skipping record as she tried to piece together this newfound mystery. How in God’s Green Earth did this blonde bimbo snatch away her fucking deal?!

“I couldn’t have done it by myself.” Dana admitted with a nervous laugh. So many people had to come together for it. I mean shucks, me and Tina have been practically sleeping in the office trying to negotiate with these folks. I was damn near scared that we’d annoy them away!”

Everyone laughed at that, but Eva...Eva was quiet. The ensuing discussions bled away as only one thing rang in her ears.

Tina.

That little shrimp was working with Dana behind her back? When? How?! 

For the rest of the meeting Eva remained uncharacteristically quiet. There wasn’t much left to talk about and everything devolved into a garish scene of praising Dana for someone else’s hard work. Congratulations were offered ad nauseum and there were even talks of going out for drinks after work to celebrate. Normally, Eva would’ve been a social artisan navigating the situation, but for once she couldn’t have cared less about appearances. She left early, trying and failing to hide her frustration. 

How could this have happened?! She bemoaned. That spineless little twerp couldn’t stand up to a gust of wind, much less her. She would’ve cracked. She would’ve given it up. There had to be some kind of mistake. Some kind of separate deal she wasn’t aware of. It was impossible that Tina had the guts to cross her like this! 

In a fury the raven-haired woman returned to her office on a warpath. Everyone she came across sensed their doom if she were crossed and as such gave her an extraordinary berth. None stopped Eva from entering her office and slamming the door shut. Her fists curled tight, she smacked her desk and let out a bestial cry. 

She could only see red, but in that bloody haze she had enough wherewithal to note her email client was open on her computer. The email. She realized. Hurriedly, she reached for her keyboard. A quick search was all it took to find the damned thing. 

“It was tough, but the deal has gone through. I’ve already sent Mr. Broderick the formal notification and he should be aware of it first thing in the morning.

Attached is a copy of the signed agreement in case you wish to verify.

Sincerely,

Tina Martin - Assistant to the Vice President of Business”

The same assurances Tina had offered her the night before. Eva’s eyes scanned them for the second time, now noting the one word she skimmed previously: Attached was the signed agreement. 

Well she sure as shit hadn’t signed it.

Opening the attachment, Eva was met with page after page of intricate legalese that detailed the inner workings of the deal between two companies. Nothing amiss and nothing particularly relevant either. Eva dragged the scroll bar down until there, at the very end they greeted her. A pair of signatures. One was Mr. Wilke, her contact at Amazon; and then the other, right where it had been all along...

Dana Moore

In her excitement it had never once dawned on her, but an agreement like this needed a person of influence to sign and bind it. Eva never did, so someone had to. Someone her assistant could get into contact with and coordinate.

“Congratulations. You deserve it.” 

The words echoed in her thoughts. She recalled that sly fucking smirk Tina had. She knew. She knew the whole damn time. She looked her gracious boss dead in the eye and twisted the knife!

She was fucking dead.