Chapter 131: Attached to the Office

One problem with Alexander Vance taking five months away from Vance Holdings was that nobody remembered it until Human Resources brought it up.

Elias Navarro.

More specifically, what exactly were they supposed to do with him?

Alexander discovered this during one of his final transition meetings before his leave officially began.

Most of the larger matters had already been settled. The Board had approved his leave, senior management had appointed an interim CEO after a formal vote, and Alexander’s ongoing projects had been turned over.

Vincent had also produced enough transition documents to ensure that Alexander could probably disappear into the wilderness without Vance Holdings immediately collapsing.

Not that Vincent recommended testing that theory.

Then they reached the personnel attached directly to the Office of the CEO.

Vincent glanced at the document in front of him.

"There’s also Mr. Navarro."

Alexander looked up. "What about Elias?"

"His current assignment is executive driver to the CEO."

"Yes."

"And you won’t be performing the duties of CEO for the next five months."

Alexander waited.

Vincent waited too.

It took an embarrassingly long moment for Alexander to understand the problem.

"Oh."

"Yes, sir."

Apparently, Elias couldn’t simply be placed inside a cabinet until Alexander returned.

Alexander leaned back. "What are the options?"

"He remains employed by Vance Holdings. Human Resources can temporarily reassign him for the duration of your leave."

"To whom?"

"That depends on operational need. The interim CEO is one possibility."

Alexander frowned.

The reaction came quickly enough for Vincent to notice.

"You object?"

"No."

Vincent continued looking at him.

Alexander sighed. "Maybe."

Of course Elias could drive someone else. Vance Holdings had hired him, and his employment contract wasn’t a declaration of personal allegiance to Alexander Vance.

Still, Alexander had personally participated in the unusually stringent selection process that got Elias the job.

After Joe retired, Alexander didn’t just need someone who could operate a vehicle. He needed someone he trusted behind the wheel, which made the search considerably more complicated.

Elias was also still on probation.

"How much time does he have left?"

Vincent gave him the date.

Alexander frowned. His own leave would overlap with most of Elias’s five-month probationary period.

"And if he’s reassigned?"

"His probation continues. His performance would simply be evaluated under the temporary assignment."

"What happens when I return?"

"If you resume your position as CEO, Elias could potentially be reassigned to your office again."

"Potentially?"

"He would’ve spent several months under another assignment by then. We can’t assume today that the same arrangement will still be suitable for everyone five months from now."

That was reasonable.

Alexander didn’t particularly like it, but it was reasonable.

"What if I want him to keep driving me?"

Vincent set the document down.

"During your leave?"

"Yes."

"That creates a different issue. Most of his work would no longer be for Vance Holdings."

Alexander nodded.

He would still be traveling regularly. Second Life Workshop alone guaranteed that, and he would also have personal appointments, dinners, meetings about his investments, and whatever Giovanni decided counted as having a life.

None of that gave Alexander the right to send the transportation bill to Vance Holdings.

"Then I’ll pay him."

"Personally?"

"I’m taking the leave. Why should Vance Holdings pay someone to drive me to a business Vance Holdings doesn’t own?"

"There are ways to arrange it."

Vincent explained the alternatives.

Elias could accept temporary reassignment and remain entirely within Vance Holdings. That was administratively the simplest option.

Another option was to keep Elias technically attached to the company during the temporary arrangement. Hence, his employment records and benefits would remain uninterrupted, while Alexander reimbursed the appropriate costs for his services during the leave.

Or they could move Elias into Alexander’s personal employment altogether.

Alexander immediately saw the problem with the last option.

"If I return after five months, we’d have moved him out of the company unnecessarily."

"Correct."

"And if I don’t return?"

Vincent paused.

That possibility had become considerably less theoretical lately.

"If you don’t resume the CEO position, Mr. Navarro wouldn’t automatically return to the Office of the CEO."

"Because there would already be another CEO."

"Yes."

Presumably one who already had a driver or preferred someone else.

Alexander tapped one finger against the table.

Five months wasn’t particularly long for him.

He had money, investments, and substantial shares in Vance Holdings whether he occupied the chief executive’s office or not.

Elias had a job.

Those were very different things to gamble with.

"If he accepts reassignment now and I don’t come back, what happens?"

"He’ll have spent five months establishing himself elsewhere within Vance Holdings. Assuming he completes probation and performs well, Human Resources can consider him for whatever permanent assignment is available."

"And if he stays with me instead?"

"Then he remains attached to a man who may no longer have an executive position here when the five months are over."

Alexander looked at Vincent.

There it was.

Put that way, the sensible choice seemed painfully obvious.

"Has anyone asked Elias what he wants?"

"Not yet. We wanted to determine the available options first."

That made sense.

Unfortunately.

Alexander stood.

"Then let’s ask him."

Elias listened without interrupting when they explained the situation to him later that afternoon.

He sat across from Alexander and Vincent, his expression giving away very little.

"So I can accept reassignment within Vance Holdings."

"Yes," Vincent said.

"My probation continues?"

"Yes."

"And after the five months?"

"That depends on your performance and the positions available at that time."

Elias looked at Alexander.

"If Mr. Vance resumes as CEO?"

"We can discuss returning you to his office."

"Discuss?"

Alexander almost smiled.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed that word.

Vincent remained perfectly calm.

"You would have spent several months under another assignment. We can’t guarantee today that everyone will want the same arrangement afterward."

Elias nodded slowly.

Then he asked the question Alexander had been waiting for.

"What if he doesn’t come back?"

This time, Alexander answered.

"Then there may no longer be a position for you as my executive driver at Vance Holdings."

Elias considered that.

"If I accept reassignment now, I have a better chance of remaining with the company regardless of what happens to you."

"Yes."

"And if I don’t accept it?"

Alexander leaned back.

"That depends on whether you’re willing to bet your job on a question I can’t answer yet."

Elias looked directly at him.

"What question?"

Alexander hesitated.

Then he answered honestly.

"Whether I’ll still be CEO five months from now."