Chapter 132: Who Do You Work For?

"Do you expect to go back?"

Alexander hadn’t expected Elias to ask that.

Vincent remained silent beside them.

Alexander could’ve given the easy answer.

His leave had been approved for five months. The interim CEO had been appointed for the same period, and nobody on the Board had told Alexander that his position was in danger.

But none of that answered Elias’s question.

"I don’t know."

Elias nodded.

"And if the Board wants someone else?"

"Then they’ll have that discussion."

"What if you still want the job?"

Alexander paused.

"Then I’ll give them a reason to choose me."

"And if they don’t?"

Plenty of comforting answers were available.

Alexander could point to his shares or remind Elias that his family had controlled Vance Holdings for generations.

Instead, he answered the actual question.

"Then I won’t be CEO."

Elias nodded again.

Alexander leaned forward.

"That’s why you need to think about this carefully. If you accept reassignment now, you’ll spend the next five months establishing yourself somewhere else inside Vance Holdings. If I don’t return, you won’t suddenly be wondering where your job went."

"And if I stay with you?"

"You keep driving me during my leave."

"Who pays me?"

"I do."

That finally changed Elias’s expression.

"Personally?"

"Yes."

"What about my benefits?"

"I’ll cover whatever is necessary to maintain equivalent benefits."

"Vehicle?"

"Mine."

"Fuel and insurance?"

"Also mine."

Elias considered that.

Alexander continued before he could misunderstand.

"I’m not putting you on Second Life Workshop’s payroll."

"Why not?"

"Because you aren’t the Workshop’s driver. You’re mine."

The distinction mattered.

Second Life Workshop was already trying to prove it could support its own operating expenses. Alexander wasn’t going to bury one of his personal expenses inside the business simply because he happened to spend considerable time there.

Elias looked at Vincent.

"What happens to my probation?"

Vincent answered.

"If you remain with Mr. Vance, we’ll document the temporary arrangement properly rather than pretending you’re performing regular duties for the Office of the CEO. Your employment record with Vance Holdings will remain in good standing during the arrangement. However, we can’t guarantee that a suitable position here will still be available if Mr. Vance doesn’t return."

"So if I accept reassignment now, I have the safer option."

"Yes."

"And if I choose Mr. Vance?"

Alexander frowned. "You make that sound disturbingly dramatic."

Elias ignored him.

"I’d be choosing five months of guaranteed employment with him without knowing what happens afterward."

"Yes," Vincent said.

Alexander added, "Which is why you shouldn’t make the decision because you think you owe me something."

Elias looked at him.

"You gave me the job."

"Vance Holdings gave you the job."

"You chose me."

"I chose you because you were qualified."

"Still chose me."

Alexander sighed.

"That isn’t a debt."

"I didn’t say it was."

"Good. Because if you stay with Vance Holdings, I won’t hold it against you."

Elias looked unconvinced.

Alexander frowned.

"I’ll make an effort not to hold it against you."

"That sounds more believable."

Vincent looked down at his papers.

Alexander strongly suspected he was hiding a smile.

"You need to think beyond the next five months," Alexander continued. "Vance Holdings is stable. I currently don’t even know what my position there will be when this is over."

Elias nodded.

"You could return as CEO."

"Yes."

"You could remain a shareholder and do something else."

"Yes."

"Second Life Workshop could become your main business."

"It could."

"Or it could fail."

Alexander paused.

"Yes."

There was no point pretending otherwise.

Elias considered him for a moment.

"And if it fails?"

"I’ll still need a driver."

"That’s not what I asked."

Alexander paused.

Apparently, Giovanni wasn’t the only person determined to interrogate him lately.

Elias clarified.

"If the Workshop fails and you don’t return as CEO, can you still guarantee my employment?"

"Yes."

"For how long?"

That was a better question.

Alexander could afford to employ Elias indefinitely. Money wasn’t the uncertainty here.

"My financial ability to pay you isn’t dependent on either job."

"So that’s not actually the risk."

"No."

"What is?"

Alexander thought about it.

"The risk is that you’re giving up an opportunity to establish your own career inside Vance Holdings for a job tied entirely to me."

Elias nodded.

That seemed to be the answer he’d been looking for.

He was quiet for several moments.

Then he asked, "If I accept reassignment, who drives you?"

"I hire someone else."

"You’d have to go through the selection process again?"

"Probably."

Elias looked almost offended at Alexander.

That was unexpected.

"You don’t like driving unless you have to," he said.

"I can drive."

"I know."

"Then why did you say it like that?"

"Because being able to do something and wanting to do it aren’t the same thing."

Alexander couldn’t argue with that.

Elias continued.

"You notice every sound the car makes. You ask about maintenance when nothing is wrong, and sometimes you change the route because you don’t like a truck behind us."

Alexander’s fingers stilled.

Elias knew enough about Ben’s accident to understand that those habits hadn’t appeared from nowhere.

"I’ve already learned how you are in a car," Elias said.

Alexander looked at him.

"So I’d rather keep driving you."

The answer was so simple that Alexander almost missed its significance.

"You’re declining reassignment?"

"Yes."

"Even knowing it’s safer?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Elias thought about it.

"I applied to Vance Holdings because I wanted stable employment."

"Which is exactly why you should seriously consider staying there."

"I have."

"And?"

"I didn’t apply to drive whichever executive happened to need a car."

Alexander went quiet.

"I applied for the position as your driver."

No dramatic declaration followed.

Elias was simply stating a fact.

"I know staying with Vance Holdings gives me a clearer career path," he continued. "But I also know who I’m working for now. I know the job, and I know what you expect from me."

"You’ve worked for me for less than five months."

"Long enough."

Alexander looked at Vincent.

Vincent gave the slightest shrug.

Not his decision.

"You’re sure?"

"Yes."

"Then we’ll do it properly."

Alexander turned to Vincent.

"For the duration of my leave, I personally cover the cost of Elias’s services. Vance Holdings doesn’t pay for transportation connected to my private activities or Second Life Workshop."

Vincent nodded.

"We’ll arrange the reimbursement and employment documentation."

"Keep his benefits intact."

"Yes."

Elias interrupted.

"And my probation?"

Alexander looked at him.

"What about it?"

"I want it to continue."

"Under whose evaluation?"

"Yours."

Alexander stared at him.

That seemed almost too obvious once Elias said it.

"If I’m choosing to remain your driver, you should still decide whether you want to keep me when the probation ends."

"And if you fail?"

"You fire me."

"Good."

Elias smiled faintly.

Alexander frowned.

"You seem remarkably pleased about that."

"It means nothing changes just because I chose you."

That, Alexander, could respect.

"All right. Your probation continues."

"And after the five months?"

"If I return as CEO, we’ll decide whether moving you back under Vance Holdings makes sense."

"And if you don’t?"

Alexander considered him.

"Then I’ll offer you permanent employment directly under me."

Elias nodded.

"You don’t have to accept it."

"I know."

"You could still choose Vance Holdings if there’s an appropriate opening."

"I know."

Alexander narrowed his eyes.

"You’ve already decided, haven’t you?"

Elias stood.

"I’ve decided what I’m doing for the next five months."

"And afterward?"

Elias picked up his keys.

"We’ll see where you’re working first."

Alexander stared at him.

That was irritatingly reasonable.

Elias headed for the door before Alexander called after him.

"One more question."

Elias turned.

"If I’m not CEO five months from now, does that change anything?"

Elias considered the question.

Then he lifted the car keys slightly.

"Will you still need to go somewhere?"

Alexander hesitated for a moment.

"Yes."

"Then I’ll still have something to drive."

And with that, Elias left to bring the car around.