Chapter 133: What About Me?

Once Elias’s temporary employment arrangement had been settled, Alexander felt considerably better.

At least until Vincent closed the folder in front of him and said, "There’s another employee you’ve forgotten."

Alexander frowned.

"Who?"

Vincent looked at him.

Alexander waited.

The silence stretched long enough to become uncomfortable.

Then Alexander slowly sat back.

"Oh."

"Yes, sir."

"You."

"Congratulations."

Alexander rubbed a hand over his face.

Apparently, taking five months away from Vance Holdings required considerably more attention to other people’s lives than he’d anticipated.

In his defense, Vincent had been handling most of the transition.

Which, now that Alexander thought about it, probably made forgetting Vincent substantially worse.

"I didn’t forget you."

"You just asked who I was referring to."

"That was momentary."

"I’m relieved."

Alexander ignored that.

"What happens to you?"

"That is what I’d like to discuss."

Vincent had served as Alexander’s executive assistant long enough that much of his work was attached directly to the Office of the CEO. He managed Alexander’s schedule, coordinated with senior executives, prepared meetings, and ensured that information reached the right people before Alexander needed it.

Unlike Elias, however, Vincent’s career wasn’t built around one man.

He was deeply embedded in Vance Holdings.

Alexander frowned.

"Wouldn’t you stay with the Office of the CEO?"

"I could."

"With the interim CEO."

"Yes."

Something about that bothered Alexander too.

Apparently, he was considerably more territorial about his staff than he’d realized.

"Does he want you?"

Vincent’s eyebrows rose.

"That sounded almost insulting."

"You know what I mean."

"The interim CEO already has an executive assistant."

Of course he did.

Alexander hadn’t considered that either.

"What happens to that person?"

"Exactly."

Alexander sighed.

Promoting one executive into another person’s office apparently created a small migration problem among everyone surrounding them.

Vincent opened another document.

"The current plan is for his executive assistant to remain his primary assistant. I’ll stay within the executive office during the transition and handle matters requiring institutional knowledge from your administration."

"For five months?"

"Initially."

Alexander caught the word immediately.

"And afterward?"

"That depends on whether you return."

There it was again.

The same uncertainty they’d just discussed with Elias.

Except Vincent’s circumstances were different.

"If I return as CEO?"

"My reassignment can end, assuming you still want me back."

Alexander stared at him.

"Why wouldn’t I?"

Vincent shrugged.

"Five months is a long time. You may discover that you prefer managing your own calendar."

Alexander looked horrified.

Vincent almost smiled.

"Fine. Bad example."

"Extremely."

"But circumstances change."

Alexander nodded reluctantly.

"And if I don’t return?"

"Then there will be a permanent CEO who already has an executive assistant."

"What happens to you?"

"That is the question."

Alexander frowned.

"You’ve worked here for years. They’re not going to fire you simply because I’m no longer CEO."

"I don’t expect them to."

"Then what’s the concern?"

Vincent was quiet for a moment.

"My career."

That made Alexander stop.

Vincent folded his hands on the table.

"I’ve spent years working directly for the chief executive. If I remain here after you leave permanently, I need to know what I’m working toward. I don’t particularly want to spend the next several years becoming the person everyone calls whenever they need to know where Alexander Vance kept something."

Alexander winced.

"That sounds terrible."

"It would become tedious."

"What do you want?"

Vincent looked mildly surprised.

Alexander noticed.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because that’s the first question you’ve asked that isn’t about where the company intends to put me."

Fair.

Alexander leaned back.

"All right. What do you want?"

Vincent considered his answer.

"I want to stay with Vance Holdings during your leave."

That was surprisingly easy.

"You don’t want to come with me?"

"No."

Alexander stared at him.

Vincent stared back.

"That was quick."

"You told Elias not to make his decision out of gratitude."

"I did."

"Does that principle only apply to drivers?"

Alexander’s mouth closed.

"No."

"Good."

Alexander couldn’t even be offended.

Well, he could.

It simply wouldn’t be reasonable.

"Why stay?"

"Because I’ve built a career here."

Vincent gestured faintly around them.

"I know this company. I know the executives, the Board procedures, and how the divisions communicate. I’ve spent years developing relationships that have value beyond arranging your schedule."

"I know that."

"I know you know. But if I leave with you now, I’d be walking away from all of that when neither of us even knows what you’re doing five months from now."

Alexander nodded slowly.

That was precisely the argument he’d made to Elias.

Vincent simply reached a different conclusion.

"What if I need an assistant?"

"You probably will."

"Very supportive."

"You can hire one."

Alexander looked offended.

Vincent continued before he could complain.

"You need someone for your personal affairs and Second Life Workshop. That’s not necessarily the same job I’ve been doing at Vance Holdings."

That was true too.

Alexander was beginning to dislike how much sense everyone around him had started making.

"What if I return?"

"Then we talk."

"About you coming back?"

"Yes."

"And if you don’t want to?"

"Then I’ll tell you."

Alexander studied him.

Something unexpectedly strange about imagining himself returning to the CEO’s office without Vincent there.

He’d grown accustomed to thinking of certain people as fixed parts of his life.

Joe had already taught him that wasn’t true.

Apparently, he hadn’t entirely learned the lesson.

"And if I don’t return as CEO?" Alexander asked.

Vincent’s expression became more thoughtful.

"Then I decide what Vance Holdings can offer me."

"You’d stay?"

"If there’s somewhere for me to grow."

"And if there isn’t?"

"Then I’ll consider other opportunities."

Alexander frowned.

"With another company?"

"Possibly."

That somehow sounded worse than Vincent working for the interim CEO.

"You could work for me."

Vincent smiled faintly.

"Doing what?"

Alexander opened his mouth.

Then stopped.

Excellent question.

Alexander had Second Life Workshop, investments, and personal affairs, but none currently required the level of executive support Vincent provided at Vance Holdings.

"I don’t know yet."

"Exactly."

Alexander laughed quietly.

"So Elias chooses me, and you choose Vance Holdings."

"For the next five months."

"Should I be offended?"

"Would it help?"

"No."

"Then probably not."

Alexander looked at him for a moment, then nodded.

"Stay."

Vincent’s eyebrows rose.

"That sounded suspiciously like permission."

"It wasn’t."

"Good."

Alexander corrected himself.

"I think staying is the sensible choice."

"So do I."

"And I won’t expect you to keep doing work for me privately while Vance Holdings is paying you."

That mattered.

If Vincent remained a corporate employee, Alexander couldn’t casually send him Second Life Workshop paperwork because it was convenient.

"If I need help outside Vance Holdings, I’ll hire someone."

Vincent nodded approvingly.

"Look at you."

"What?"

"Learning boundaries."

Alexander glared at him.

"Don’t ruin it."

Vincent closed the folder.

One thing still bothered Alexander.

"If I don’t come back and there’s no position here that you want, would you actually consider working for me?"

Vincent regarded him carefully.

"Would you have a real job to offer?"

"Yes."

"You don’t know that."

"I could create one."

"That’s not the same thing."

Alexander fell silent.

Vincent wasn’t looking for charity.

He certainly didn’t need Alexander to invent an impressive title just because he disliked the idea of losing him.

"If you have something you’re genuinely building," Vincent continued, "and you need someone with my experience, ask me then."

"And you’ll say yes?"

"I’ll consider it."

Alexander frowned.

"Elias was easier."

"Elias likes you more."

"That was unnecessary."

Vincent stood and gathered the folders.

Alexander watched him.

"So that’s it?"

"For now."

"You stay at Vance Holdings."

"Yes."

"I take my leave."

"Yes."

"And five months from now?"

Vincent stopped at the door.

Alexander waited.

Vincent glanced back at him.

"Five months from now, you tell me what you’re doing."

Alexander frowned.

"And then?"

"Then I’ll tell you whether I want to work for you again."

With that, Vincent walked out.

Alexander remained behind his desk.

For several seconds, he stared at the closed door.

Then he reached for his phone.

Apparently, before his five-month leave officially began, Alexander Vance needed to add one more item to his list.

Find an assistant.