Richard was still staring at me.
I could see him trying to understand why I was sitting at the head of the table.
He glanced at Rebecca.
Then at the other executives.
Nobody seemed surprised by my presence.
That appeared to confuse him even more.
I opened the folder in front of me.
"Let's begin."
The chief operating officer, James Miller, nodded.
"Good morning, Margaret."
"Good morning, James."
A few other executives greeted me.
Richard slowly pushed his chair backward.
"Excuse me," he said. "I think there's been some confusion."
I looked at him.
"What kind of confusion?"
He gestured toward the head of the table.
"I was expecting the ownership representative."
I folded my hands.
"You were expecting me."
His expression changed.
"You're…?"
"Margaret Collins."
He looked at Rebecca.
Then back at me.
I watched him put the pieces together.
The name on the building.
The name on the company reports.
The name he had spoken so proudly at dinner.
His mouth opened slightly.
"You're the owner?"
"I'm the founder and principal owner of Collins Industrial Holdings."
Nobody laughed.
Nobody moved.
Richard lowered himself into his chair.
I gave him a moment.
Then I continued.
"Mr. Whitmore, you mentioned on Friday that you had practically built this company."
He swallowed.
"I was speaking generally."
"I see."
I opened the first report.
"Perhaps we can begin by discussing the actual condition of the division you manage."
Richard straightened his tie.
"Certainly."
James presented the quarterly performance figures.
The division had produced strong revenue.
Richard seemed pleased when those numbers appeared on the screen.
He even smiled.
"Our results demonstrate how effectively we've managed the operation."
I listened.
Then I turned to Rebecca.
"Please show the employee retention figures."
The next slide appeared.
The room became quieter.
The division had lost more employees than expected.
Several experienced supervisors had resigned.
Recruitment costs had increased.
Training expenses had risen.
Richard leaned forward.
"We've experienced normal turnover."
James looked at him.
"The rate is considerably above the company average."
"That's because we're operating in a demanding environment."
I turned a page.
"What about the internal complaints?"
Richard's smile disappeared.
"What complaints?"
Rebecca opened her notes.
"Several employees raised concerns about management conduct and communication."
"Those complaints were exaggerated."
"Have you personally reviewed them?" I asked.
"Of course."
"All of them?"
He hesitated.
"I believe so."
Rebecca placed another document on the table.
"Some were never formally addressed."
Richard looked down.
I noticed his fingers moving against the edge of his notebook.
I had seen that nervous habit before in people who knew they were losing control of a conversation.
I didn't enjoy seeing it.
But I wasn't going to ignore the information.
"Mr. Whitmore, how do you explain the increase in employee departures?"
He cleared his throat.
"People leave for many reasons."
"Certainly."
I turned another page.
"But when experienced employees repeatedly mention the same management problems, we need to understand why."
He nodded stiffly.
"Of course."
I looked around the room.
"This company was built on the work of ordinary people. Production workers, warehouse staff, drivers, supervisors, and office employees."
Nobody interrupted.
"They are not disposable simply because they don't sit in executive offices."
Richard stared at the table.
I remembered his joke about the toilets.
I remembered Vanessa laughing.
But I pushed those memories aside.
This meeting needed to be about more than one unpleasant evening.
"Rebecca, please continue."
She presented the expense report.
Several departmental costs had increased unexpectedly.
There were questions about certain administrative entries.
The supporting documentation was incomplete in a few areas.
Richard immediately began explaining.
"Those expenses relate to operational requirements."
"Which requirements?" I asked.
He named several projects.
Rebecca checked her notes.
"Some of those projects do not appear in the submitted records."
Richard shifted in his seat.
"Perhaps the documentation hasn't been updated."
"Then we'll need the missing records."
"Certainly."
I closed the folder.
"Mr. Whitmore, I want a complete explanation of these expenses."
"Absolutely."
"With supporting documentation."
"Of course."
"And I want the employee complaints reviewed independently."
He nodded.
The confidence he had brought into the room was gone.
I looked toward James.
"Until the review is complete, I want the division's reporting procedures monitored more closely."
James agreed.
Richard finally looked directly at me.
"May I speak privately with you afterward?"
I considered his request.
"We can discuss appropriate matters through the executive office."
He nodded.
I wasn't interested in a private conversation designed to turn an official review into a personal negotiation.
The meeting continued for another hour.
Several department heads provided updates.
I asked questions.
Rebecca recorded the decisions.
By the time we finished, Richard had stopped trying to dominate the conversation.
He gathered his papers slowly.
I stood.
"Thank you, everyone."
The executives began leaving.
Richard remained seated.
I looked at him.
"Mr. Whitmore?"
He stood quickly.
"Yes, Mrs. Collins."
"Your division's review will continue. Please cooperate fully."
"Yes."
I picked up my handbag.
"And one more thing."
He looked at me.
"Respect for employees is not optional here."
His face tightened.
"I understand."
I left the room with Rebecca.
For the first time that morning, I felt tired.
Not because of the meeting.
Because I had seen how easily someone could confuse authority with importance.
And I wondered how many people inside that company had been made to feel as small as Richard had tried to make me feel.
Click here to continue reading: PART 6: The First Employee Who Spoke Honestly About Richard Was Not an Executive, and Her Words Changed the Direction of the Review
The Evening My Future Daughter-in-Law’s Father Mistook My Quiet Life for a Reason to Humiliate Me
Part 5 of 24
