"How old are you Miss Da-Silva?" The man that asked the question was in his fifties by the name of Isaac-John. He was the Empire's Chief Business Officer (CBO).
"Excuse me?..." Emma replied, confused about his purpose for asking her such a question
"I asked you about your age..."
"I heard you the first time, I just don't see how my age is relevant in this meeting because the same question wasn't directed to Mr. Yusuf. Why even ask me in the presence of everyone here when you could easily find out from my file anyway?"
"Well, I asked because you seemed immature and you lack respect for your elders..."
Emma raised her brow in wonder when she heard what the man said to her
"And you asked why my question was relevant?... Well, It is relevant because I want everybody here, including the chairman himself, to see why maturity is important in an organization as big as the Salvadorian Empire.
Even though I can't say who those that write the petition against the CEO are, I am surprised that the chairman is taking it personal.
Petition is appealing to people in authority in respect of a particular cause. I mean it is normal in an organization as big as the Salvadorian Empire when the person the petition was written against was performing way below expectations.
Leo was annoyed. Not because of the petition talk but because of Emma. He wanted to say something in her defense when he heard the CBO say she was immature and lacked respect but he was quickly stopped by Paul.
"Don't be biased Leo!
"How am I being biased?... He deliberately disrespected her in the presence of everyone!"
"Yes, don't be biased! You cannot pick a side simply because she's your wife! Outside the Empire, you can defend her all you want but in here?... Let her show them she's equal to the task, that despite her age she deserves to be here!
This is an executive meeting and they are both executives of their various departments. He's not higher than her in position... Plus, the man's questions may be out of line to us, but it doesn't seem so to the other executives. Can't you see the look of approval on their faces?
Remember we are here to prove a point that we are right in hiring them and the executives are also here to prove their own point too. Besides, respect is earned not just given, so allow her to earn herself the respect she deserves... And in my opinion, she's doing great so far."
Leo agreed with the points made by Paul. He looked towards Emma, hoping to catch her eyes with his, to give her some kind of encouragement but she wasn't looking in his direction. He saw her looking towards his grandfather for some seconds before she turned towards the condescending man that wanted to bring her down in the presence of everyone.
Hearing what the man that had the name 'Isaac-John. The Chief of Business Officer written on a small plaque placed in front of him said about her, got Emma angry.
'Is he looking to embarrass me in front of everyone?' She wondered. She looked towards the Chairman and saw him lazily looking at both of them with a blank expression on his face.
'Okay, if he's not going to say anything about it then I guess I'll have to handle this old school the best way I deem fit.' Emma thought and focused her attention on Isaac-John.
"Even though I'm sure you're aware of my age, Mr. Isaac-John, I am going to answer your questions anyway just to put whatever dislike you all might have towards me at rest... And I hope the last part of your question about the petition wasn't meant for me, right because I don't know how to answer that.
So as for my age, I'm twenty years old. And it's so surprising how a man as learned as you would consider a twenty year old woman immature when the law of this country clearly confirmed that I've been mature since two years back when I was eighteen."
Emma's first point got all the executive members, who had all their attention focused on her before to direct their gazes toward Isaac-John. They wanted to know how he would react to the valid point she just made. But the man had no words to counter her. Just a deep frown that marred his somewhat intelligent face.
"And I just couldn't help but wonder, Mr. Isaac-John, is this your maturity and lack of respect questions really because of my age or because I didn't grovel at your feet when I introduced myself moments ago?...
I don't understand Mr. Isaac-John and perhaps you would like to enlighten me... Is it part of the law here at the Salvadorian Empire that I'm not aware of that says I have to kiss your ass because I'm a woman or because I'm way younger?
"Watch your mouth Miss Da-Silva!..." Isaac-John who couldn't hold his temper in any longer snapped at Emma
"No, you watch your mouth Mr. Isaac-John, respect is reciprocal!... Emma also snapped back, raising her voice to match his. She refused to be cowered by him simply because he was old enough to be her father.
"I may be younger than you Mr. Isaac-John, but to the best of my knowledge, my being younger doesn't change my position from your colleague to your subordinate!... And the Empire's employee code of conduct explains which behaviors are, and are not permitted by employees towards each other...
Bullying, harassment, intimidation, belittling others, undermining a person's performance, spreading gossip to hurt a person's reputation, or making offensive gestures or comments to mention just a few are considered inappropriate.
You calling me immature and saying I lack respect even when I've never had any personal dealings with you is synonymous with bullying, harassment, intimidation, belittling, and undermining and I hope it won't happen again!
I deserve to be here, Mr. Isaac-John, just as I believe you deserve to be here, otherwise, we both won't be sitting in this meeting right now."
Emma turned towards the chairman then...
"And I hope sir, that you would help address this issue to avoid future occurrences!" Emma sat back in her seat when she was done speaking.
The silence after Emma made herself clear was somewhat thick and uncomfortable. The other executive members who had support in their eyes for Isaac-John before now look down at the open files on their table, shuffling papers and looking for what was not lost within the pages of calculations and minutes of the meeting.
Except for Isaac-John whose face was hard as granite and couldn't look at anyone but into space. The other executive members now had respect in their eyes toward Emma. Yusuf and Nicholas who were near her age range were awed by her courage and boldness.
Leo leaned back in his executive chair, rolling his pen in between his fingers while basking in the ambiance of the uncomfortable thick silence that had come to settle around them.
Aderinsola who pretended to be looking through some files allowed the awkward silence to go on for some fifteen seconds. Allowing Isaac-John to save face but it seems the man now had nothing to say.
It was then he removed his reading glasses to continue the meeting.
"We all know that Miss Da-Silva is right about the employee's code of conduct and I would like to apologize to you, Miss Da-Silva on behalf of the Chief Business Officer.
And as long as you're a staff of this Empire, I don't care if you're in a high position, if you own a share in the company, or if you're a member of the board of directors. The code still applies to you. Any employee who goes against the code will get a warning for the first occurrence of a less-serious violation, but they would get a more severe consequence for another occurrence of the same behavior so I hope I made myself clear.
Now let's move to the next agenda on the list. The cash flow statement files. Miss Da-Silva, your department was already a week behind schedule. Is the report ready now?
Yes, sir, we have it already." Emma said moving to the front of the room with her laptop while Nicholas distribute the files that would be needed to the executives