I'm walking into the elevator when I hear my name being called. I turn and find Sybil Gray catching up to me. I fight the desire to roll my eyes and ask plainly, "Good morning, Ms. Gray. Is there something I can help you with?"
"I'm going to need the Park and Tan contract corrected by the end of the day. I have these, " She pulls out some papers from her briefcase, handing them over, "with the necessary corrections."
"Very well. Did you by chance send a copy to my offices?"
"I did. However, the note I received from Scott only ten minutes ago, said he had other items he needed to prioritize and would do it once his time was made available again. If Park and Tan don't see the new contract written up properly, we'll lose this deal. That's a forty million dollar contract that we could lose out on."
"Don't worry Ms. Gray. My team will handle it and it will be returned to you by the end of the day." I tell her.
She doesn't say anything more as we arrive at her floor and she steps off. The next floor up is mine and I exit and head to my office and send a message to Scott to have him come into my office.
After I asked Scott about his conversation with Sybil, I inform him of what she said. She had made it seem like he was intentionally snubbing her request when he merely I formed her of his personal workload and that someone else on the team would have to take it on. I had checked the message and it did indeed say that and I rubbed my temples in frustration. I sent him to Anna to get it done and I began my own work.
At lunch time, I was enjoying my food in my office to get some more work done when my phone went off.
-Hello. How is your Monday behaving?-
I respond to Ethan.
-Its a monday.-
-Ouch. That bad?-
-No, just busy and a fellow colleague likes to find ways to get under my skin subtly enough she can't get in trouble for it.-
-I'm sorry, that sucks.-
-I will survive. How's your day?-
-Its not bad, but I wanted to say thank you again for having breakfast with me.-
-Not a problem. I have been enjoying my time catching back up with you.-
-About that. I had a question for you.-
-Asking the question will get you farther than informing me that you have one.-
-haha. Smart ass.-
I chuckle at his response.
-May I take you to dinner this Friday night?-
I pause, this seems like a formal question.
-Like a date?-
I wait a minute for his response before he responds.
-Yes.-
I hesitate to answer and then a knock comes at my office door.
I raise my head and it's Anna. "Hello, Melita. I finished the contract for Ms. Gray. If you would like to look it over before I take it to her?"
"Yes, Anna. That was fast." I remark taking it from her and reading through it.
"It looked like a lot of changes needed to be made but it was all simple things, a little tedious but simple." She informs me.
"Hmmm... " I don't respond and look at everything she noted in the copy she gave me and the new copy. I wasn't going to let a slip up cause any issues and with her finishing before the end of the day, it gave us time if she tried to pull something.
I double check and open the file she had sent to Scott and start checking there too.
I'm checking running through each section when I spot a subtle word change. Then another one pops up and then another.
"That sneaky bitch." I mutter under my breath.
"I'm sorry? What's wrong Melita?" Anna looks concerned.
I raise my eyes to meet Anna's, "Did you pull this copy up to fix using the database file in the system or the one in the forwarded memo?" I ask just to clarify.
"From the database, like we would do normally with these things."
I purse my lips knowing that's exactly what she wanted.
"This contract according to the database file makes it to where we would be paying them to fulfill this contract not them paying us." I inform her .
She gasps in horror. "I didn't even catch it."
"Why would you have? It's not in a section you needed to correct. This is an 80 million dollar contract, we would have both been fired for this mistake. Probably, never would have been able to find a job again, not for this sort of blunder."
I shake my head in disbelief. "I will handle this from here, Anna. Thank you for helping this far and having me review it before just sending it over to her. I'm going to be busy for the next few hours while I find a way to deal with this, enjoy your lunch." I dismiss her and immediately pick up my phone to contact Eric.
"Ms. Xenos. You're calling me on our lunch, is there a problem?" He inquires.
"Yes, Mr. Dornell. I need to speak with you and show you what almost happened that could have cost us 80 million." I inform him.
"What..?!"
"Yes sir. Are you in your office?" I inquire.
"Yes, I am. I'll inform my secretary and you can just come in."
We hang up and I'm taking the copies with me and heading upstairs.
When I'm in his office showing him what was sent via office memo and then the contract with the database number in it, he looks a little confused.
"See, the data base file that was sent to us is correct, minus the corrections that she made on paper. It states in her message she'd be giving that to us in person. However, when we're given a physical form, we automatically pull up the database file associated with the physical copy because that should be the most recent copy if that's what is being used. However in the file that's associated with the physical copy, changes are made that would obligate us to pay them for the work we do. Not the other way around. "
"What?! How did this get by anyone? How old is this copy?" He asks referring to the one with the changes.
"That's the thing sir, this copy was made Friday night after any one from my department should not be here. See the time stamp in the database?" I point it out to him. "I believe it was intentionally done this way to cause the company some serious legal battles and to point the finger at me and my department over."
"That's a pretty big accusation, Ms. Xenos."
He sighs, "However, I do see your reasoning. Did you check to see whos computer this file was saved from and who was using that computer?"
"Not yet sir, but I will before the end of the day."
"Make sure that you do. We will need that information before bringing it forward to the board. Make sure you have everything documented."
I pull out my phone and snap a picture of the database file pulled up on Eric's computer and make sure the database file time stamp is visible.
"I'm going to give her the correct contract with all her corrections, personally. I'm going to see what becomes of this. I just wanted you to be informed."
"Very well, Ms. Xenos. Did you inform HR?"
"No sir. I brought it to you first."
"Alright. Let's see what happens. I think you documenting and photographing things will give you enough evidence to use if she tries anything funny. Make sure you send her the new contract via office memo and create a new database file for it."
"I will sir."
I head back down to my office and immediately get to work, not able to spare a minute for anything else with the amount of work needing to be done. I had a member of my team, Greg call someone from IT to come and fix an issue with one of our computers. I had the IT guy sign an NDA and then had him find out which computer had made the file.
Time seemed to fly by and I was worried I'd not get it all finished. I get it done though. Taking pictures of everything before I finish. Documenting everything. I then personally take the hard copy to Sybils office and once I'm right outside I have Anna send it to Sybil.
"Ms. Gray. Here's the contract you needed. I hope everything is in order. I checked and all the changes you noted were made, so it should all be satisfactory."
"Thank you, Ms. Xenos. You didn't have to bring it yourself." Sybil states, blank faced.
"I'm on my way out and I remembered you said you needed it by the end of the day. So here it is " I turn and leave, waiting until I'm in the lobby to smile widely.
I get into my Uher and pull out my phone. I have two missed calls from Brian, Sarina's husband and one from Sarina.
Shit.
I immediately call Brian's office and his secretary answers.
"Dr. Hullers office."
"Hello, my name is Melita Xenos. I had an appointment with Dr. Huller today and missed it. I need to reschedule. I had an emergency at work."
"Oh, yes. He left a message for you if you called. He's already left for the hospital today. One moment.... It says here to call his wife."
"Oh okay. Thank you."
I hang up and call Sarina. "Hello?"
"Hey. I'm so sorry about missing my appointment with Brian today. One of my coworkers decided to pull some shady shit and I had to handle it."
Sarina sighs, "It's fine. Brian said to come over for dinner and you two can talk afterwards."
She sounds exhausted.
"Are you okay?" I ask her.
"No, I'm fucking the size of a beached whale and the babies won't let me get comfortable to sleep."
"Alright, I'm coming over now. I can help you make dinner, let you get off your feet."
"You'll do that for me?" Her time brightens, "Thank you, Mel. I really appreciate it."
I give the Uher the new destination and I'm taken to their brand new home in Preston Hollow. It was gorgeous and had a storybook cottage aesthetic to it.
When I knocked, I heard Sarina over the doorbell to come on inside. I walked in and found Sarina laying on the couch her feet up and groaning.
"Oh my gosh! Sarina are you alright?" I ran over to her and she grimaced.
"Braxton hicks contractions. Plus the babies keep stretching and moving making me have to waddle as fast as I can to the bathroom or wear a diaper so I don't pee on myself. My back hurts, my feet and ankles are swollen. I can't go anywhere because I'm too far to drive and I'm done with being fucking pregnant." She huffs. "So tell me what this cunt at work did to you."
She motions for me to sit and I start explaining to her.
"...it would have cost the company 80 million and it would have been my job and some of my team members jobs if I didn't feel like something wasn't right and checked it."
Sarina had been a perfect audience for me explaining. "That bitch! Please tell me you have a way to get back at her?!"
"Oh I do. I documented all the evidence, my boss is aware and I made sure to get her the copy that's not going to fuck me and my team over. We're waiting to see how this all plays out."
"Good for you. Come on, we need to start on dinner." She motions for me to help her up off the couch and we make our way to the kitchen.
We're halfway through making dinner when I insist that Sarina sit down and put her feet up. No sooner does she, does the garage door open and Brian comes walking in.
"Oh. Hello." He pauses seeing me making dinner instead of Sarina.
"I'm over here. Not like you should be able to miss the good year blimp deflating over here." Sarina groans.
"Oh stop it, I think you're beautiful and beauty is in the eye of the beholder." He walks over to Sarina and gives her a quick but deep kiss. I hear their whispered I love yous to each other and my heart pangs missing Jackson.
I finish up the cooking as I inform Brian about what happened and why I missed my appointment.
"Alright. Well let's eat and I'll help Sarina into the bedroom before I get started with you." Brian informs me and I thank him for taking time from his home life for me.