Chapter 14 - Rebecca Takes the Chair
Rebecca entered Mercer Strategic on Monday morning without Daniel beside her.
Employees noticed.
Some whispered.
Others looked worried.
She understood why.
To them, she was not Rebecca.
She was the founder's wife.
The woman from charity galas.
The woman whose photographs appeared in holiday newsletters.
They did not know she had spent fifteen years managing a diversified investment portfolio worth more than Daniel's remaining stake in the company.
They did not know she had served quietly on two nonprofit finance committees.
They did not know she had advised her father's family office on acquisitions before marrying Daniel.
Daniel had loved telling people Rebecca “wasn't interested in business.”
Rebecca had eventually stopped correcting him.
At nine, the senior leadership team gathered.
Evan Brooks sat near her.
Arthur Levin introduced her.
“Rebecca Mercer will serve as interim executive chair during the review period.”
A few faces changed.
Rebecca stood.
“I know some of you are wondering whether I'm here because of my marriage.”
No one answered.
“You should wonder.”
She paused.
“Because I would.”
That broke some of the tension.
Rebecca continued.
“I am not here to run client accounts.”
“I am not here to pretend I know jobs I have never done.”
“I am here to protect liquidity, preserve payroll, restore lender confidence, and make sure this company stops hiding from numbers it doesn't like.”
Evan almost smiled.
Rebecca opened a folder.
“No executive bonuses.”
“No discretionary acquisitions.”
“No private aircraft.”
“No unapproved consulting agreements.”
One partner raised his hand.
“What about layoffs?”
Rebecca looked at him.
“We are not cutting junior employees while senior partners keep full bonuses.”
The room went still.
That sentence traveled through the company within fifteen minutes.
By lunchtime, Rebecca had become the most discussed person in the building.
By three, three major clients had called asking whether Mercer Strategic was stable.
Rebecca personally joined each conversation.
She did not lie.
“We have problems.”
She told one client.
“But we are confronting them.”
Daniel had always believed confidence required certainty.
Rebecca discovered that people sometimes trusted honesty more.
At five thirty, security called.
Daniel was downstairs.
Rebecca frowned.
“He isn't permitted on executive floors.”
“He says he wants personal items from his office.”
Rebecca considered refusing.
Then she changed her mind.
“Send him up with security.”
Daniel entered twenty minutes later.
He saw Rebecca sitting in his chair.
Something flashed across his face.
Pain.
Humiliation.
Anger.
“Enjoying yourself?”
Rebecca looked up.
“No.”
Daniel laughed.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
He walked toward the desk.
“You always wanted this.”
Rebecca stood.
“No.”
She stepped around the desk.
“I wanted a husband.”
Daniel's expression changed.
Rebecca continued.
“You were the one who wanted a throne.”
Daniel looked toward the windows.
For once, he had no answer.
He collected a framed photograph of Michael.
Then another of Rebecca.
He stared at it.
Rebecca watched him.
“You can take that too.”
Daniel looked at her.
“I don't know why.”
May you like
Rebecca's voice softened.
“Maybe someday you will.”
