"Good morning, Ms. Whitmore."
Vanessa stepped onto the sidewalk without looking at him.
"Morning."
Her eyes moved toward the entrance.
She frowned.
One of the glass doors had fingerprints near the handle.
"Unbelievable," she muttered.
Inside the lobby, a middle-aged custodian named Mr. Alvarez was replacing a trash liner beside the reception desk.
Vanessa approached him sharply.
"Why is that entrance filthy?"
Mr. Alvarez turned.
"Good morning, ma'am. I just finished the east side. I'll get that glass next."
"You should have done it before people arrived."
"I'm sorry. We had a spill upstairs and—"
"I didn't ask for your life story."
The man lowered his eyes.
"Yes, ma'am."
Vanessa pointed toward the glass doors.
"I want that cleaned immediately."
"Of course."
As Mr. Alvarez moved away, Vanessa noticed a yellow cleaning cart parked beside a marble column.
A bottle of glass cleaner sat on its upper shelf.
She grabbed it.
Then she marched toward reception.
"Where is Melissa?"
The receptionist, a young woman named Hannah Brooks, looked up nervously.
"Melissa is assisting with the executive conference rooms."
"Then tell her to stop whatever she's doing and come downstairs."
"Yes, Ms. Whitmore."
Vanessa placed her handbag on the counter.
"And someone needs to explain why the lobby looks like a bus station."
Hannah glanced around the spotless marble floor.
She said nothing.
Experience had taught her that disagreeing with Vanessa usually made things worse.
Several nearby employees lowered their heads as Vanessa continued criticizing the morning preparations.
She complained about the lighting.
The flowers.
The coffee station.
Even the color of the visitor badges.
By 8:10, everyone at reception knew she was in a terrible mood.
At 8:17, Evelyn Carter entered the building.
She walked through the revolving doors carrying a slim black leather portfolio and her phone.
Her burgundy suit was elegant but understated.
She wore no dramatic jewelry.
Her only accessory was a small gold necklace that had belonged to her mother.
She paused just inside the entrance.
The lobby looked beautiful.
White marble floors.
Tall glass windows.
Fresh flowers arranged on a long reception counter.
Employees crossing beneath a giant digital display that read:
WELCOME TO MERIDIAN GLOBAL SOLUTIONS.
But appearances were not why she had come.
Evelyn wanted to understand the atmosphere.
She watched a junior employee thank the security guard.
She noticed a woman kneel briefly to pick up a dropped folder for an older visitor.
She smiled.
Then she saw Mr. Alvarez cleaning the entrance.
The man's shoulders looked tired.
His hands moved carefully across the glass.
Evelyn approached him.
"Good morning."
Mr. Alvarez turned.
"Good morning, ma'am."
"That's a lot of glass to clean."
He chuckled softly.
"Twenty-six floors' worth of it, if you count all the windows upstairs."
"How long have you worked here?"
"Six years."
"Do you like it?"
The question surprised him.
He glanced toward the reception desk before answering.
"Most days."
Evelyn noticed the hesitation.
"Only most days?"
Mr. Alvarez studied her face.
He seemed to be deciding whether the question was genuine.
"It's good work," he finally said. "And some people here are very kind."
"Some?"
Before he could answer, a sharp voice echoed from reception.
"Excuse me!"
Vanessa Whitmore was pointing toward them.
"You. In the burgundy suit."
Evelyn turned.
Vanessa strode across the lobby, the glass-cleaner bottle still in her hand.
"Are you the new cleaning supervisor?"
Evelyn blinked.
"I'm sorry?"
"The cleaning supervisor. Are you filling in for Melissa?"
"No."
Vanessa looked her up and down.
Her eyes moved from Evelyn's dark curls to her burgundy jacket and black blouse.
"Then why are you standing around talking to the cleaning staff?"
Evelyn remained composed.
"Because I wanted to say good morning."
Vanessa gave a short, contemptuous laugh.
"How sweet."
Mr. Alvarez stepped forward.
"Ms. Whitmore, I can—"
"Nobody asked you."
He stopped.
Evelyn looked at Vanessa.
"There's no need to speak to him that way."
For a brief moment, Vanessa seemed stunned.
Then her expression hardened.
"Excuse me?"
"I said there's no need to speak to him that way."
Vanessa took a step closer.
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"
Evelyn's voice stayed level.
"Do you?"
Vanessa's eyes widened.
Behind the reception counter, Hannah stopped moving.
She knew that tone.
Vanessa's voice became high and sharp whenever someone challenged her.