"Then update it."
"I have updated it."
"Then why is it still labeled preliminary?"
"Because the acquisition assumptions haven't been independently verified."
Victoria stared at her.
"Are you questioning the strategy team's judgment?"
"I'm questioning whether the report should be presented as final before the verification is complete."
For a moment, the corridor became uncomfortably quiet.
Victoria stepped closer.
"Let me explain something to you, Sophia. Your job is to provide accurate figures, not to create obstacles for people responsible for making decisions."
"My job is to provide accurate figures."
"Then do it without unnecessary commentary."
Victoria walked away.
Sophia watched her go, then exhaled slowly.
She had joined Whitmore International five years earlier as a junior financial analyst. Her first manager had praised her attention to detail, but her career had stalled after she challenged an executive forecast that later proved inaccurate.
She had learned that honesty was valued in company speeches and frequently punished in company meetings.
That afternoon, she carried a folder into the conference room and discovered Adrian sitting alone near the window.
He was studying a printed spreadsheet.
"Excuse me," she said. "Are you Mr. Cole?"
He looked up.
"Yes."
"I'm Sophia Bennett. Finance department."
"Nice to meet you."
She placed the folder on the table.
"I was asked to deliver the supporting documents for the Northstar review."
"Thank you."
Adrian opened the folder and examined the first page.
Sophia hesitated.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How did you identify the liability discrepancy so quickly?"
"I read the supporting documents."
"Most people read the executive summary."
"That explains why most people miss the supporting documents."
Sophia smiled despite herself.
Then she became serious.
"The figures you presented this morning are correct. I submitted the revised estimates three weeks ago."
"Who received them?"
"The acquisition team, the chief financial officer, and Mr. Blackwood's office."
"Did anyone instruct you to remove them?"
Sophia looked toward the door.
"I was told the figures were still being reviewed."
"By whom?"
"Ethan Blackwood's deputy."
"Do you have that instruction in writing?"
"Yes."
Adrian closed the folder.
"Keep a copy somewhere secure. Don't alter anything, and don't forward confidential information outside the authorized review process."
Sophia looked surprised.
"You don't want me to send you the emails?"
"Not unless the review process authorizes it. If the information matters, we can request it through the proper channels."
She studied him.
"You're different from the other executives."
"That isn't necessarily a compliment."
"It is from me."
Adrian smiled.
Sophia glanced at his suit.
"Can I ask one more question?"
"You can ask."
"Why do you let them treat you like that?"
"Like what?"
"Like you're somebody who wandered in from the street."
Adrian considered the question.
"Because their reaction tells me something useful."
"What?"
"Who they become when they think the person in front of them has nothing to offer."
Sophia looked down at her folder.
"I suppose that tells you quite a lot about this place."
"More than they realize."
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Sophia gathered her tablet.
"Good luck with the review, Mr. Cole."
"Thank you, Ms. Bennett."
She reached the door before turning back.
"One thing."
"Yes?"
"If you discover that the numbers were deliberately changed, don't let them blame the analysts who prepared the original reports."
Adrian's expression softened.
"I won't."
Sophia left the room.
Adrian watched the door close.
For the first time since entering Whitmore International, he felt that somebody inside the company might be willing to help him uncover the truth.
But he also understood the danger.
Sophia had already challenged Victoria once.
If the investigation exposed wrongdoing, she could become a target long before the people responsible faced consequences.
He wrote her name in his notebook.
Then, beneath it, he added a reminder:
Protect the people who tell the truth.
The invitation arrived at four thirty that afternoon.
It came from Victoria Hayes, who requested Adrian's presence at a private dinner at the Ashford Club, an exclusive restaurant overlooking Central Park.
The message was brief.
Mr. Cole, I believe we should resolve our differences in a more appropriate setting. Dinner at seven?
Adrian read it twice.
Then he called Daniel.
"Victoria wants to have dinner."
"How generous."
"She says she wants to resolve our differences."
Daniel laughed.
"Then you should absolutely go. I would hate for you to miss the opportunity to be insulted over a three-hundred-dollar steak."
At seven, Adrian arrived at the restaurant wearing his charcoal-gray suit.
The doorman examined him, then checked the reservation list.
"Mr. Cole?"
"Yes."
"Right this way."
The dining room was elegant and quiet, with dark wood paneling, crystal glasses, and windows overlooking the illuminated park.
Victoria sat at a table near the center.
Ethan Blackwood was beside her.
Three other executives occupied the remaining seats.
Victoria smiled when Adrian approached.
"Mr. Cole. You came."
"You invited me."
She gestured toward the empty chair.
"Please sit."
Adrian took his seat.
A waiter approached with a wine list.