Offer To The CEO

Monday, continued ...

Anna, and Jodie with Hou Yi and the bodyguards accompanying them entered the work area of ANX. With Jodie's help, the bodyguards stated to sort out the gifts Anna had brought for everyone.

Right on 1:45pm, Stan Williams called the staff meeting to order "Apologise to everyone for cutting short their lunchbreak today, but as promised you can all finish 15 minutes earlier on Friday. We have a couple of announcements that need to be made." Stan Williams paused and signalled to Anna and Hou Yi to come to the front of the group.

"Most of you know Anna and are aware that she was on leave to travel to Country X with Lu Jinhu to get married. For several reasons, which will not be discussed as they are personal, she did not marry Lu Jinhu, but Hou Yi. Some of you in the commercial team know CEO Hou, due to our representation of his family company Hou Enterprises Australian subsidiary HOUENT. Given her marriage, Anna will be permanently relocating to Country X, but not permanently leaving us."

"The partners have agreed, given the increased activities of HOUENT in Australia, that it is advantageous for us, HOUENT and Hou Enterprises for Anna to deal with much of the paperwork as possible in Country X, minimising CEO Hou's need to travel to Australia. It is only part time, as being the CEO's wife Anna will have other responsibilities in addition to training to become a qualified lawyer in Country X. That will provide us with opportunities we can offer to our clients investing into Country X, as well as securing new clients from there."

"More importantly for all of you who rely on her assistance to draft documents, part of the agreement is if insufficient work exists for Hou Enterprises and the other work we hope to attract in the long term, she can help in drafting affidavits and other documents. You simply will have to upload the information after getting partner approval to have her do this."

"Now we come to the concerning part. You all know the rules on restricted access files. On Thursday a restricted access file was created with Anna's name on it. Since then several you have attempted to access it. This is your one and only warning about restricted access files, which as you all know have their access restricted for good reasons."

"Any further attempts to access this or other restricted access files will result in a written warning. Some of you have two written warnings already and as you know three written warnings on this will see your employment terminated immediately. You cannot say that you have not been warned. And more importantly to prevent any future problems, a firm wide email will be sent with respect to any future restricted access files. No warnings will be given."

After a brief pause, Stan Williams looked to Anna and Hou Yi, and continued "Now Anna is there anything you want to say?"

"I do not have much to add. This is a hard farewell to make to all of you as I have enjoyed working in this office. As Mr Williams said I am not leaving the firm, simply changing the way in which I work, so I am always an email away. Please do not ask me about what happened to my relationship with Lu Jinhu and my marriage as it is between us and does not impact anyone here."

Anna paused and indicated to the table at the back of the room where the bodyguards had put the boxes containing the gifts on the table. She continued "Now as most of you know when I travel into Asia, I always bring gifts back. They are in the boxes on the table. There should be enough for everyone to have two gifts, one as my usually I've been on holiday gift and the other is my see you in the future gift, so take a couple of gifts each."

Stan Williams stepped back to speak "OK everyone, meeting ended. Those that have to be somewhere this afternoon, go and select your gifts now, and everyone else can do it as time allows during the afternoon."

Anna was then tapped on the shoulder by Alfred, and Anna drew Hou Yi's attention "Anna, I got the documents to the court. They have an urgent hearing listed for 2:30pm and have requested your presence. We need to get going."

Hou Yi signalled to the bodyguards to let them know they needed to leave.

Anna quickly spoke to Jodie, asking "Can you pack up my laptop in Interview Room three, and place it with everything from my office. Once we are done with court I will come back and get it and those items. "

"Will do," responded Jodie.

As they were exiting the building Anna grabbed her handbag and Hou Yi's briefcase from Interview Room three, turning off he mobile and indicating to Hou Yi and the bodyguards to do the same, before heading to the court.