Chapter 445 - Reassignment I

Chapter 445: Chapter 445 - Reassignment I

Roxie checked her phone as the elevator carried her toward the executive floor. It was almost nine, and Angela had already sent her three messages asking what she wanted for dinner.

We’re ordering Chinese. What do you want?

Anything spicy. Save me some.

Karen already started eating.

Roxie snorted and quickly typed a reply.

Tell her I’ll remember this betrayal.

Angela responded with a laughing emoji, followed by a picture of Karen sitting at their dining table with a container of noodles in front of her.

Roxie enlarged the picture and laughed when she noticed Karen giving the camera the middle finger.

That bitch.

She was still smiling when the elevator doors opened.

The executive floor was almost empty at this hour. Most of the offices were dark, although the lights remained on near Harrison’s office at the end of the corridor.

Samantha looked up from the reception desk when Roxie approached.

"Good evening, Ms. Jones."

"Hi, Samantha. Is Mr. Caldwell still here?"

"Yes, he’s expecting you." Samantha glanced toward the office before adding, "Mrs. Caldwell is here as well."

Roxie paused while slipping her phone into her handbag.

"Mrs. Caldwell?"

"Yes."

Oh. So that was what this was about.

She glanced toward Harrison’s office and sighed. The gossip had reached the wrong ears, and now she was going to spend her evening reassuring Harrison’s wife that she had absolutely no intention of sleeping with her husband. As usual.

"Alright, thanks, Samantha."

Roxie adjusted her blouse before walking toward the office. She was already considering what to say because she knew how these things worked.

A little reassurance, an agreement to keep their meetings strictly professional for a while, and perhaps a public appearance with Harrison and his wife at the next company event would probably settle the matter.

She’d even be willing to stop accepting Harrison’s occasional invitations to lunch if that would make Evelyn more comfortable. It would be inconvenient, considering how much she enjoyed talking to him, but she’d survived worse inconveniences.

Roxie knocked twice.

"Come in."

She opened the door with a smile.

"Good evening, Mr. Caldwell. Mrs. Caldwell."

Harrison looked up from his desk and immediately stood.

"Roxie. Thank you for coming."

"Of course. Although I hope this won’t take too long. My friend’s threatening to eat my dinner if I don’t get home soon."

Harrison attempted a smile, but it disappeared almost immediately.

That was strange.

He looked exhausted, too. His tie had been loosened, and several papers were scattered across his usually organized desk.

Evelyn Caldwell sat in one of the leather chairs facing him. She wore a cream blouse with matching trousers, her blonde hair styled neatly around her shoulders.

"Good evening, Miss Jones."

"Good evening, Mrs. Caldwell." Roxie smiled at her before taking the empty chair Harrison indicated. "It’s been a while. How was your trip to Greece? Mr. Caldwell showed us so many pictures that I almost felt like I’d gone with you."

"It was lovely," Evelyn answered.

Roxie waited for her to elaborate, but Evelyn merely folded her hands over her lap.

Okay. Definitely about the rumor.

"I’m guessing this meeting has something to do with what people have been saying around the building?"

Harrison’s eyes moved toward his wife.

Evelyn leaned back in her chair. "So you’ve heard."

"Well, Laurain mentioned something earlier. Someone apparently saw Mr. Caldwell leaving a hotel with a woman." Roxie laughed a little. "Honestly, I thought she was making it up. You know how gossip gets around here."

"Unfortunately, I’ve become quite familiar with that," Evelyn replied.

Roxie’s smile faded slightly.

"Right. Well, I can imagine how uncomfortable it must be, especially when people start making assumptions about everyone involved."

"Everyone involved?"

Roxie blinked at the question.

"I mean, whoever people think the woman is. Although I’m guessing that’s why I’m here?"

Harrison cleared his throat.

"Roxie, there have been some concerns about how our professional relationship might be perceived."

"Yes, I figured." She nodded, looking at him. "If you want us to keep our meetings more formal for a while, that’s fine. We can have someone from management present whenever we need to discuss work."

Evelyn glanced at her husband.

"That’s a very generous offer, Miss Jones."

Roxie frowned slightly. Something about the woman’s tone bothered her.

"Well, I don’t see why it should be a problem. I’ve always been comfortable working with Mr. Caldwell, but I understand that people sometimes interpret things differently."

Harrison rubbed his forehead before leaning back in his chair.

"Unfortunately, we believe the situation requires something more substantial."

Roxie looked at him.

"Such as?"

Evelyn reached for the folder resting on the small table beside her.

"We’ve decided to reassign you to the sports division."

Roxie stared at her.

"I’m sorry, what?"

"The network currently has an opening for a sports correspondent. Given the circumstances, we believe that would be a suitable position for you."

Roxie looked toward Harrison, expecting him to explain whatever misunderstanding had just occurred.

He was watching her quietly.

"Wait, you’re serious?"

"Roxie," Harrison began.

"No, hold on." She straightened in her chair and looked at Evelyn again. "You’re talking about transferring me out of the evening news?"

"Temporarily, yes."

"Because of a rumor?"

"Because of the circumstances surrounding that rumor," Evelyn corrected.

Roxie let out a surprised laugh.

"Mrs. Caldwell, I think there’s been some misunderstanding here. I’m perfectly willing to keep my distance from your husband if that’s what you want, but I don’t see what my position on the evening news has to do with any of this."

"Your public image is directly connected to the network’s reputation."

"And moving me to another department is supposed to improve that?"

Evelyn’s expression tightened.

"It’s intended to give everyone some distance."

"From what? Mr. Caldwell? I work three floors below him. Half the time, I only see him at company events."

"Miss Jones, I would appreciate it if you allowed me to finish."

Roxie pressed her lips together, then nodded.

"Alright."

"As I was saying, the reassignment will be temporary. Your salary and existing benefits will remain unchanged, and you’ll continue to be employed by Crestline News Network."

"Okay. For how long?"

"We’ll review the arrangement once the situation has settled."

"That could mean anything from two weeks to two years."

Harrison leaned forward.

"Roxie, nobody is suggesting that you’ll be away from the evening news for years."

"Then how long?"

He hesitated.

"We haven’t determined that yet."

Roxie looked at him for several seconds before turning toward Evelyn.

"And whose decision was this?"

"My husband’s, with the agreement of the relevant executives."

"Which executives?"

"Miss Jones..."

"I’m asking because Nathan hasn’t mentioned anything about a change in the evening broadcast. Neither has the news director, and I was with both of them less than an hour ago."

Harrison shifted in his chair.

"They’ll be informed."

Roxie stared at him.

"They’ll be informed? So you’ve already decided to remove me from my position without consulting the people who actually run our department?"

"Roxie, please lower your voice."

She stopped, surprised by the request.

Her voice had risen, but she was nowhere near shouting.

"Mr. Caldwell, I think I have every right to be upset. You’re making decisions about my career without even telling me there was a problem."

"Which is why we’re having this meeting."

"After you’ve made the decision."

Evelyn sighed.

"I understand this is disappointing, Miss Jones, but you’re still being offered a respectable position. Many journalists would consider an opportunity with our sports division a significant achievement."

Roxie turned toward her.

"Then offer it to one of them."

Evelyn’s eyebrows rose.

Roxie took a breath and continued before the woman could respond.

"Mrs. Caldwell, I’m sure there are plenty of journalists who would love that position, and I’m sure they’re qualified for it. But I’ve spent six years working in news. I have ongoing investigations, professional contacts, and an audience that expects to see me on the evening broadcast. I can’t just leave all of that because someone decided to spread gossip about your husband."

"Your assignments can be transferred to other journalists."

Roxie felt her jaw tighten.

"That’s really what you think?"

"Excuse me?"

"That six years of my work can just be handed over to someone else?"

Evelyn looked at her husband.

"Harrison, perhaps you should explain this to her."

"Yes," Roxie said, turning toward him. "Please do, because I’d really like to hear why you think this is a good idea."

Harrison sighed and folded his hands on the desk.

"Roxie, you’ve been an exceptional employee. Nobody is questioning your contributions to the company."

"Then why am I being punished?"

"You’re being reassigned."

"Against my wishes, to a department I’ve never worked in, with no guarantee of returning to my position." Roxie leaned forward. "You can call it whatever you want, Mr. Caldwell. I’m still losing the job I’ve worked six years to earn."

Harrison looked down at his hands.

Roxie felt her frustration growing.

She’d expected him to understand. Of all the people in this company, Harrison knew how much her career meant to her.

He had been there when she received her first promotion. He’d congratulated her when she won her first journalism award. He knew how many weekends she’d spent covering stories and how often she’d canceled personal plans because something important had happened at work.

And now he was sitting there allowing his wife to explain why she should simply accept being removed from the evening news.

"Do you remember the investigation we did on the construction company last year?" she asked.

Harrison looked up.

"Of course."

"Three months. I spent three months working with that team, and we had lawyers sending letters to the network before the first report even aired."

"I remember."

"Do you remember what you told me when I asked whether we should delay the broadcast?"

Harrison was silent for a moment.

"That we should stand by the facts."

"Exactly. And we did. That report earned Crestline recognition, and the company gained viewers because people trusted what we were reporting."

"Roxie..."

"And what about the housing series? The one we spent weeks working on? I was interviewing families until midnight because that was the only time some of them were available."

Evelyn shifted in her chair, but Roxie continued.

"I’ve worked weekends, holidays, and nights. I’ve accepted assignments other reporters refused because I wanted to prove I deserved my position."

She looked directly at Harrison.

"I’ve given this company six years of my life, and I’ve never asked for special treatment. I worked for every promotion I received. You know that."