Sloan beamed brightly next to me as she looked around the table and then back up at me as I continued.
"There's no way I could have done as much as I've done without her, and I feel deeply indebted to her for standing with me as we figured out a way to overcome our latest challenge. Tonight's dinner is my way of thanking her for being such a team player and for contributing so much more to the effort at Baby Steps than I'd ever hoped she would. Her business acumen and her ability to work with the people who make Baby Steps great go above and beyond the call of duty. As a result I'm thrilled to announce that I'm promoting Leah to Senior Vice President of Distribution."
Norma, Jessie and my mother immediately began clapping as Leah looked at me shocked by the announcement. Sloan's face was a mask of disbelief and anger, but she quickly hid it and put on a wide, fake smile as she politely clapped along with everyone else. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Lincoln's confusion, and I smiled as I held my glass high and said, "To Leah!"
"What about my contributions, Jack?" Sloan asked once we'd all taken a drink and congratulated Leah.
"Your contributions?" I asked with feigned surprise. She was playing right into my hand, "What about them?"
"I've done a lot to generate new business and bring clients on board," she said in a tone that tried hard to hide her resentment at being ignored.
"Indeed you have," I nodded.
"Then why aren't you promoting me, too?" she pouted.
"Ah, that's a very good question, Sloan," I said as I steadied myself for what was to come next. "And I'm glad you asked. I'll tell you why. I don't generally promote people who are actively trying to destroy my business."
You could have heard a pin drop as the room went silent. The look on Sloan's face was one of complete shock as I continued.
"You see, I'm aware of the fact that you have been negotiating with the Chinese and the folks in New Delhi to sell parts of Baby Steps' business to them," I said, looking down at her, no longer smiling. "And I've cut off all possibility of you doing any kind of business with them, or with me."
"Jack! How could you think I'd ever betray you like that?" she cried as she stood up and faced me.
"Probably because you've been working with my brother to undermine me with the banks," I said, turning my attention to Lincoln. The blood drained from his face as I recounted the ways in which he'd sought to sabotage the business and make it easier for Sloan to negotiate with foreign companies.
"How do you know this?" Lincoln demanded. "There's no evidence of any of this!"
"That's where you're wrong, big brother," I said as I nodded at Norma who stood and walked into the hall, grabbed the folder she'd left on the table, and brought it to me. I opened it and pulled out the copies of all the evidence we'd compiled and tossed it in front of Lincoln. "Here's all the evidence. Feel free to take some time to read it, but I'm fairly certain that you're already quite familiar with it, seeing as you drew up most of the paperwork."
Lincoln studied the papers as Sloan silently fumed across the table. I waited until he'd looked through the whole stack to drop my next bomb.
"So, as you can see, your attempt to break up Baby Steps was unsuccessful," I said. "And as a result, I've decided to switch banks. As of tomorrow, Baby Steps will be working with First National of New York, and as soon as I am released from the contract I signed, I'll be shifting my own funds as well."
"You can't do that!" Lincoln exploded as he shot up out of his chair. "You cannot move the business!"
"Oh, but I can," I said calmly. "And I have."
"Father signed contracts and took out loans with Bank of Manhattan," Lincoln said as he frantically tried to regain his composure. "You cannot simply withdraw money and shift it from one bank to another."
"This is where you are sadly mistaken," I said, narrowing my eyes. "There is a clause in the agreement that clearly outlines the legality of such a move when the loan officer has engaged in unethical behavior, which I believe you have. Besides, it's already a done deal."
"Mother!" Lincoln protested. "Tell him this is unacceptable!"
"I'll do no such thing," my mother said calmly. "You lied to your brother, and you tried to destroy a business that your father spent his life building. And while you're my son—and I will always love you—I'm deeply ashamed of your behavior, Lincoln."
My brother turned a deep shade of red as my mother scolded him in front of everyone. I watched, not saying another word. I could see Sloan's demeanor changing as she considered her options. She turned to me and began trying to plug the hole she'd drilled. I listened and then simply said, "Sloan, you're fired."
"You can't fire me!" she shouted.
"I can, and I just did," I said. "You've violated the ethics clause in your contract and, if you're smart, you'll reread it so you understand the non-compete clause you also signed."
"I told you this was a stupid idea," Lincoln said bitterly as he looked straight at Sloan. "You and your big plans were absolutely idiotic."
"My idea? My idea?" she shouted at him. "How on Earth was this my idea? You were the one who wanted to rip apart the company and sell it off bit by bit to get back at your father!"
"Don't throw that in my face," Lincoln growled. "You were the one who said you had a foolproof plan for making a profit off the sale of each department. Your fancy MBA isn't worth the paper it's written on. Your father was right. You're a terrible businesswoman, and you couldn't negotiate your way out of a paper bag."
"Lincoln, that's enough," Jessie said sternly. She hadn't said much all evening, but this turn of events seemed to be the breaking point for her. "I've had enough of your whining and complaining about how badly you've been treated. You're not going to tear apart anyone else. I don't care what she's done. You're equally responsible for this mess, so own up to it."