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I've been a bit busy, and the whole recovery thing from Hurricane Harvey is very slow, laborious, and the conditions keep making me sick. 14 months and counting until our house and lives are whole again - or as close as possible. While I've been very much slowed, I have been working on a few projects. I figured y'all might like a preview of one tiny bit of this already-massive project. It's quite likely that I'll try to sell it. It's tentatively titled "Corporate Coup"
Angela halted abruptly, a bit startled, but then curiously she took an envelope off her work counter and handed it to her client as if she'd been expecting an interruption from him. "Kim said you might have some last minute reservations, and that I should give this to you if that happened," she explained simply.
Puzzled, goggling at the envelope, Ron opened it with a sinking feeling, and with great trepidation, extracted and unfolded the letter it contained and began to read.
Mr. Daniels,
Given your conduct so far, it is clear that you have not learned your lesson regarding sexual harassment, and management therefore finds it necessary to take additional steps to protect Ms. Phillips and other women in the company from your unwanted advances or behaviors. Ms. Phillips and Ms. Daniels have agreed that you will be made to appear feminine, as it is felt that this appearance will reduce your inclination to interact inappropriately with the female staff, and will thus be far less threatening. As a reminder, the agreement allows management to take whatever steps are necessary to protect staff. Unless you wish to violate the contract and forfeit your assets to Ms. Phillips, you will comply with the planned 'makeover' without objection.
This feminine appearance and persona will be maintained at all times through the duration of the service contract, and not just at the company offices and functions. To assist you in complying with this requirement, all male clothing and grooming essentials are being removed from the room you are renting from Ms. Daniels. Ms. Daniels has agreed to provide, from personal funds, a reasonable initial wardrobe and personal grooming essentials necessary to maintain a feminine appearance; after the initial outlays, you will be responsible for purchasing clothing and personal items from your personal funds like all other staff members. Ms. Daniels and Ms. Phillips have selected an appropriate name to be used by you during the duration of the contract. A petition has been submitted to the courts under the power-of-attorney for a legal name change so that you will have a state-issued identification to match your new appearance. When you return to your place of employment, a new company ID badge in that name will be issued.
Those performing your "makeover" have been requested to provide feedback on your behavior and acceptance of their assistance. If you fail to cooperate fully and enthusiastically, demerits will be assessed, as per the service contract. As a reminder, you are not permitted to disclose any of the terms and conditions of this settlement or service contract, under penalty of forfeiture of your assets.
L Daniels, Chief Executive Officer
C Phillips, Executive Vice President
Ron sank back into the chair, feeling like he'd been kicked in the stomach, as he struggled to believe that Lara would have cooperated in arranging these changes. Deep down, it finally hit him that he had no out. With Colleen no doubt egging her on, he was completely and totally under their thumbs. They could do whatever they wanted to him because they had the leverage of his money and that stupid contract and its nasty clauses and the power-of-attorney that he'd essentially been blackmailed into signing.
So far, it's about 140 pages, and there are some dynamite scenes yet to go. It's definitely going to be novel-length.
Comments
Lawyer Time!
Hmm... BB's not involved in this? It sounds like a job for BB.
In any case, it's time to consult a lawyer. And if Angela is his attorney, he should consult a second. Things probably aren't as hopeless as they sound. If he's going to be thrown out on the street through asset forfeiture, the equity part of civil action should make short work of those contractual terms.
-- Daphne Xu
Look forward to it!
Look forward to you posting it :)
Yes
Same here.
Figured I should add a little
Figured I should add a little context.
The situation is part of a sinister plot which involves a false accusation, the mere public airing of which would destroy the company, as well as his life. Plus the accusation, if aired, could result in temporary jail pending trial, and even if innocent, the wrongfully-accused faces incredible damage to their reputation, which would also result in a major drop in government contracts.
It's an intricately-woven no-win situation for the hero, and loyalties are tested, friendships broken and formed, and even long-term relationships are seriously questioned, and ALL of his assets could be at stake. He's constrained by an agreement he was coerced to sign, which contains a confidentiality clause that will take ALL his assets if anything is disclosed to anyone else. Worse, there's just enough so-called 'evidence' that his wife believes the accuser (her sorority sister and an executive in the company) and not him, , Resolution ultimately hinges on getting enough hard evidence of the plot that it can be used to bring down the accuser and provide justification for ending the contract.
While there are legal ways to get out of his mess, exercising that will likely ruin him and the company through bad press and severe financial pressure, because clearing himself will take time, during which his assets would likely be in limbo, and government rules generally prohibit contract awards to companies enmeshed in EEOC and criminal investigations, which could keep his assets frozen pending resolution. It's set up so that the best way out is to try to tough the 'punishment' contract out.
Imagination is more important than knowledge
A. Einstein
Wow, that really whets the appetite
How long until we see it?
I look forward to being able to buy it.
Interesting premise
Good concept. Sounds interesting so go with it. How many chapters? How long is each chapter?
It would be beneficial to readers, if the story and chapters are long, that you begin each new chapter with a mini one or two sentence recap of what the previous chapter entailed so we can keep up with you... like Teddie does in her 'Tommy - The Trials and Tribulations of a Girl?' saga.
Good luck and best wishes for your project. Make it happen!
Donna
Question?
Do you by any chance go by EMW on the MORFS Universe website?
Wil
Aine