His tone shifted, sharp and hard. "We're about to sign the contract and they pull you off? They think my forty-million-dollar design fee is some office popularity contest?"
His voice surged loud enough that it punched through the speaker and filled the silent office.
"Have they not read the supplementary agreement? You tell your people that Cloudridge's designated liaison is Ronnie Butler. We work with you and no one else!"
Kenneth shot up from his desk like he'd been spring-loaded and shoved open the door to the director's office.
"Edmund, Delgado from Cloudridge is on the phone. Says the only person he'll deal with is Ronnie."
I watched Edmund hurry to the doorway, steal a glance at me through the gap, then settle back into his chair.
He took a slow, deliberate sip of tea.
"Relax. We'll have Mr. Donaldson make the call. You think some low-level employee gets to hold us hostage? Just let it play out. A client isn't going to blow up a deal over one guy."
Smug certainty was written all over his face.
"A thousand luxury units. A project worth hundreds of millions. Delgado knows which side his bread is buttered on."
I looked away and listened to the sigh on the other end of the line.