Chapter 161


    “Yup, she also ran into Sophia,” Don admitted without beating around the bush.


    “What did she say to Sophia?” Brandon asked, his voice getting chillier by the second.


    “Nothing too outrageous, just prying into whether the position of Design Director was your divorce


    settlement to her,” Don said with a little head shake and a chuckle, ncing at Brandon. “You know


    how your mom is, always caring about keeping up appearances in front of others. But man, the way


    she looks at Sophia, it’s like she can’t even stand her. You’re busy, I get it, but you gotta keep an eye


    out now and then, see how your folks are getting on with your wife.”


    Don gave Brandon’s shoulder a pat. “It’s not about how they act when you’re around, but what goes


    down when your back is turned.”


    Brandon turned to him.


    Don raised his hands in a surrender gesture. “Don’t give me that look, man. I’m just worried your


    mom’s gonna scare off my people. It was hard enough getting her on board in the first ce.”


    With that, he didn’t linger, quickly saying “I’m heading back to the office” and made a beeline for the


    door.


    Watching the office door close, Brandon hit the inte for Kent. “Come in here for a sec.”


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    Kent dropped what he was doing and came in. “Mr. Crawley, what’s the matter?”


    “Get Patricia over to my office.”


    Kent froze. ら


    Brandon didn’t often call Patricia by her first name.


    Back in the day, he’d politely refer to her as “Mom” in private, and at thepany, he’d get people to


    call her “Mrs. Crawley” out of courtesy, rarely ever just Patricia.


    “Anything else?” Seeing Kent zone out, Brandon asked in an even tone.


    Kent snapped back to reality. “Nope, on it right now.”


    After leaving Brandon’s office, Kent called Patricia’s assistant’s office, passing on the message that


    Brandon wanted to see her. “Mrs. Crawley just stepped out,” came the polite reply on the phone.


    “Stepped out?” Kent frowned. Didn’t Don juste back from Patricia’s office a moment ago?


    “When did she leave?” he asked.


    “Just a few minutes ago,” they replied.


    “Any idea when she’ll be back?”


    “She’s noting back today, said she had something to do.”


    “Is that so?” Kent’s brow furrowed deeper, “Alright, thanks.”


    Hanging up, Kent reported back to Brandon.


    “Where could she be off to during work hours?” Brandon asked, “Check with HR, see if she took leave.


    If not, it’s considered skipping work.”


    Kent was stunned.


    He didn’t even need to think about it. Of course, Patricia wouldn’t have asked for leave.


    Who in HR would dare to mess with the CEO’s mom?


    Brandon said, “Also, have HR check her clock-in records. Any missed days are skips, and five no-


    shows mean termination, as perpany policy.”


    Kent kept silent.


    Seeing Kent still standing there, Brandon looked up. “Well? What are you waiting for?”


    Kent gave a sheepish smile. “Mr. Crawley, isn’t this a bit much?”


    He was worried Brandon’s dad would blow a gasket over this.


    Patricia was Daniel’s insert into thepany, after all, Patricia, the CEO’s mom – basically, it was her


    company. No one would dare question whether she clocked in or not. Knowing Patricia, she wouldn’t


    be bending over backwards to follow the rules, let


    alone stick to a strict clocking in schedule.


    “Too much?” Brandon asked tly. “As thepany leader, she doesn’t set an example and even leads


    the way in skipping work. Who gave her that right?”


    *Kent was at a loss for words.


    “I’m on it now.”


    He didn’t dare say more and quickly left to handle it. Not wanting to cause a fuss, he personally went to


    HR to ask.


    As Brandon expected, no leave was taken, and no clocking in either.


    Kent reluctantly conveyed Brandon’s decision to terminate, as perpany policy.


    HR was stunned by this turn of events. The staff didn’t dare issue the notice and quickly informed the


    HR manager to deal with it personally.


    Everyone knew Patricia was Brandon’s mom, but the stepmom bit, not so much.


    Patricia had married Daniel when Brandon was just a kid, spending over a decade devoted to family


    life, staying out ofpany affairs. Plus, after over twenty years of marriage, the oldpany hands


    had long been reced. Those in the know were no longer around.


    To the current staff, unaware of the backstory, the news of Brandon wanting to terminate Patricia was


    shocking. The HR manager, after much thought, reported it up to the general manager.


    The general manager, who also answered to the CEO, didn’t hesitate upon hearing it was an order


    from the CEO’s office. They instructed the HR manager to issue the notice but, considering Patricia


    was Brandon’s mother and not sure if there was some family feud, they didn’t want to make too much


    noise and had HR send á termination email to Patricia as perpany policy. When Patricia received


    the HR termination email, she was busy lunching with Daniel and the Frost family.