Gloria's Revenge (7 page)

But tonight, I was also afraid to go to sleep because I dreaded waking up in the morning. I was going to have to deal with all the negative press and the wondering looks of my beloved employees. And then there would be a bombardment of e-mails coming in from store managers and vendors from around the world, inquiring about the future of the company and my own.

Sleep finally claimed me, but not for long. I descended into another kind of darkness.

The song “Gloria” is blasting. Sky-high flames engulf a long runway. Familiar faces flicker in the flames. Once supermodel angels, they’re now monsters, their red lipstick-smeared faces distorted and deformed, horns sprouting from their heads. Like a Greek chorus, they chant Gloria over and over.

“Take your final bow, Gloria.” The voice is sinister. I recognize it. Victor!

Naked, I hesitantly step onto the runway. The flames surround me, licking at my flesh.

An apparition appears before me. Vivien! She’s clad in a black leather corset, fishnet stockings, mile high black boots, and wielding a whip. “Soon, they’ll be singing my name!” She snaps her whip at me and cackles.

I cry out in pain. My flesh burns. I run away from her before she strikes again.

In the distance, ahead of me, a God rises from the flames. Jaime! The flames lick at his bare sculpted body, but he’s immune to their lethal flicks.

“Gloria, come for me,” he calls out, his voice a deep rasp.

I want to run into his arms. Run to safety!

I pick up my pace, propelling my legs to run as fast as they can. My limbs are burning and so are my lungs. No matter how far or fast I run, I cannot reach Jaime.

“Suffer, Gloria!” another voice from behind me calls out.

I steal a glance over my shoulder.
Another hideous monster! Crimson blood pours out from two apertures bracketing his snarling mouth. His eyes glow pink.

“Nobody steals from Boris Borofsky!”

He’s after me. Oh, God, why can’t I run faster?

My punishment: just like the lyrics of the song, I’m always on the run now.

Running away from Victor. From Vivien. From Boris.

Running after Jaime
.
But no matter how much I run, I never get closer to him. The runway from hell never ends.

Oh the pain! My legs, my lungs, they hurt so much!

But not as much as my heart, that aches for the man of my dreams. “Oh, Jaime!”

“Gloria!” he calls out to me, his arms open wide.

The choir: “Gloria, Gloria, Gloria, Gloria…”

Writhing, I snapped my eyes open and clapped my hands to my ears. The voices in my head wouldn’t stop. “Stop it!” I screamed. At last, they faded. My breathing was harsh, and I was bathed in cold sweat. Fear sent shudders rippling through me. My dream…it was symbolically telling me something. I had to face the reality that the world was coming down upon me. Hell awaited me.

Chapter 8

M
y nightmare had just given way to sleep when my cell phone rang. My eyes glued shut, I flung my arm out from under the duvet and fumbled for it on the nightstand. I put it to my ear. My eyes flew open. Kevin! I glanced at my alarm clock; it was just a little after 6:00 a.m. Kevin calling me at this still dark hour signaled bad news. My brain snapped awake, and I bolted to an upright position.

“Glorious, all hell has broken loose. The stock market opened, and there was another big sell-off. Shares have dropped another ten points…and it could get worse as the day goes on.”

“God fucking damm it!” The word “fuck” was going to be on the tip of my tongue all day long.

“
The
Wall Street Journal
wants to do an interview with you later this morning.”

“Tell them NO!” My voice was harsh.

“What about
Forbes?
Business Week?
Or the
Financial Times?”

“Tell them all NO!” I shouted each word.

There was a moment of silence on Kevin’s end before he said, “Glorious, you’re going to have to issue a statement.”

My eyes narrowed with rage. “Simply tell them that Gloria Long assures all her stockholders that Gloria’s Secret is poised for growth. She will not be stepping down as CEO any time soon.”

Kevin sighed into the phone. “Got it. I’m heading into the office now.”

“I’ll see you soon.” Nausea rose to my chest. “One last thing, Kev…could you please set up a company-wide meeting in the theater at eleven o’clock. Our employees need to hear what’s going on from me. And let’s be sure it can be streamed live to stores around the world.”

“Will do. I love you, Glorious.”

“I love you too.” I ended the phone call and mentally picked out the black power suit and shoes I was going to wear today. Armor was what I really needed for the battle ahead.

Before showering, I quickly checked my iPhone calendar. My breath hitched. I had one other major meeting in the afternoon. Fuck. How could I forget? Jaime Zander was coming by at two. Not only did I need armor to get through the day; I also needed a chastity belt. Unfortunately, that was the one item you’d never find in a Gloria’s Secret catalogue.

The air in the office was thick with tension; a knife couldn’t cut through it. Glum-looking employees avoided eye contact with me as I passed through the halls to my office. I held my head high and greeted them with casual hellos as if it were just another normal day at work.

To my surprise, Vivien was already at her desk. She never came in before me. Never. When I asked her once, “What time do you aim for?”, Miss Bitchy and Entitled replied, “You’re lucky I even show up.” She had no appreciation for the first-hand executive training I was giving her. Absolutely none.

Even more surprising, Vivien seemed to be in a very cheerful mood. A wide toothy smile spread across her face when I bid her “good morning.”

“Can I get you a coffee?” she asked sweetly.

My brows jumped up. That was a first. I always had to ask her several times to fetch me a coffee, and when she finally acquiesced, it was always accompanied by resentful pout. Most of the time, it was just easier to get the coffee myself.

“Thanks,” I replied. “I’d really appreciate that.”

She stood up from her desk, and for the first time, I could see her entire ensemble. Surprise again. She was dressed for success in a chic little black suit that was not that dissimilar from mine. She was wearing sheer black stockings, black suede pumps, and a red velvet headband that held back her inky mane.

“I’ll be right back.” Her feline eyes twinkled.

As she stepped away, I marveled at this all new and improved Vivien. Had she finally turned a corner?

I strode into my office and, once seated at my desk, turned on my computer. My stomach churned. Just as I’d expected, there was a slew of inquiring e-mails in my inbox—seven hundred and fifty-three new messages to be exact. My heart pounded. I felt anxious and overwhelmed. I took a long deep breath to steel myself. On the exhale, I shouted, “Fuck it!” I wasn’t going to open or respond to any of them…except Kevin’s confirming the company-wide meeting in the theater at eleven.

Five minutes later, Vivien was in my office with my coffee. She placed the steaming mug on a coaster on my desk. A quick peek told me she’d prepared it just the way I liked it with a lot cream.

I took a sip. The aromatic brew wafted up my nose as the hot smooth liquid traveled down my throat. I thanked Vivien again and took another sip.

“Gloria, I just want to apologize for my behavior lately.”

I almost spit out my coffee. An apology? This was not the Vivien I knew and despised.

She continued, her raspy voice soft and sincere. “I know you’ve been under a lot of stress, and I should have been more sensitive to it.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“I know you’re super busy today with the stock crisis and all, but I was wondering if you could meet me for a drink at The Ivy right after work. I’d like to have a conversation with you about my future here and bettering our relationship.”

I lowered my mug to my desk and mulled over her words. I was perplexed by her sudden change in both attitude and attire. One thing I was sure about was that if I didn’t choose to meet with her, Daddy would know about it. I just didn’t need more of Victor Holden in my life.

“Please. It would mean a lot to me, Gloria.” The corners of her pink gloss-coated lips curled up into a demure smile.

Another thought crossed my mind. Maybe she could tell me why her father had been among the first to sell off a boatload of shares. He still hadn’t responded to my e-mail and he wasn’t answering my calls.

“Sure,” I finally said. “Why don’t we say at six thirty?”

Vivien’s smile broadened. “That would be perfect.” As she pivoted toward the door, she added, “Just let me know if you need anything else, especially for the big meeting at eleven.”

I twitched a smile. “Thanks. I will.”

As she strutted out the door, my lips returned to my coffee cup. Sipping the tasty brew, I found it a little odd that Vivien had chosen a restaurant bar close to the hotel where Jaime Zander was staying. It was probably just a coincidence. To the best of my knowledge, neither she nor her father knew that Jaime was in town. And the truth was, The Ivy’s charming Caribbean-inspired bar was a favorite watering hole for many of our employees, from top executives right on down to ambitious assistants. It was a place to chill and seek hook-ups. I let it go, and focused on what I was going to tell my anxious employees at the eleven o’clock company-wide meeting.

It took me a half hour at my computer to come up with the words I wanted to share. After a lot of cuts, pastes, and deletes, my speech ended up being short and to the point. I just needed to communicate to my hard-working employees that they had nothing to worry about. No one was getting fired and I was going nowhere. As I read it over, memorizing the words, Kevin, clad in black leather jeans and a tight tee, came running into my office. Holding a large Gloria’s Secret pink shopping bag in his hand, he was breathless and wide-eyed. “Glorious, you’ve got to see this!”

Panic gripped me. There must be a shitload of newspapers inside the bag reporting on the stock crisis and my demise.

Kevin dug inside the bag and my eyes widened. He proudly held up our newest addition to the Gloria’s Secret product line—the prototype vibrator for the line of sex toys we were launching in the summer.

“Oh my God, Kev, let me see it.”

He handed me the vibrator. Curved slightly like a banana, it featured a sleek shiny white base with control buttons that give way to six inches of sparkly hot pink stimulation. Holding it in my right hand, I curled my left hand fingers around it and ran them up to the rounded tip. Easy to hold. Smooth to the touch. Not too hard, not too soft. Cock-like. Whimsical yet seductive to the eye. Based on extensive research, I’d never seen one like it.

“Don’t you love it, Glorious?” gushed Kevin. He was literally doing a “happy dance,” shuffling from one foot to the other.

“It’s fabulous. I think women are going to love it. Men, too!”

“Totally agree. I’m going to send out a press release this morning.”

“No, don’t.”

Kevin’s grin morphed into a frown. “Why not?”

“It’s not a good time with the stock crisis. Plus, we need to focus group test it first. Make sure we’re giving women what they want.”

Kevin nodded. “You’re right. There are two dozen more. I’ll make sure Consumer Insights sets up the groups.” He laughed. “I don’t think we’ll have any problem getting respondents.”

For the first time in god knows how many hours, I laughed too. It felt good to dispel all the doom and gloom—even for a short minute.

“Do you want to hold on to the vibrator?” Kevin asked before heading to the door.

“Yes.”

He set it upright on my desk and sashayed off. My eyes stayed fixed on the slick erect fixture, our stunning new sex toy. There was only one way this company and I were going—and that was up. Suddenly, a brilliant idea hit me. I e-mailed Kevin. Already back in his office a few doors down from mine, he immediately e-mailed me back:
G—That’s genius! I’ll make it happen. xoK

At 11 a.m., I was standing on the stage of our packed state-of-the art theater, a former screening room, where we often held large sales presentations, product announcements, and pep rallies. Every seat was taken. My eyes swept across the audience of employees, taking in the anxious expressions on their faces. It made me proud how much diversity there was among them—all races were represented as were ages. Our company policy was not to discriminate against anyone, regardless of age or socio-economic background. We were a proud equal opportunity employer.

Behind me, the large screen we often used for sales presentations and commercial screenings was pulled down.

I began by thanking everyone for coming. My welcome was followed by a loud applause. And then I steeled myself.

“By now, you all know that that we have been experiencing a stock crisis. I am here to tell you that it is unfounded. Our company is as robust as ever—thanks to all of you and your fellow employees around the world.”

Applause.

I cleared my throat and continued. “Many of you have IRA’s and shares of Gloria’s Secret stock. Do not worry. I promise you that the price of the stock will soar even higher than it was before. You will all have money for your children’s education and your retirements.”

More applause, even louder.

Tears pricked my eyes. I took in a deep breath. “And I’m here to tell you that I’m going nowhere. No one can bully me and force me to leave the company I built with my own blood, sweat, and tears.”

To my astonishment, employees rose to their feet in a standing ovation. Throughout the theater, they were cheering, “Go, Gloria!”

It took all I had to battle tears. I was so overwhelmed by their enthusiastic response. I had always been there for my employees, and now they were there for me. My eyes circled around the theater, landing on the faces of so many who I personally knew—from sales execs and seamstresses to tech gurus and janitors. In the front row, Kevin was applauding wildly, but standing listlessly next to him was Vivien. In contrast to her earlier cheerleader behavior, she now seemed to be feigning enthusiasm, if any. Her fingertips lethargically tapped together and, I swear, she was rolling her eyes. When she caught my eyes on her, she pasted a big plastic smile on her face and applauded with zeal.
Strange.

I moved on to the final leg of my speech, trying to quiet the audience with downward waves of my hands. “I’m going to end this little speech on an up note.” An image of the vibrator flashed onto the large screen behind me.

“Introducing Gloria’s Secret latest breakthrough—My Secret Vibrator. We’re going to blow the competition out of the water. There’s only one way we’re going—and that’s up with a bang!”

The audience went wild. Shrieks and gasps accompanied the loud applause.

A big smile broke out across my face. “Thank you all. Now get back to work!”

I ran down the steps to the stage and darted out the side door of the theater. I could still hear clapping and cheering. Kevin met me in the hallway and gave me a big bear hug.

“That was fan-fucking-tastic, Glorious!”

“Thanks, Kev,” I said humbly. I was emotionally and physically drained.

We walked back together to our respective offices. After dropping him at his, I continued on two more doors to mine. Vivien had beaten me back. She was filing her nails but quickly tucked the emery board under her desk mat when she set her eyes on me.

That big fake smile flashed on her face. “Oh, Gloria, you were amazing. I want to give a speech like that when I’m CEO.”