“You never asked,” I replied.
His jaw tightened. “So this is revenge. You’re going to punish me.”
“This is an interview,” I said, sliding a document across the table. “And we’re going to review your employment history.”
Grant looked down at the paper. It wasn’t his résumé. It was a printout of a court order—child support, payment schedule, and the note from last month showing he had paid late again.
The color drained from his face.
My father didn’t raise his voice. “Mr. Ellis, your application lists ‘excellent reliability and integrity’ as core traits,” he said. “Yet your record shows repeated missed obligations to your child.”
Grant’s eyes flashed. “That’s personal.”
“It’s relevant,” I said calmly. “This role handles vendor contracts and compliance. If you treat court orders like optional suggestions, you don’t belong in a position of trust.”
Grant leaned forward, lowering his voice into the tone he used when he wanted control. “Claire, come on. We can work this out. I can be flexible. You know I’m a good leader.”
I studied him carefully.
