"At my request, Mrs. Thompson, my Executive Secretary, has made some rather discrete inquiries about Devyn. I have been told that besides being the young girl who saved your life when you were in a car accident, Devyn has been working part-time for quite a while assisting Mom. It would seem Mom has made this young girl her apprentice and designated replacement when, Heaven forbid, she should retire. However, with her being sick with Covid, this possibility may come about sooner than later.
"Although this...ah, working arrangement...is somewhat unprecedented, Mrs. Thompson shares that by all accounts, Devyn has proven herself to be extremely capable, a quick learner, and is favorably viewed by all except for my idiot of a grandson, Jeffery. How I regret agreeing to my first wife's dying wish that I make him a bank board member.
"Ah, where was I? Oh yes, I am told that for one so young, Devyn displayed nerves of steel and took decisive action when confronted with the demands and insults by that detestable Shapiro, and neatly had him shown the door. And when my shameless grandson made an utter fool of himself by making detestable sexual allegations about you and her, Devyn chopped him down to size.
"Do you know that impressed Mrs. Thompson which is hard to do? The word is that Devyn is now being referred to as your 'hatchet-woman'...akin to the Chinese tongs' (mafia) enforcers...who stood in the wings until needed to take action...like getting rid of designated undesirables...or stepping in to defend you when Mom could not. How interesting that your 'Old Battle Axe' when she retires might be replaced by a young "Hatchet'? Hmmm...
"Ah, along those lines, let me ask you, Brad, what is your take on Devyn Toma becoming your Senior Executive Assistant when Mom eventually retires?
I weighed my thoughts and words. Dev had put herself on the line when it came to protecting me, and I was obligated to do the same. "When Devyn saved my life years ago," I started, "I felt I owed her a life debt. Devyn, however, maintained that in saving me, she incurred a responsibility for me...to protect and care for me. That is an essential quality for an Executive Assistant...especially a 'Senior' one.
"Mr. Pang, although she is young, Devyn has more maturity, common sense, and decisiveness than many people in this organization. I know she can do the job. Why? Well, besides doing it on a part-time basis under Mom for years, Devyn will be getting her business management degree in about a week. If hired in her current capacity or in Mom's, she intends to pursue the University's accelerated part-time Executive MBA program in her spare time. Devyn has tremendous potential, and if invested in and allowed to mature properly, will quickly yield tremendous dividends for the bank."
For a while, the Chairman didn't say anything as if he was mulling over what to say next. "Brad, I understand that Devyn is a single and attractive young woman. Given that you have been a widower for quite some time without a hint of female companionship, you can understand that there will be...ah, shall we say 'speculation'...although not as obscene as that of my stupid grandson...as to the nature of your relationship with Devyn Toma. So, what is your 'personal' relationship with Devyn Toma?
"And Brad, before you say anything, please do not insult me by saying that she and you are 'just friends.' From what I hear...everyone in the bank who is not deaf-dumb-or-blind can sense that there is 'something' between the two of you. Despite Mom running interference and the two of you trying so hard to act innocent, I am told that it's the way you look at each other. Shit, the desire that you folks... especially Devyn...emit is so thick in the air that you can cut it with a knife."
I gulped and then realized that lying about us would be the wrong choice with the crafty Chairman. So, sucking it up and ready to render my resignation if asked, I said, "Despite our vast age difference, Devyn and I are in an 'intimate' relationship. We take care of each other in our own way, and speaking for myself, Dev has been like a breath of fresh Spring air in my musty existence. This may sound silly, but she has rejuvenated me."
"Are you having sex with her? No, wait...her gynecological examination stated that she was a 'virgin.' How can that be? Ohhh...I see..." I must have turned all shades of red but before I could say anything, the Chairman said, "Relax, Brad. In my long life, I have 'been there and done that' more times than I can recall.
"Between you and me, Shirley, my current wife...yes, my third one...is some thirty-odd years younger than me. She was a brand-new management trainee when I met her, and was taken with her sassy...if not, bossy...ways that made me feel as if I was her equal. However, besides being pretty, what really hooked me was that Shirley had one hell of an inviting ass.
"Anyhow, Shirley was a 'good' Catholic girl who insisted on saving her virginity for her wedding night. However, she definitely wasn't opposed to other kinds of sex. ...and I know you know what I mean?
"So, what are you going to do with this sweet pretty twenty-one-year-old young woman? Dev is obviously so much in love with you that she's willing to go toe-to-toe with two big-time sons-of-bitches to protect you?"
When I hesitated, the Chairman laughed and then sighed, "Brad, enough with the damn warrior-monk persona who always has to be above reproach. Some things are meant to be, and trust me when I say that there are times you just have to go with the flow. Marry this Devyn Toma...and make her an ex-virgin...oh, but don't have sex at work...well...at least during working hours.
"What's that? Wouldn't that be unethical? Brad, I didn't take you for being a fool. Look, when you are at our level in the bank, you can do pretty much anything you want provided that you're discreet, Any questions? No? Then get out of here and do what you and Devyn have long denied yourselves."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Although I should have done what the Chairman had 'suggested' to me, I didn't. Dev and I had abstained for so long that suddenly being free to indulge in our long-denied fantasy strangely didn't seem right. I knew what Dev wanted, but I found that making the next step was daunting. Simply put, I was...scared...and overwhelmed with what people would think about our age difference...and more so, about me.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view), I had to immediately fly out to Chicago for a week-long banker's symposium. After that, I was scheduled to spend another two weeks of travel visiting our affiliate financial institutions. I resolved to use the time and separation to rethink my romance with Dev and where to go next in light of the Chairman's discoveries and not-so-subtle encouragement to just fuck Dev.
However, what I wasn't aware of was that things took on a life of their own in my absence. Soon after I flew out of Honolulu, Marsha returned to work. While out sick, she had been apprised by others of Dev's encounters with Shapiro and the younger Pang, and how Mini-Mom made her namesake proud by amply showing her coolness in the face of adversity and her ability to meet fire with fire.
Marsha then called her good friend, Sally Thompson, the Chairman's Executive Secretary, to get the inside scoops as to Chairman Pang's reactions to the incidents, Dev, and especially her boss...me. She then shared with Sally that when I returned from my business trip, she would inform me that she would be retiring and recommending Dev as her replacement.
After a short frank discussion, the two powerful women behind the bank's Chairman of the Board and its Chief Executive Officer then agreed on four things. The first was that Dev was a young woman with tremendous potential and under the right circumstances, could influence or be the future of the bank as Marsha's replacement. They further agreed that Dev's future was tied to me in more than just a professional way. The two women then agreed that Dev needed to take her personal relationship with me to the next level if she was to be truly effective. To do this, Marsha and Sally agreed to shamelessly and deviously tag-team Dev until she saw the proverbial light.
"Devyn, I decided that when the boss returns," Marsha said the first thing Friday morning, "I will tell him that I will retire as soon as my replacement is hired. l will strongly recommend you be hired as my full-time replacement. You handled yourself admirably with those two idiots who confronted you while I was sick; however, you will need powerful allies to help you along the way after I retire.
