“Sydney. We’re going to be in this together.”

Janine gave a quick, dazzled laugh. “Sydney. I hope I’m not dreaming.”

“You’re wide-awake, and the flak’s going to fall before the day’s over. Your first job in your new position is to arrange a meeting with Lloyd. Make it a formal request, here in my office before the close of business hours today.”

He put her off until four-fifteen, but Sydney was patient. If anything, the extra time gave her the opportunity to examine her feelings and make certain her decision wasn’t based on emotion.

When Janine buzzed him in, Sydney was ready, and she was sure.

“You picked a busy day for this,” he began.

“Sit down, Lloyd.”

He did, and she waited again while he took out a cigarette. “I won’t take up much of your time,” she told him. “I felt it best to discuss this matter as quickly as possible.”

His gaze flicked up, and he smiled confidently through the haze of smoke. “Having problems on one of the projects?”

“No.” Her lips curved in a wintry smile. “There’s nothing I can’t handle. It’s the internal strife at Hayward that concerns me, and I’ve decided to remedy it.”

“Office reorganization is a tricky business.” He crossed his legs and leaned back. “Do you really think you’ve been around long enough to attempt it?”

“I’m not going to attempt it, I’m going to do it. I’d like your resignation on my desk by five o’clock tomorrow.”

He bolted up. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Your resignation, Lloyd. Or if necessary, your termination at Hayward. That distinction will be up to you.”

He crushed the cigarette into pulp in the ashtray. “You think you can fire me? Walk in here with barely three months under your belt and fire me when I’ve been at Hayward for twelve years?”

“Here’s the point,” she said evenly. “Whether it’s been three months or three days, I am Hayward. I will not tolerate one of my top executives undermining my position. It’s obvious you’re not happy with the current status at Hayward, and I can guarantee you, I’m going to remain in charge of this company for a long time. Therefore, I believe it’s in your own interest, and certainly in mine, for you to resign.”

“The hell I will.”

“That’s your choice, of course. I will, however, take the matter before the board, and use all the power at my disposal to limit yours.”

Going with instinct, she pushed the next button. “Leaking Mrs. Wolburg’s accident to the press didn’t just put me in a difficult position. It put Hayward in a difficult position. As an executive vice president, your first duty is to the company, not to go off on some vindictive tangent because you dislike working for me.”