Chapter 6 - A CHRISTMAS MORNING LIKE NO OTHERBy 2:30 AM, the drama at the hotel had settled. David had his private driver bring Emily, Lily, and the eleven other members of the custodial crew—whom David had summoned to Mercer Tower—into the main executive lounge.
Arthur, the compliance officer, sat at a table with a stack of cashier's checks.
"Due to the criminal nature of the contractor's actions," David announced to the exhausted, bewildered cleaning crew, "Mercer Dynamics has voided the contract with Northstar. As of tonight, all of you are direct, full-time employees of Mercer Dynamics with full medical benefits, paid time off, and a starting wage of thirty-five dollars an hour."
The room fell into stunned silence. Maria, the older woman, burst into tears.
"Furthermore," David added, gesturing to Arthur, "to make up for the stolen funds, each of you is receiving an immediate payout of ten thousand dollars—three thousand for the stolen bonus, and seven thousand in back pay and restitution."
Cheers and sobbing erupted in the room. Marcus buried his face in his hands; Maria hugged Emily tightly.
When the checks were distributed, David walked over to Emily, who was standing quietly near the window, holding a check that felt heavier than gold.
"You don't have to go back to that empty apartment tonight, Emily," David said gently. "I’ve booked you and Lily a suite upstairs at the hotel until your new signing bonus clears."
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"Mr. Mercer... I don't know how to thank you," Emily whispered, tears streaming down her face. "You changed our lives in four hours."
"No," David replied, looking down at Lily, who had fallen asleep in her mother’s arms. "You changed mine. I forgot why I built this company in the first place. You reminded me."
