In out and back in love with you.

3. Moral compass

There are times when life likes to test the way moral compass of a person works. Well, Casandra Donovan was living one of those moments. Locked in a hostile meeting with a pseudo-firm that tries to test her professional ethics and think to have the upper hand just because they offer her a side commission, the audacity!!!

They had the balls to propose a "tax saving” service to one of her clients, she will never approve, but also never declines without proper foundation, that’s her rule, so she did her job, analyzed the legal compliance of the proposal, verified the advantages and disadvantages that could bring to her clients and measured the risk they would assume. Cassy's response was resounding: despite the fact that the financial advantages were incredibly tempting, the administrative procedure to be carried out was endless, even worse, from a legal point of view the proposal broke the law, not only was it a risky service, it was dangerous for her client, so no, her official response was a most definitive NO.

As if in a deep desire to pick a fight the scoundrel owner of the proposing firm began to use an emotional aproach, Believing it could make her lose composure and compromise her point of view by showing herself unreasonable, a serious mistake. How is it some businessmen believe they can defeat an opponent with emotional strategies just because they’re women? That would not work, not with Casandra Donovan, she had seen many men like that, ridiculed many of them for that matter, she knew the type, conceited and arrogant old sea wolves and Michael Smith was like that, he had been doing dubious business for years with unreliable people, was one of those who boasted of the number of times he had managed to evade the law and the years he had evading taxes and embezzling funds. This was the worst kind of threat that could lead any decent company to bankruptcy and its owners to prison, and Cassie's function was to avoid risks like these to her clients, to make sure easy money would not destroy the companys she advise, no sir, not happening.

- You only advise against it because is not you’re money, otherwise you would have done this long ago- Michael Smith set the bait, only Cassie is not biting.

- Allow me to stop you right there Mr. Smith, although it is not my money, nor my company and certainly not my freedom that’s in play, I can tell with certainty you are wrong, if it were my money I would not close this deal; what you propose is not only risky, it is illegal and as I myself would not do it, I will not recommend or approve any of my clients to invest in such thing, and certainly no one in my work team would be ignorant enough to support such madness- she said it, right to his face and without hesitation, and now her own bait is set and she could bet a small fortune he is gonna bite, after all she was the business banshee for a reason, and she was ready for the kill.

- Since it was you who bring on the subject, let's be honest, some would call this money laundering, but it works and after more than twenty years doing it I'm still free of charges and I don't see myself in a different situation in the near future.- Michael Smith reply and it was just the right opening to deliver the final blow.

- Well Michael, even though I admire the twenty year streak of luck you have had, I will tell you honestly that if you make a proposal of this sort again, or any other type of proposal for that matter to any of my clients, I myself will make sure that lucky streak ends. Now get out.- He is surprised, that's for sure, he underestimated her and after entering that boardroom with the bearing of a hunter he has leave with his tail between his legs before becoming prey and if the look of the woman is enough indication she will not hesitate to hunt him, skin him and throw him to the wolves. Not just him, the client is dumbfounded, he had no idea J&A firm proposed him to commit a crime under the facade of a tax saving service, the disappointment on his face is evident, but there is some amazement in his eyes as well, his trusted consultant did her task, and has just freed him from ten to fifteen years in prison, no doubt she’s worth every penny.

Without a single word and with just a snort of indignation, Michael left without a single word, and just in time, the alarm set on her phone tells Cassie it’s time to go pick up the kids from school, and she can't be late, not again, she was late three times last week because of work and the look of complaint in the school principal’s eyes is a recurrent theme lately.

As soon as she park, Cassie take a look at the clock, fifteen minutes late, damn it! She ran to the school and immediately saw her little babies sitting on the bench next to the principal, and there it is, that disapproving look that tells her other mothers are able to arrive on time for their children and she failed, again; but come on, give her a break, it wasn't her fault ok? She tried to leave the office as soon as the meeting ended, but her client Alastor Kane was set to thank her for the impeccable intervention and wanted to make clear his admiration for her professionalism and skill, he even managed to slip a dinner invitation among the flattering gratitude. Cassie was not stupid, she knew perfectly well that Alastor had wanted to invite her on a date to dinner for a while, and perhaps he believed that this would be the right time; he was a handsome man that is for sure, but between her work on the firm and her children Cassie had no intention of going out with anyone, moreover, she was convinced that she was not ready for a relationship, after all her husband died only a year ago not to think that several months before his death the marriage was going through a more than complicated moment and the couple had distanced themselves to an irreconcilable point. So Cassie decline Alastor Kane in the most charming way she could and practically run out of there. She was on her way to the school when a distracted teenager crashed her car from behind and was so nervous that it took him more than 10 minutes to find the insurance policy to exchange details with Cassandra. Yes, all this delayed her but how to explain this without it sounding like an excuse.

- Good afternoon Miss Hudson, I'm sorry I'm late, I had problems on the way but I'm here!!- then she notice, her always energetic and talkative little ones were sitting without moving a muscle and with their eyes fixed on their shoes.

- What happened? Is everything alright?, Chelsea, Ethan are you ok?- Cassie asked

as she squatted in front of them to be at their height and look in their eyes. As soon as she crouched in front of them, Chelsea threw herself into her arms crying and begging her not to get angry with them.

- Mrs. Donovan, me I have a word with you?- Miss Hudson inquired.

- Sure, go ahead.

The educator started:

-Well, the first thing I must tell you is that I understand perfectly that your family had a very complicated year and that the loss of your husband had a high impact on the behavior of your children, however we do not support or approve violence.

-Come again?- said a very confused Cassy.

- You’ll see, today Ethan was on the playground and fist fought with a classmate, when Chelsea arrived she pushed the boy who was fighting with his brother throwing him to the ground. The little one was not seriously injured, although he does have a split lip, and black eye, Ethan’s courtesy and a bruise on his butt from the fall that Chelsea caused. Let me tell you this behavior will not be allowed here in Green Hills Inc. and it’s my duty to warn you if this behavior is repeated, the children will be expelled.- Miss Hudson explain in what felt like one breath.

- Chelsea? Ethan? Care to explain what happened?- the now fighting to keep calm mother ask.

A sound of indignation came out of the principal.

-But I just told you what happened. Isn’t my word enough?- she practically shout.

- Yes Miss Hudson, and I heard you just fine, but I know my children and I want to hear from them what happened. Chelsea? Ethan?- Cassandra enquired in a soft voice.

- Tommy said I should not be allowed to play with the rest of the Kids ‘cause all the others have a dad and I don’t have one anymore so I’m different; I told him to stop but he just laughed and call me dead daddy’s boy; that’s when I hit him and then Chelsea came and pull him off me, she heard what he said about dad, so...- Ethan told the story in a low but firm voice, he was a little disheveled and with some dirt in his uniform pants, but he didn't have a scratch and although he didn't seem upset, Cassandra knew her little one, he was hurt, the words of that boy hit a nerve, and that broke her heart.

- Something to add Chelsea?- the mother ask with her patience hanging by a thread.

- When I arrived the boy had just shouted those ugly names to my brother and I separated them because the teacher was there but did nothing, when I separated them Tommy scratched my arm, that's why I pushed him- added Chelsea showing her little arm with a fairly noticeable red mark and a tear in the corner of her eye.

- Miss. Hudson, First of all, let me tell you I have not educated my children to believe in violence, but I have taught them to defend themselves. The fact is another child tried to bully Ethan, not only that, they made fun of his father's death, and the teachers who witnessed it, did nothing. Excuse me but it's not my children who are in the wrong here- Cassie believed every word, granted Ethan beat up another child, but he was provoked, and his sister tried to defend him, of course she would talk to them about the consequences of fist fighting, but she couldn't help but feel proud of the way they defended themselves and each other.

- Is that what you expect me to tell Tommy's parents? That his son was beaten because Ethan and Chelsea were defending themselves?- Miss Hudson was fuming but so was Cassie.

- At this point Miss Hudson I don’t expect a thing from you or the school for that matter. But yo can tell little Tommy’s parents they can teach their child one of two things: either to respect the memory of the dead or to take a punch when he doesn't. As for the expulsion warning, don't worry about it, my children will no longer attend this school- and with that Cassandra took both Kids hands and left almost smiling at the amazed face of a very offended school principal.

-Mom…Thanks for being on our side- Chelsea thank her mother in a small voice with a little grin on her tiny baby face.

- Always- Cassy replied in a tender voice, but that single phrase took her back to one of her most precious memories and she allowed herself to get lost in her thoughts.