“He tried to explain the rollout timeline,” Laura continued. “But the numbers didn’t match the projections your team originally prepared.”
Of course, they didn’t. Gregory had always focused on big-picture optimism, not logistical detail.
“What did you do?” I asked.
“We postponed the launch discussion.”
Laura hesitated before adding something more serious.
“Adrien, can I ask you something honestly?”
“Of course.”
“If Crestline were to explore other marketing partners…” She paused. “Would Hayes Strategic be interested?”
I took a slow breath. Because moments like this are where professional ethics matter most.
“I’m not involved with Dalton and Pierce anymore,” I said carefully. “And I wouldn’t interfere with their contracts.”
“I understand.”
“But if Crestline ever wanted to review alternative options, we’d be happy to have a conversation.”
Laura sounded relieved. “Good. We may need that conversation soon.”
When the call ended, I leaned back in my chair. Two major clients questioning their contracts within two weeks. Exactly the timeline I had predicted.
Later that afternoon, I walked into Victoria Hayes’s office again. She looked up immediately.
“Another one?”
“Crestline Robotics.”
Victoria leaned back slowly. “Gregory must be having a difficult month.”
“That’s one way to describe it.”
“What exactly is happening inside Dalton and Pierce right now?”
I thought about Emily Carter, about the analysts scrambling to manage unfamiliar accounts, about Gregory trying to lead conversations he had never fully participated in before.
“Imagine removing the central operating system from a complex machine,” I said. “All the parts are still there, but nothing communicates properly anymore.”
Victoria nodded thoughtfully. “That explains the vendor calls.”
“Vendor calls?”
“Midwest Print Solutions contacted us yesterday.”
That caught my attention.
“What did they want?”
“They asked whether Hayes Strategic was looking for a new printing partner.”
I laughed quietly. Marcus Reed moved fast.
“Did you tell them anything?” I asked.
“Just that we’re always open to reliable vendors.”
Victoria closed her laptop and leaned forward.
“You didn’t sabotage Dalton and Pierce.”
“No.”
“You didn’t recruit their clients.”
“No.”
“You simply left.”
“Exactly.”
Victoria smiled slightly. “That’s the part most people misunderstand because businesses built on personal relationships operate differently than businesses built on contracts. When service quality drops, clients don’t stay out of loyalty. They move toward the person who previously solved their problems.”
Which meant something important was happening across Chicago’s marketing industry. Clients were beginning to compare experiences, and Dalton and Pierce was starting to look unstable.
Three weeks later, the tipping point arrived.
Daniel Whitaker called again. This time, his tone was completely different.
“Adrien,” he said. “We’ve made a decision.”
I already knew what he meant.
“North River is terminating its marketing contract with Dalton and Pierce.”
I closed my eyes briefly. That account alone represented nearly 20% of Gregory Dalton’s annual revenue.
“When does the transition happen?” I asked.