The Tension Begins
The room was already tense when Wayne walked into the office. The girls were sitting around the table with the lawyer, still discussing the contract. Papers covered the table, and everyone had something to say.
Wayne stood near the door and looked around the room.
Nobody answered.
The lawyer looked at him and calmly explained that the girls were simply discussing their concerns about the agreement.
The Girls Speak Up
Lauren looked directly at Wayne, trying to understand what he meant. Wayne walked toward the table and made his position clear.
Amber crossed her arms and explained that the girls were not asking for anything unreasonable. They simply wanted an agreement that worked for everyone.
The lawyer explained that the girls had several concerns about the current terms, especially regarding their responsibilities and compensation.
The Negotiation
One of the girls leaned forward and reminded Wayne that they were working too and deserved to have a voice in the process.
Wayne paused before making his next point.
The room became quiet. Lauren explained that they were simply trying to protect themselves from making a bad decision.
Lauren hesitated before admitting that they were worried about agreeing to something they might regret later.
The Offer Gets Rejected
Wayne finally pulled out a chair and sat down. The lawyer pushed the contract toward him and explained that the girls wanted to discuss the money, their responsibilities, and several conditions.
The girls looked at one another before Amber finally gave Wayne the number they wanted.
Wayne stared at her before slowly leaning back in his chair.
The girls immediately reacted, arguing that they had come to the meeting specifically to negotiate.
Wayne raised his hand and calmly told them that he was listening, but his answer remained the same.
The Ultimatum
Lauren looked frustrated and asked if that was really the end of the conversation.
Wayne stood up and looked around the room.
He reminded them that he had built the podcast from the ground up and that other people would gladly take the opportunity if the current group decided to walk away.
Lauren immediately asked whether Wayne was saying that they could actually be replaced.
Amber stood up, shocked by the statement.
Wayne Makes His Move
The lawyer suggested that everyone take a break, but Wayne refused. He explained that they had already spent enough time going back and forth over the same issues.
Lauren asked what would happen if they refused.
The girls were stunned. Lauren asked whether Wayne would really allow all of them to leave.
One of the girls reminded Wayne that they had helped build the podcast. Wayne acknowledged their contributions but made it clear that appreciation did not mean he had to accept every demand.
The Replacement Plan
Lauren finally asked what would happen if everyone said no.
The girls stared at him, unsure whether he was serious. Lauren suggested that Wayne was bluffing.
Wayne calmly pulled out his phone and began scrolling through his contacts.
He made a call and explained that he needed people for the podcast. The girls watched in disbelief as Wayne continued the conversation.
Wayne ended the call and put his phone away.
Lauren Tries to Stop Him
Lauren walked toward Wayne and asked him to wait. She argued that he could not simply throw everything away because they wanted a better deal.
Wayne pointed toward the contract.
Lauren looked back at the other girls, but nobody knew what to say. The lawyer once again encouraged everyone to calm down before making a final decision.
The Final Warning
Wayne walked toward the door but stopped before leaving. Everyone looked at him.
He opened the door and delivered one final warning.
Wayne walked out, leaving the girls frozen in disbelief. Lauren stared at the doorway while Amber quietly wondered whether he had just fired them without actually saying the words.
Then Wayne’s voice came from the hallway.
Lauren asked why.
The door closed.
Everyone looked at each other in complete shock. For the first time, the girls realized that Wayne was no longer simply warning them about what could happen.
He had already started planning what would happen next.