@hcpefell - plotted starter
Effect, he had long learned, was a matter of timing. Of the right action at the right place, in front of the right people. And that, well, that had taken patience and experience both, and gathering the right information.
He had hoped she'd come to him, if things got worse. He had offered and meant it, and while Oscorp's attention was a dangerous thing, he'd never been good at leaving things alone, if someone was in pain. And for a moment, he'd thought it wouldn't be needed.
Then he'd started hearing things. Rumors, conversations, jabs and joking. Things that on their own barely mattered, but as the days went on... well, it was time to do something, and the time for discretion had long gone by.
So he'd waited until the day the next charity gala was announced -a matter of PR, but this once PR would help someone- and until the relevant people would be on the same floor. Gwen, on the one hand, and the gaggle of nuisances and bootlickers that should be ashamed of themselves.
"Miss Stacy?" He asked, as he approached her desk, low enough that it was clearly a private matter, loud enough that it would be overheard. Discreet enough that all eyes were on them, as they pretended not to be.