Chapter 3

"If we don't give him a chance to make mistakes, how is he supposed to grow? Everyone starts out not knowing anything and learns along the way," Jessica added.

That wasn't true. Back then, when my proposal had clearly been better than those of the senior employees, she had still given the senior employees the lead, saying it was about showing respect to those who had been there longer.

Now, with Henry, she had suddenly adopted a completely different standard. Apparently, I was the only one who was supposed to take the fall.

Henry stood up awkwardly and waved his hands. "Ms. Little, you're giving me too much credit. I was only throwing ideas out there. How could that possibly count as a proposal? Mr. Ludwig still needs to oversee the project."

Jessica dismissed his concerns. "He's the team lead. He's merely the one who makes the final call. His team handles all the details of the project. Don't make him out to be some incredible person. Anyone sitting in that position could come up with a proposal like that.

"Alright. Young people shouldn't be so timid. The opportunity is right in front of you, so make the most of it. If there's anything you don't understand, ask your coworkers. I'm sure everyone will be happy to help."

Henry glanced at me. A flicker of smugness appeared in his eyes.

"Since you put it that way, I'll accept the opportunity.

"Mr. Ludwig, this is the company's decision. I'm sure you won't object.

"I'm only a newcomer. If I run into any problems, I'll have to ask for your guidance."

The employees reporting to me looked increasingly unhappy.

I pushed my chair back and stood up.

"How could I object to my superior's decision?

"As for guidance, I don't think I'm qualified. An unfinished proposal has already beaten me out of the running. You might as well take my position as the team lead too."

Jessica slammed her hand on the table again and stood up furiously. "Hunter, stop making a scene!"

I casually dug a finger into my ear.

"I'm giving the newcomer a chance, aren't I? Letting him become team lead directly would be quite the challenge."

I didn't wait for Jessica to announce the end of the meeting. I headed straight for the door.

"Hunter!"

Jessica was about to follow me when Henry suddenly grabbed her sleeve and looked at her with a wounded expression. "Forget it, Ms. Little. I just don't have what it takes. It's only natural that Mr. Ludwig looks down on me. We should give the project back to him."

Jessica angrily sat back down. "Stop saying things like that. What's yours is yours. You keep the project. If he has a problem with it, he can come to me!"

That day, I used my annual leave and went home to rest.

Jessica approved it.

She came home that night.

Neither of us spoke at first. We simply let the silence stretch on for thirty minutes.

Finally, Jessica broke the silence with a long sigh. "At the company, we're boss and employee. I can't show you favoritism. You understand that, don't you?"

Could I really have expected her to show me favoritism?

I'd already consider it a miracle if she stopped deliberately targeting me.

Seeing that I didn't respond, Jessica softened her tone. "Tomorrow is the anniversary of your dad's passing, isn't it? I'll go with you and your mom to visit his grave."

"There's no need, Ms. Little. My mom and I can go on our own."

Without another word, I ignored her sour expression and walked straight into the guest room.

The next day, Jessica still came to the cemetery. She even brought someone else with her.

"Mrs. Ludwig, Hunter, I'm here to visit Mr. Ludwig."

Mom looked at Henry, who was standing behind Jessica, and gave her a puzzled look.

Jessica pushed Henry forward and introduced him. "Mrs. Ludwig, this is my junior and a colleague from the company. He grew up in the countryside and has never seen a cemetery in the city before, so he wanted to take a look. That's why I brought him along."

Henry looked around curiously. "I didn't realize city cemeteries were divided into such tiny individual plots. I've heard they're really expensive and that you have to keep paying fees forever. What a waste of money. You might as well scatter the ashes at sea."