C17 Personal Grudge

A few minutes later, he walked over to my desk. “Did you somehow offend the Vice Director?” he asked with a smile. I looked up from my screen. “What makes you ask that?”

Josh chuckled. “The notice. Most of the examples he used sound exactly like what you’re wearing.” I couldn’t help but laugh slightly. “We were friends once,” I replied. “Don’t mind him.”

Josh studied me for a moment before speaking. “Listen, son. In my department, everyone is treated equally. I don’t care about someone’s family background, social status or personal grudges. If you work hard and contribute to the team, the team will respect you.”

For a moment, I was speechless. I searched his face for signs that he was joking.

There were none. His expression was serious. For the first time that day, I smiled genuinely. “Thank you, Team Manager.”

The rest of the afternoon passed peacefully. As Chris and I were leaving the building, we spotted the same familiar figure we had seen the previous day.