NovelEnglishAustin squinted his eyes and let out a chuckle. "Don't worry. I've been around the block in this business world, and | know the ropes. It'll just be our little secret, okay?" Dorothy could not be bothered to explain further.
Following Austin into the boardroom, she found her seat and settled down, coughing a few times to clear her throat.
The meeting was an internal team huddle, so the atmosphere was far from formal.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtEveryone spoke their minds freely, sharing their thoughts and ideas about the project.
Dorothy had been feeling in sync with her colleagues, which eased her nerves considerably. Having been mentored by the renowned Everett, her analysis and insights were particularly sharp, earning her numerous nods of approval from the manager.
This, however, didn't sit well with some of the female staff on her team.
They had put forth many suggestions, all of which were dismissed, whereas Dorothy's were unanimously accepted.
The men in the group didn't shy away from casting admiring glances her way, and how could that not stir up a bit of jealousy? As the meeting adjourned and Dorothy returned to her office, there came a knock on her door.
"Come in." "Ms. Sanchez, hello, I'm Ophelia, the project assistant. | have a question I'd like to ask you." Her words were polite, but her smile was anything but genuine.
Dorothy didn't pay much attention to her expression and gestured towards a chair, saying warmly, "Please, take a seat. I'll send you the documents right away." Ophelia took a seat and slapped the folder she was carrying onto the desk. That crisp sound couldn't have been made without a bit of force.
Dorothy paused and looked over. "What can | help you with? Was there something from the meeting you didn't understand?" "It's nothing major. It's just that your analysis was so unique. It's different from my team's usual style. It's understandable if | didn't follow, right?" The implication of “my team” was subtle.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmDorothy wasn't naive. She could detect the challenge in Ophelia’s tone. "Maybe that's why the fourth project team has never been at the forefront of winning projects. Poor adaptability and comprehension skills.” Ophelia clenched her fists in fury. "Aren't you part of the fourth project team as well?" "From what | gathered, you don't seem to fully embrace the idea of me being the team's director,” Dorothy said with a smile, holding Ophelia's gaze.
"I know that to be an assistant at Lopez Corporation, you have to be bright, likely with a master's degree. But when those are a dime a dozen, it's not that impressive. What you should focus on is honing your skills, not stirring up trouble.” "Ms. Sanchez, you have such a way with words. What did | say? | just mentioned I didn't grasp your analysis and hoped you could go over it again. Why do you have to be so harsh? | was actually looking forward to the director parachuted into the fourth project team to be someone gentle and patient, but instead...” Dorothy had finished sending the documents and stood up to pour herself a glass of water before returning to Ophelia’s side, patting her shoulder.
"If you're looking for gentle and patient, you might want to try a kindergarten. There, both principals and teachers are nothing but kind. But this, this is the corporate world." Being willing to explain things a second time was a courtesy on Dorothy's part.
If she wasn't willing, then it was time for some self-reflection on whether it was a lack of comprehension.
"You! Ms. Sanchez, with your sharp tongue, | bet you wouldn't dare let the other men in our group see you like this, would you? Only showing it to the women staff! Too bad, they're all fools, fools who only judge by looks!" Dorothy's hand stilled, the amusement in her eyes deepening.
She grabbed Ophelia's arm, yanked open the office door, and raised her voice.
"Everyone, this assistant here just said that all the men on the fourth project team are fools. I'm new here, so I'm not up to speed —is that so?"
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