The bathroom door closed softly behind her, but Ryan's cruel words echoed endlessly in Otis's mind. She walked slowly down the hallway, struggling to remain calm, yet her heart felt as though it were being squeezed by an invisible hand.
It had been so long since Otis could remember the last time she felt this deeply hurt. She sought refuge in a hidden corner near Ryan's office, leaning against the cold wall and letting out a quiet sigh.
Otis's gaze accidentally landed on an old photograph hanging in the hallway, faded by time, capturing the grand opening of the first Sterling Corporation office, with the beaming faces of Thomas Sterling and his young son Ryan standing beside him. But few knew that beyond that frame, she too had been there standing next to Thomas.
It was just that they had intentionally cut her out of every public photo. Thomas had once spoken to her with a sad voice.
"Otis, I'm so sorry, but the world isn't ready to recognize your true worth. But I believe that one day things will change."
That promise echoed like a haunting specter, tormenting her for over 30 years. Otis vividly remembered Thomas's warm, sincere eyes as he steadfastly added her name to the stock papers with the highest share, 51%, a way for Thomas to ensure that no one could deny her monumental role in building Sterling Corporation.
But he could never have imagined that after his death, the person to deny her contribution would be his own son. Ryan Sterling as a child had once been a well-behaved and respectful boy.
Otis had even cared for Ryan, tutoring him through difficult math problems when Thomas was busy with work. But time, money, and power had transformed Ryan into an entirely different person.
Otis grieved as she thought about it, the stark contrast between Thomas, a sincere friend and idealistic man, and Ryan, a son driven by ambition, coldness, and selfishness. The memory of Thomas still felt as fresh as if it had been yesterday.
Otis recalled one evening working together in their small workshop when the company was still in its infancy. Thomas wiped the sweat from his brow and spoke to her with a tone full of resolve.
"We're going to build a company that doesn't just make a profit, Otis. We'll create a place where everyone is respected and treated fairly, no matter their background or skin color."
Thomas's promise that day made Otis feel both happy and heartbroken as she reflected on the present. Sterling Corporation today bore no resemblance to those noble values.
While she stood there, the leaders, those who could never understand the true value of Sterling, were preparing a ruthless plan that would push hundreds of poor people out of the company. Suddenly, the tense voices from Ryan's office broke her from her thoughts, pulling her back to the present.
Otis unintentionally heard each word through the slightly cracked door as Ryan was speaking with Logan and Patricia. "There's no other way.
We have to immediately lay off 400 lower-level employees, mainly from the production and maintenance departments. If we don't, this quarter's profits will drop, and that's unacceptable."
Patricia hesitantly asked, "But 400 people. It will greatly affect their lives.
Many of them have worked here for years, Ryan."