CHAPTER 464: CHAPTER 464: BEING A GOOD BOSS

The next day, Ruby Sullivan took the samples of the new product to the design team to see how the previous designs were coming along.

Although Belle had complained a great deal, after calming down, she didn’t follow Cici’s lousy advice to use an eliminated draft to get by. However, the designs produced under pressure were truly below par, and after Ruby saw them, she didn’t know what to say.

When she walked over to Luke’s spot, her eyes suddenly brightened.

Because the previous designs were all meant to complement the game, they had a strong anime feel. This time, while retaining the original characters, Luke removed the colors used to distinguish characters,

replacing them with patterns of different pencil textures. He also unified the bottles into one type, using a charm representing each character’s traits and different caps to differentiate them.

Ruby immediately decided on this plan, asking Luke to hand over other tasks to Belle and Cici and finish the remaining three.

Originally, for such major tasks, the design department usually discussed the overall plan in advance and then allocated work. However, Luke’s design was entirely different from Belle’s, and it seemed there was no prior discussion.

Belle and Cici were somewhat unwilling but couldn’t say anything more since their skills were not on par with Luke’s.

Ruby didn’t take out the samples and, after allocating the work, called Luke to the meeting room to introduce the concept of the co-branded perfume based on props.

She wasn’t worried about having a mole in the design team; she just wanted to understand the "underlying currents" in the team.

"Do you have conflicts with Belle and Cici?" In her view, a team of two single girls and one handsome guy should not be full of sparks, even if it doesn’t ignite romantic flames.

"No." Luke first answered her question affirmatively, then added, "We just have normal mutual exclusion between us."

Ruby’s face darkened. If they’re excluding each other, can it be called normal?

Seeing her speechlessness, Luke continued, "You’re too good of a boss, so when you asked for overtime this time, Belle and Cici found it unbelievable and unreasonable. So when I wanted to complete the task well, I became an outsider or even a... scheming person trying to impress the boss."

As he said this, his face remained expressionless, and his tone was flat, without any fluctuations, like a documentary narrator devoid of personal color, detached and simply stating facts, maintaining objectivity and neutrality.

Whether it was his calm demeanor that shocked Ruby or the truth he spoke that she unwillingly had to acknowledge, she couldn’t tell. But after listening, she suddenly felt as if a cold breath had been sucked in, making her feel quite unwell.

It was as if being a good boss was a mistake.

She was silent for a moment, returning to the work at hand, "This final new product, since it’s a co-branding, should stand out independently. Alright, you go back to work."

Luke stood up, glanced at the time, and said, "I’ll submit a complete set of finished drafts by three this afternoon."

"Great, thank you for your hard work."

Luke stared at her, seeming to hesitate, but finally, somewhat unappreciatively, said, "It’s my job."

He knew Ruby was being courteous, so his words were more like a reminder to Ruby that a boss should act like one.

Ruby sat in the meeting room for quite a while, suddenly feeling she was being naive.

All companies inevitably develop hierarchical management structures as they grow, with all the rules and regulations becoming cold and ruthless. There would be a clear line between employees and the boss.

In Nirvana, Ruby’s only two jobs, she had never experienced these. When founding Nirvana, she hoped her company would be different, but she forgot, the essence of gaining profit as a boss lies in exploiting the employees’ surplus value. The relationship of exploitation and being exploited can’t possibly be as harmonious as friendship.

She wasn’t too good of a boss but rather a foolish one.

After coming to this conclusion, Ruby felt even worse. She wanted to have lunch with Ethan Sterling, not to discuss her failings in company management or seek advice, but simply because seeing him would give her some psychological comfort, even if nothing was said, just to see him.

After tidying up her things, she called Ethan Sterling, who picked up quickly, but when she expressed her desire to have lunch together, he apologized, saying he was still in a meeting and might miss lunch.

"It’s okay, you go on with your work." Ruby hung up the phone, thinking he had been in meetings since last night; could it be that it lasted all night?

Thinking this, she became a bit worried, and after some thought, couldn’t help but call Snow, "Is Ethan Sterling at the company?"

"Mr. Sterling is in a meeting, is there something you need?"

"Not really."

"Mr. Sullivan..." Snow suddenly called her somewhat abruptly, sounding like she had more to say.

"What is it?" Ruby was suspicious.

Snow frowned. Ideally, she shouldn’t say this to anyone, but she was genuinely worried, "Mr. Sterling has recently been taking aggressive measures against The Lawson Group..."

Ruby caught the unsaid part in her words, "I understand, I... will come over later." She hung up and immediately headed to the restaurant Ethan liked, packed two of his favorite dishes, and headed straight to The Sterling Group.

Ethan was still in a meeting, and Snow mentioned it had started around nine in the morning and had already lasted over four hours. Later, as she brought coffee to Ethan, she quietly informed him that Ruby was in the guest room.

Ethan checked the time and told the people in the video conference, "Let’s take a two-hour break." He then disconnected and said, "Let her in."

"Yes," Snow breathed a sigh of relief, thinking her bold move seemed quite effective.

"Why did you come all the way here?" He knew she had been busier than him these past couple of days.

Ruby held up the food she was carrying and smiled, "I’m afraid someone might forget about their stomach condition and skip meals for meetings."

Ethan smiled, and as the aroma of the food spread, he suddenly felt hungry.

Several times, Ruby bit her chopsticks while watching him but didn’t know how to start. Was she supposed to ask if his actions against The Lawson Group were out of impetuousness? How could Ethan be such an impulsive man?

When she looked up at him again, unsure how to speak, Ethan, eating his lunch, suddenly glanced up and asked, "Do you miss me too much, or do you have something on your mind?"

Ruby was stunned, her big eyes blinking, suddenly narrowing into crescents, "I miss you and have something on my mind."

Ethan lowered his eyes and continued eating, "Tell me your story."

Ruby laughed, still feeling a bit uneasy with his serious joking, "I just... miss you."

She chose to trust him. Yes, Ethan was no longer the impulsive young man of a few years ago. The Sterling Group had achieved its current glory in his hands, undoubtedly from winning similar battles many times over.

This time would be the same.