On Tuesday, the project kick-off meeting for Bloom & Moon Sips was held at Nova Capital's New York office. Scarlett Harris had only finished the project's PowerPoint presentation yesterday, and last night, she rehearsed it with Grace Li. After Grace pointed out a few issues, she helped her make revisions, working until 11 PM before heading home.
At the kick-off meeting, Scarlett Harris was dressed in a sharp, ivory-colored business suit, her long curly hair elegantly pinned up, and her light makeup made her look radiant. When she began, she politely greeted the senior company executives and spoke with confident: "Good morning, everyone. It's a pleasure to present our project, 'Bloom & Moon Sips,' to you today."
Grace Li had already thoroughly memorized the presentation, having essentially guided Scarlett step by step. The senior executives nodded along as they listened, with CEO Benjamin Harris particularly pleased with his daughter's performance, the smile on his face growing more evident.
After Scarlett finished her presentation, one of the partners complimented, "Scarlett, you've only been with the company for a few months, yet you've managed to put together such an impressive project report. Clearly, talent runs in the family. You've got your father's charisma and sharp instincts."
Scarlett Harris smiled and responded, "Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Your kind words are truly encouraging."
During the Q&A session, just as Grace Li had anticipated, Scarlett answered every question effortlessly. By the end of the meeting, the senior executives had nothing but praise for her.
After the meeting, Grace Li returned to her office and checked her phone, noticing that her mother, Huiyun Liang, had called twice during the meeting. She stepped into a small conference room next door to call her back. "Hi, Mom. What's up?"
Huiyun Liang spoke in Chinese, "Today's your lunar birthday, I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday."
Grace Li smiled softly, "I didn't even remember, but thank you, Mom. You're always the one reminding me."
"Well, your dad and I were planning to celebrate with you today, but he's not feeling well, so I sent you some money. Go out and have a nice meal with your colleagues or friends."
"What's wrong with Dad?"
"He's got his usual aches. You know, as people get older, they tend to feel a little off sometimes."
Grace Li smiled and reassured her, "I've been sending you guys some holiday money each year. You're doing well, so don't overdo it. You and Dad should relax more."
"Well, your brother's at that age now where he should settle down, and we're planning to buy him a house by the end of the year. While we're still able to work, we want to help him out. But I understand your concern. We just feel it's important to support him at this stage."
Grace Li didn't argue further. Her parents' plan to buy her brother a car and a house seemed natural to them. William Li had just graduated last June, and his job wasn't yet stable, so buying a house now seemed a little premature.
"Mom, it might be better to wait until William's job is more stable. He may not be able to afford the mortgage if we buy a house now. You know, in the US job market, it often takes time for young people to establish a solid career."
"How's he gonna get married without a house? He'll need one sooner or later. In our culture, a house is a symbol of stability for a family."
Grace Li didn't push the issue further. She hadn't promised to help with buying the house, nor had she outright refused. She had given William plenty of spending money when he was in school, but now that he was working, Grace Li felt she didn't have an obligation to support him financially.
After chatting with her mom for a while, she ended the call. She opened her messages and saw several notifications. Her mom had sent her a birthday gift, and Isabella Hsueh had also sent one with a message: "Happy lunar birthday to our amazing Grace Li! You're like a blooming flower at thirty, but in my eyes, you'll always be eighteen. Hahaha. I'm in San Francisco for a court session today. I'll probably be back really late, so I can't celebrate with you. But I'm sure someone special will be there to keep you company. Hehe."
Grace Li couldn't help but smile when she saw the message.
Just then, Benjamin Harris's secretary called: "Grace Li, Mr. Harris would like to see you in his office. He wants to touch base about the Bloom & Moon Sips project."
"Sure, I'll be right there."
Grace Li put away her phone and headed for Benjamin Harris's office. Scarlett Harris was already there.
Benjamin Harris warmly invited Grace Li to sit on the couch, and he and Scarlett sat on one side, causing Grace Li to feel a bit of invisible pressure. The office walls were adorned with large photos of New York's Financial District, and there were several industry awards displayed, showcasing the company's standing and achievements.
Benjamin Harris spoke first: "Grace Li, I've heard from Scarlett that you've provided a great deal of guidance on the Bloom & Moon Sips project. Your input has been invaluable, and it really aligns with our company's collaborative spirit."
Grace Li responded modestly, "Scarlett is really smart. She picked things up quickly. She has great potential to be a future leader in our company."
Benjamin Harris continued, "Scarlett has only been with the company for a few months, and I originally wanted her to gain some experience. But since she's done such a great job on this project, I think it's time for her to take the lead. However, she might need some support. I hope your team can assist her in the subsequent work. Considering our project evaluation criteria, having a strong support system will be crucial for the success of Bloom & Moon Sips."
Grace Li's heart sank. Benjamin Harris's intentions were clear: she and her team would shift from leading the project to supporting it, and Scarlett Harris would take the lead. However, Scarlett's involvement in the project up until now had been minimal, and her ability to lead the project was still questionable.
But Benjamin Harris was the CEO, and Scarlett was his only daughter. Grace Li had witnessed his favoritism towards her in recent days. If she pointed out Scarlett's lack of ability, Benjamin Harris would surely be displeased.
Having been in the workplace for years, Grace Li knew exactly where she stood. In a family-run business, it was inevitable that she'd face setbacks, and there was no place for complaints unless she decided to resign. Weighing the pros and cons, she decided to handle this diplomatically: "Mr. Harris, I believe Scarlett has the capabilities to lead a project. However, my team is currently swamped with work. If my colleagues have to assist with both our ongoing projects and Scarlett's, I'm concerned they won't be able to give either the attention it deserves. Maybe we could bring in a few new people to balance the workload. They could support Scarlett's project while giving my team more focus on what we're already handling."
Grace Li's response made it clear that she was unwilling to step down to a supporting role. She might relinquish the project, but she wouldn't accept an unfair arrangement. After all, if this was allowed once, there could be more unreasonable demands in the future.
Grace Li was Benjamin Harris's trusted assistant, and he couldn't force her into something she didn't want. He took a deep breath and said, "Alright, I'll discuss this with the HR department. We need to come up with a ballpark figure for the new hires and a timeline for their integration. Let's make sure this transition is smooth."
"Thank you, Mr. Harris."