Brad tried to participate, awkwardly repeating phrases he thought sounded humble. “Hey team, let’s stay grounded,” he’d say, as if humility were a language he barely spoke. Ethan responded kindly, always addressing him as “Mr. Collins,” the same title Brad had once insisted on. Corporate karma had good timing.
The office felt lighter now, with genuine laughter by the coffee machine, and playlists instead of tension. Someone even printed the “Profit???” slide and taped it to the breakroom fridge. Above it, Claire had written in marker: Innovation in its purest form. Brad avoided the fridge for a week.