The Art of Forgiveness

Venus sat at the head of the large conference table, surrounded by her team. The morning had been productive, and they were concluding their meeting on the latest marketing strategy for their new product line. 

Lucia, her assistant, took notes as Venus led the discussion. Franklin, Davis, and Melanie nodded in agreement as Venus explained the upcoming campaign.

"So, we'll be focusing on digital platforms, but we need to ensure our traditional channels aren't overlooked," Venus said, her voice confident and clear. 

"We want to create a buzz before launch day, get people talking, and have the influencers driving engagement from the get-go," she added.

Melanie raised her hand. "What about the trade shows? We've got one coming up in two weeks. Should we wait to finalize the campaign until after that?"

Venus thought for a moment, tapping her pen on the table. "No, let's move forward with what we have, and we'll integrate the trade show in as part of the final push. It'll build anticipation."

"Got it," Franklin said, leaning back in his chair. 

"So, he continued, we push the digital push for a couple of weeks, then the big reveal after the trade show?"

"Exactly," Venus confirmed. "Now, let's assign roles. Lucia, you're on handling influencer outreach. Franklin, Davis, and Melanie, I want each of you working on specific content. I'll handle the final approvals, but you'll have full creative control."

Everyone nodded in agreement. The meeting had been smooth, the team in harmony, and the energy was high. 

Venus smiled, feeling the momentum build as they finalized the details. She looked up at the clock on the wall.

"Great. Let's wrap this up. We have two weeks to make this happen, so let's hit the ground running," she said, standing up.

As the team began to pack up, Venus took a moment to glance over some notes. 

Meanwhile, the hallway buzzed with activity as employees moved between offices, the soft sound of chatter and clicking heels filling the air.

 Rose stormed through the corridor, her heels striking the tiled floor like thunder. Her eyes were red, her lips tightly pressed together, and she looked like a volcano on the edge of eruption.

Tony, the friendly IT guy with a reputation for being observant, was walking toward the server room when he spotted her.

"Rose?" he called, frowning. She didn't answer. She didn't even slow down.

Something's not right, he thought.

Without hesitation, he turned around and followed her down the hall. She made a sharp left turn and entered her office, slamming the door shut behind her. 

A few heads turned, but no one said anything. The tension around Rose had become noticeable lately.

Tony hesitated at her door, then knocked twice.

"What?" Rose snapped from inside.

"It's me, Tony," he said calmly.

Silence.

Then, a heavy sigh. "Come in."

Tony stepped in, closing the door gently behind him. Rose stood behind her desk, hands on her hips, breathing heavily. Her eyes burned with frustration, and her jaw was clenched tight.

Tony didn't say anything at first. He just studied her.

Rose suddenly slammed her palm on the desk. The sound echoed sharply through the room. 

"Can you imagine?" she shouted. "The company is about to suspend me. Suspend me! Because of that new marketing manager!"

Tony blinked. "Venus?"

"Yes, Venus," Rose snapped. "Little Miss Perfect. Because of her, I'm going to be out of work for God knows how long."

Tony shook his head slowly and crossed his arms. "Rose… I warned you. I told you not to sabotage her presentation. But you wouldn't listen."

"I didn't think anyone would find out," she muttered, pacing behind her desk. "I just wanted to show that she wasn't as good as everyone thinks she is."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly did you plan to prove that? By giving her wrong information?"

Rose stopped pacing and turned to face him. "It was just a little switch. Nothing too serious."

Tony sighed and walked over to one of the chairs in front of her desk. He sat down and looked up at her. "You're better than this, Rose. I know you are."

Rose scoffed. "Apparently, I'm not. Now HR is involved, and Belinda says there's going to be a disciplinary hearing. Suspension is already on the table."

"You brought this on yourself," Tony said gently. "I know you're upset, but you can't blame Venus for this. She didn't ask for any of it. You were the one who tried to take her down."

Rose clenched her fists and looked away. Her voice dropped. "I just… I just didn't want to be replaced. I've been here longer. I've worked harder. But everyone just started acting like she's the best thing that ever happened to this company."

Tony stood. "Maybe she is good at what she does. That doesn't mean there's no place for you, Rose. But trying to drag her down? That's not how you prove your worth."

She turned back to him slowly, tears now pooling in her eyes. "Do you think there's any chance they'll forgive me?"

Tony shrugged. "I don't know. But if I were you, I'd start by apologizing. Not just to management, but to Venus too."

Rose didn't reply. She just stared down at her desk, as if finally realizing the depth of the hole she'd dug herself into.

Tony gave her a small, sympathetic nod before turning toward the door. "Good luck, Rose. I mean that."

Then he quietly left, leaving Rose alone with her thoughts and her regrets.

While Venus was about to leave the small meeting room, Belinda from the HR department poked her head in.

"Venus?" she asked hesitantly, noticing that she was about to leave the room. "I just wanted to inform you that Rose is about to be suspended for tampering with your presentation."

"Is it really necessary?" Venus asked, her voice calm but firm.

Belinda stepped into the room, her gaze fixed on Venus "It's company policy, Venus. We can't have this sort of behavior go unchecked. Rose's actions could've jeopardized your hard work and the company's reputation. It's unfortunate, but necessary."

Venus sighed. "I'll handle it," Venus said, giving Belinda a reassuring look. "Thanks for letting me know."

As Belinda left, Venus felt a sudden urge to take action. She couldn't let Rose's career be ruined because of a moment of poor judgment. 

Despite everything, Rose had been a colleague, It wasn't easy, but Venus knew what she had to do.

Venus made her way toward Raymond's office with a sense of purpose. She knocked gently on the door before entering, and Raymond looked up from his desk with a raised eyebrow.

"Venus, come in. What's on your mind?" he asked, setting down his pen.

She stepped inside and closed the door behind her, walking towards his desk. "sir, I need to talk to you about Rose," she said.

Raymond's expression shifted, and he leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "I'm listening."

"Sir, I know what she did was wrong, and I know it wasn't just an innocent mistake. But I don't think suspension is the right way to handle it," Venus said, her voice steady but pleading. 

"She's been under a lot of pressure, and maybe she's made some poor choices. But I don't think her career should be over because of this," she pointed out.

Raymond looked at her intently, his eyes softening as he listened. "You want me to go easy on her?"