Daniel suddenly felt cold.
The older man noticed him staring.
"Recognize anyone?"
Daniel swallowed.
"No."
Evelyn looked at him.
"Daniel."
Then she turned toward the older man.
"Mr. Bennett, I'm sorry about what happened."
The words struck Daniel like a physical blow.
Mr. Bennett.
Evelyn rarely used formal titles with employees.
Daniel looked again at the photograph.
The older man stepped closer.
"My name is Thomas Bennett."
Daniel's mouth went dry.
Everyone in the company knew the name.
Thomas Bennett was the founder of Sterling Motors.
He had started the business decades earlier with a small repair garage and eventually built it into a chain of luxury dealerships.
Daniel had seen his name in company documents.
But he had never met him.
Thomas Bennett had stepped away from daily operations years earlier.
There were rumors that he traveled constantly. Others said he lived on a farm outside the city. Some employees joked that he only appeared when something was seriously wrong.
Daniel had imagined a man surrounded by assistants and security.
Not someone wearing faded jeans.
"You're..." Daniel began.
"The owner?" Thomas asked.
Daniel nodded slowly.
Thomas looked toward Evelyn.
"That seems to be the part everyone is interested in."
Evelyn's face tightened.
"I'm very sorry."
Thomas waved his hand.
"Why?"
"Because of the way Daniel treated you."
Thomas looked at Daniel.
The silence became unbearable.
Daniel finally spoke.
"Mr. Bennett, I didn't know who you were."
Thomas nodded.
"That's the problem."
Chương 4
Daniel's eyes dropped.
"I thought—"
"You thought my clothes told you everything you needed to know."
Daniel had no answer.
Thomas walked slowly toward one of the office windows.
Below them, customers entered the showroom.
"I built this company because I hated walking into businesses where people looked at you before they listened to you," Thomas said.
He turned.
"When I was young, I couldn't afford a decent suit. I worked in a garage. My hands were always dirty. There were places where people treated me as if I was invisible."
Daniel listened.
"And I promised myself that if I ever owned a business, nobody who walked through my door would feel that way."
Evelyn looked at Daniel.
Thomas continued.
"Today, I walked through my own showroom, and before anyone knew my name, I was told where I belonged."
Daniel felt the weight of every word.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly.
Thomas studied him.
"Are you sorry because you treated a man badly?"
Daniel looked up.
"Or because you just discovered that man owns the company?"
Daniel opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Thomas's expression softened slightly.
"Think about that."
Then he walked past him.
"Because the answer matters."
Thomas Bennett did not fire Daniel.
That surprised everyone.
By lunchtime, rumors had already spread through Sterling Motors.
Some employees believed Daniel would be gone before the end of the day. Others whispered that Thomas Bennett had come to the dealership specifically to inspect the staff.
Daniel sat alone in the employee lounge.
His untouched coffee had gone cold.
He replayed the morning in his mind.
Don't touch the vehicle.
Maybe something within your budget.
Perhaps you should leave.
Every sentence sounded worse now.
Marcus entered and sat across from him.
"So?"
Daniel looked up.
"I'm still employed."
Marcus shook his head.
"That's something."
Daniel stared at the table.
"I treated the owner like he was nothing."
Marcus was quiet for a moment.
"No," he said. "You treated a customer like he was nothing."
Daniel looked at him.
Marcus leaned back.
"The fact that he owns the place is almost beside the point."
Those words stayed with Daniel.
A few minutes later, Evelyn appeared at the doorway.
"Daniel."
He stood immediately.
"Mr. Bennett wants to see you."
Daniel followed her into the administrative wing.
Thomas was standing near the window, looking down at the showroom.
"Close the door," he said.
Daniel obeyed.
Thomas did not turn around.
"How long have you worked here?"
"Four years."
"Why did you become a salesman?"