After a round of polite talk, the room slowly relaxed. The tension of formal greetings faded, replaced by easier voices and warmer energy. Even the air felt lighter, like the space itself had accepted everyone inside it.
The young woman beside Caleb kept leaning toward him, whispering things under her breath. Caleb finally cleared his throat and looked at us with a careful expression.
"Actually," he said slowly, "I have a favor to ask from both of you. I hope you can agree."
I smiled a little and set my glass down. "Dr. Ludwick, we've worked together for years. Just say it. If we can help, we will."
He let out a small laugh, but there was hesitation in his eyes. It wasn't easy for him to speak.
Martha stepped in gently, her voice soft but direct. "It's about our niece. She just finished university not long ago. She's been dreaming of joining Fuller Corporation. She may be shy, but she's very capable. We just… hoped she could be given a chance."
