Holding up the marketing report with a theatrical flourish, Darcy declared, “Why these changes, Jerry? I never asked for this.”

Feeling the weight of the room's attention, Jerry responded, slightly shaky, “I followed the email you sent, Darcy.” He promptly displayed the email on a piece of paper.

Darcy scoffed, “You always seem to misinterpret things.”

Whispers swept through the room—some filled with empathy, others mirroring Darcy's assessment. Before Jerry could defend himself, Darcy steered the meeting forward, asserting that the past couldn't be changed, but such an oversight must not recur.

At lunch, Kelly, a tenured colleague, leaned in and whispered, “Jerry, he does this all the time. It's not you.”

Jerry, holding back his...

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