"You never say nothing with that tone."
Amara sighed.
"He spoke about me in Japanese because he thought I couldn't understand him."
Her mother went quiet.
"And?"
"I answered him."
"In Japanese?"
"Yes."
Her mother laughed.
"That's my girl."
The meeting was scheduled for eleven.
Amara arrived at Takahashi Global Holdings fifteen minutes early.
The company's Chicago office occupied thirty-two floors of a modern tower overlooking the river.
Everything was glass, steel, and polished stone.
A receptionist greeted her.
"Ms. Cole?"
"Yes."
"Mr. Takahashi is expecting you."
She was escorted upstairs.
The conference room had a view of the city.
Takahashi stood near the window.
He was alone.
"Sit."
Amara did.
He remained standing.
"I owe you an apology."
She looked at him.
"For last night."
"All right."
He frowned.
"That's it?"
"What else would you like?"
"I expected you to be angry."
"I was."
"But you're not now."
"I decided anger wasn't useful."
Takahashi nodded slowly.
"Fair."
He sat across from her.
"I made an assumption about you."
"Yes."
"That was wrong."
"Yes."
"I want to know how badly I was wrong."
Amara smiled.
"That sounds dangerous."
"It is."
He slid a folder across the table.
Amara opened it.
Inside was her résumé.
Except it wasn't the résumé she had submitted to Aurelius.
It was everything.
Her university record.
Her scholarship.
Her Japanese certifications.
Her internship.
Her research.
Her recommendations.
Her volunteer work.
And a paper she had written during her final year in Tokyo.
The title was:
Supply Chain Resilience in U.S.-Japan Commercial Partnerships.
Amara looked up.
"You read this?"
"I did."
"Why?"
"Because my senior strategy team has been studying the same problem for eighteen months."
She said nothing.
Takahashi continued.
"We're planning a major expansion in North America."
"Chicago?"
"Chicago is one possibility."
"What do you need?"
"Someone who understands both sides."
Amara looked down at the folder.
"You already have people for that."
"I have executives."
"What's the difference?"
"Executives understand spreadsheets."
He paused.
"I need someone who understands people."
Amara leaned back.
"Why me?"
"Because last night you did something most executives cannot do."
"What?"
"You heard an insult and answered without becoming the insult."
Amara stared at him.
"That's a strange qualification."
"It is rare."
He slid another document toward her.
A job offer.
Director of North American Strategic Development — Japan-U.S. Operations.
Amara looked at the salary.
Then looked again.
"This can't be right."
"It is."
"Mr. Takahashi—"
"Kenji."
She looked at him.
"Kenji."
"Yes."
"I've never held a position at this level."
"Neither had half the people currently holding positions at this level before someone gave them the opportunity."
She shook her head.
"This is because of last night."
"No."
He leaned forward.
"This is because of what happened before last night."
Amara looked at the document.
"How long have you known about me?"
"Three weeks."
Her eyes widened.
"What?"
Takahashi explained.
Aurelius had been catering several private events for his company.
One of his executives had noticed Amara translating conversations for international guests.
He had asked the restaurant manager about her.
Takahashi's team had discovered her résumé.
They had considered contacting her.
But they hesitated because she lacked conventional corporate experience.
"Then you judged me too," she said.
Takahashi did not deny it.
"Yes."
She closed the folder.
"Why should I trust you?"
"You shouldn't."
That answer surprised her.
"You should trust the contract."
She almost smiled.
"You're very Japanese."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't."
"It still is."
For the first time, they both laughed.
But the meeting was not over.
Takahashi became serious.
"There is something you should know."
"What?"
"This position will make people uncomfortable."
"Because I'm inexperienced?"
"Because you're young."
She waited.
"And because some people will not expect someone who looks like you to sit at their table."
Amara's expression hardened.
"Someone who looks like me?"
Takahashi immediately understood.
He chose his next words carefully.
"I mean a young Black woman."
"I know what you mean."
He nodded.
"I don't want to pretend the problem doesn't exist."
"Good."
"I also don't want you hired as a symbol."
"Better."
"I want you hired because you are good."
Amara looked at him for a long moment.
Then she said: