A Journey from Bitterness to Truth

Orson had no inkling that his first day at the new job would be so dramatic. The rookie in the cubicle next to him, with tears streaming down her face, looked at him

with a mixture of disbelief and sorrow.

Pointing at himself, Orson asked, “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“No,” came the tearful reply.

Yet, that face… Matilda’s hands shook ever so slightly as she faced the uncanny resemblance. She had always thought fate to be cruel, but at this moment, she felt like she was being given a second chance.

She wiped away her tears and took the coffee mug Orson was offering. “You look just like a relative of mine who passed away.”

Orson paused, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance. “So, you’re saying I remind you of someone who’s dead?”

Baxter and Yoshi tried to diffuse the tension, with Baxter chiding, “C’mon, big boy, why the long face? Our gal Matilda’s just feeling a bit sentimental, that’s all. No offense meant.”

Orson shot a glare at Yoshi. “Yoshi, for the last time, stop calling me ‘big boy!”

Yoshi, unperturbed by Orson’s irritation, kept up his teasing. “Chill out, T–Rex, don’t scare off our leading lady! Hey Matilda, check me out. I’m pretty easy on the eyes, too, right?”

Yoshi had a knack for lightening the mood. Orson, ever the stoic type, huffed and started sorting through his desk, booting up his computer for work, while Matildal sneaked another glance at his profile. He was the spitting image of her brother Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

Gideon.

Curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, “How old are you, Orson?”

Orson stiffened and turned to face her with his strikingly pale face and piercing eyes that could give any runway model a run for their money. “Is this your latest pickup line?” he retorted coolly.

Matilda’s smile faltered. “Sorry… I couldn’t help but compare you to my brother.”

So, it was about her brother.

10:05

Orson’s laugh was cold. “Sorry to disappoint, but I never had an extra sister.”

Even though she knew the man before her wasn’t Gideon, Matilda’s heart ached. She offered an apologetic smile. “I didn’t mean to trouble you.”

“Don’t mind Orson; he’s clueless when it comes to girls,” Yoshi said in an attempt to smooth things over. “He’s got a big heart, really.”

Orson didn’t respond; he only scoffed and began focusing on his work. He opened his drawing application while Matilda, on the other hand, was sketching designs for next spring’s fashion line, which she then bundled and sent to him.

Though a glint flashed in his eyes when he saw the designs, Orson still critiqued the designs with his usual blunt candor. “Looks like recycled ideas to me. What do you think our game’s wardrobe is? A knockoff high–street brand? Our heroines don’t need swag; they need whimsy, princess vibes, not something off a couture runway.”

He actually wanted to say that Matilda’s designs were too fashionable and unique, but they came out sounding like he was deeming them worthless. After all, he had never been a man good with words.

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Despite his harsh words, Matilda remained patient. “I’ll rethink the designs.”

“Don’t rush,” Orson advised, his voice still frosty. “You haven’t even grasped the concept of our game yet, and you’re already trying to show off your creativity. This is not about skill; it’s about understanding the work. Play through the beginning of our game with this file I’m sending you. You’ll get a better idea of what kind of costumes to design.”

His tone might have been rough, but his advice was spot on. As they exchanged files through the company chat, Yoshi yawned loudly.

“Looks like another late night,” Yoshi muttered, tweaking some data while simulating a fight scene. “Does our sim game really need a physics engine? What’s the point? In a visual novel, who cares about logic? Do those cheesy CEO romance novels have any?”

“Because not everyone will let you off the hook with that excuse,” Luna retorted with an eye roll. “Better to have it and not need it. Just calibrate it and move on.”