Hayden glanced around the cafeteria.
It was crowded and noisy, so it was not the ideal place to discuss private matters.
"Let's talk after we finish eating," Hayden suggested.
"Oh, okay," Fergus replied, having exhausted all his courage earlier; his cheeks were flushed, and he felt awkward and unsure of what to do.
Eliam brought food for Hayden and placed it in front of him before discreetly moving to sit elsewhere.
"Do you have any suggestions for the company?" Hayden asked Fergus, breaking the silence.
Fergus did not dare speak freely in front of his boss, so he turned to flattery; it was his only option. "I think the company is great. The benefits and compensation are better than other similar companies. I feel fortunate to work here."
Hayden listened to Fergus's flattery with indifference. "That's hardly something that needs to be said."
"Oh... but I'm telling the truth!" Fergus protested. Apart from meaningless flattery, he had nothing useful to say. If he could easily spot the company's problems, it was only normal that Hayden had already spotted them.
"My colleagues and I take pride in working at Dream Maker. Aside from the occasional overtime, there are no other issues," Fergus replied.
"I don't endorse overtime culture," Hayden said. Although he often worked late because he was the founder and deeply invested in his business, he knew that employees did not enjoy working overtime, so he emphasized that no staff should work overtime whenever he held meetings with the executives.
Fergus could barely remember how he finished his meal, and once he was done, Hayden asked Fergus to join him for a walk.
Fergus quickly followed Hayden.
"I thought you wanted to talk to me about Shelly?" Hayden reminded him.
They stepped out into an open space, and there were few people wandering about. The two turned onto a remote trail.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Fergus regained his composure and said, "Mr. Tate, I don't know how long you've known Shelly or how close you two are, but after spending some time with Shelly, I think that she is a great woman."
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