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Chapter 3 — The Girl They Looked Down On
Suzune Horikita stood in front of the towering glass building of the Ayanokoji Empire, clutching a neatly prepared file to her chest. The skyscraper reached high into the clouds, the golden reflection of the sun shining off its flawless surface. To her, it felt like standing before a mountain built by a god.
She took a deep breath and stepped inside. The moment she entered, the sound of polished shoes, keyboards, and murmured conversations filled her ears. Everyone was dressed immaculately — professionals, CEOs, and assistants moving with purpose.
Suzune approached the reception desk, bowing politely.
"Good morning. I'm Suzune Horikita, a manager from Horikita Corporation. I'd like to request a meeting with Mr. Ayanokoji."
The receptionist looked up, then down at her business card, her polite smile faltering for a second.
"...You're a manager?"
"Yes." Suzune kept her composure. "I wish to discuss a potential partnership proposal between our companies."
A few nearby employees overheard her and exchanged glances. Then came the soft snickers.
One of them, a man in a tailored suit, chuckled openly. "You? A small manager from that almost-bankrupt company? You want a meeting with Mr. Ayanokoji?"
Another joined in, laughing. "Even CEOs from powerful corporations wait months for an appointment. Who do you think you are?"
Suzune's grip on her file tightened, but she didn't lower her head. "I'm just trying to represent my company—"
"Represent?" the man interrupted. "You should represent a miracle instead! Your family's company is collapsing, and you think you'll get a meeting with the world's richest man?"
The laughter grew louder. Suzune's heart ached, but she stood silently, refusing to give them the satisfaction of seeing her break.
After a few more insults, the receptionist cleared her throat nervously. "I'm sorry, Miss Horikita, but Mr. Ayanokoji's schedule is full for the next several months."
"I see," Suzune said softly, bowing again. "Thank you for your time."
As she walked out of the building, she could still hear faint laughter behind her. Each sound cut deeper than the last.
Outside, she stood on the pavement, staring up at the empire she couldn't reach. "I'm trying my best," she thought bitterly. "But no one ever sees it."
Her thoughts wandered to her family.
Her father hadn't spoken to her in months. Her mother constantly scolded her for not being as talented as her brother. And her brother — the CEO of their declining company — had stopped treating her like family altogether. He gave her orders, assignments, but never encouragement.
The Horikita name, once powerful, was now mocked in business circles. And in the eyes of her own family, she was the biggest failure of all.
Still, she clenched her fists. "No matter what, I won't give up. I'll save my family. I'll prove that I can be worthy of the Horikita name."
Hours later, she sat in her small office back at the Horikita Corporation. Her desk was stacked with reports and documents. The air felt heavier than usual.
Just as she began working, a sharp click of heels echoed across the room. A woman in a red blazer — one of the higher managers — approached with a smirk on her lips.
"Well, if it isn't Miss Horikita," she said mockingly. "Still trying to act like you matter here?"
Suzune didn't respond, keeping her eyes on her computer screen.
The woman dropped a towering stack of files onto Suzune's desk with a loud thud.
"I need all of these completed by tomorrow morning."
Suzune blinked. "That's impossible. These reports alone would take at least three days—"
"Then work faster," the woman interrupted, her tone sharp and mocking. "You might have the Horikita name, but that doesn't make you special. You're nothing here. Just a useless manager living off your brother's pity."
Suzune's hands trembled slightly under the desk, but she kept her tone even. "This isn't how teamwork works. You're overloading me intentionally."
The woman leaned closer, her perfume strong and suffocating. "Watch your mouth. I can file a complaint saying you refused to do your job. Who knows? Maybe your brother will fire you himself."
She laughed — a cruel, mocking sound — and before walking away, she picked up a cup of water from Suzune's desk and splashed it right onto her.
"Oh, my mistake," she said with a fake smile. "You should be more careful."
The laughter echoed again as she left.
Suzune sat still for a few seconds, her wet blouse clinging to her skin, her eyes shadowed with silent fury. Her entire body trembled — not from weakness, but from the effort of holding her anger in.
Finally, she stood and whispered to herself, "I'll make sure you regret that one day."
She walked toward the washroom, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. Inside, she turned on the tap and splashed water on her face, watching her reflection in the mirror.
Her dark hair was damp, her eyes filled with restrained fire.
"No one believes in me. Not my family. Not my coworkers. Not even the world…" she thought, gripping the edge of the sink.
Then she straightened up.
"But I'll change that. I'll rise higher than all of them. No matter how long it takes."
The water continued to flow, mirroring her determination. Suzune Horikita might have been small now — mocked, dismissed, and alone — but that would not last forever.
Because even the smallest spark, when pushed far enough, could burn down an empire.