Forging America: My Campaign Manager is Roosevelt

Chapter 383: Chapter 180: Questioning

"I need this pain to keep me sharp."

Leo looked back at Alina.

The anger in the young woman’s eyes faltered at Leo’s utter candor.

Her tense body relaxed slightly, and her grip on the microphone loosened.

She had expected to be thrown out, mocked, or even ignored.

She was prepared to face the arrogance of power.

But she hadn’t expected to be acknowledged and respected.

Leo placed the check in Alina’s hand.

"Take the check. You’ve earned it. It’s a testament to your abilities, not hush money."

"But, Alina, money alone won’t solve the problem."

Leo looked her in the eye.

"You can curse me out, vent your frustration, and walk away with the money. But next month, your landlord might just raise the rent again. Those dishwashers will still have no security."

"Do you want to change all that?"

"Not just for yourself, but for the tenants’ union you represent, and for everyone else just like you."

"I..." Alina was stunned. Her mouth fell open. "Of course I do."

"Then don’t go."

Leo extended an invitation.

"If you think things aren’t right, if you think my policies have flaws."

"Then work with me to make them better."

"You’re an organizer for the tenants’ union, so you must have firsthand information."

"You have concrete data on rent hikes, real stories of evicted tenants. You know better than I do where the problems lie and how deep the pain runs."

"Tomorrow at nine in the morning, bring your data, bring your proposals, and come see me at the Mayor’s Office."

Leo’s gaze was intense, brimming with a challenge.

"Let’s talk about how to add rent control provisions to the third phase of the revitalization plan."

"How we can use the city’s administrative power to create a mechanism that protects the rights of non-Union workers."

"How to make the speculators pay."

"These aren’t empty words. This is my promise to you."

Leo held out his hand.

"Do you dare?"

"Do you dare to go from being a protester to a builder?"

"Do you dare to accept the responsibility of changing this city?"

Alina stared at the hand held out before her.

Her breath came in short, quick gasps.

She had only come here to vent her desperation, to let out one last cry in the face of hopelessness.

But now, that man high on his pedestal had come down to her level, offering an invitation to solve the problem right to her face.

This was an opportunity.

Alina bit her lip and carefully tucked the check into her pocket.

Then, she reached out her own hand.

"I dare."

Alina lifted her head. A tear finally escaped the corner of her eye and traced a path down her cheek, but her eyes shone brighter than ever.

"I’ll be there tomorrow at nine a.m. sharp."

"And if you dare give me the runaround, I’ll bring the entire tenants’ union with me and we’ll tear your office apart."

Leo smiled.

"It’s a deal."

He released her hand, took a step back, and began to applaud.

Applause rose from the audience.

It was sparse at first—the instinctive reaction of a crowd stunned by the scene.

But soon, the clapping grew more intense, more fervent, finally converging into a tidal wave of sound that threatened to blow the roof off the auditorium.

This was heartfelt applause.

The workers applauded, the students applauded, the parents applauded.

They saw an imperfect mayor, a man who could make mistakes and had his blind spots.

But more importantly, they saw a leader who was real, transparent, and willing to listen and correct his own mistakes.

That authenticity was more moving than any perfectly crafted political packaging.

Leo stood on the stage, watching her retreating back as she stubbornly wiped away her tears and walked down the steps.

He knew he’d just created a huge headache for himself.

Tomorrow morning, he would have to face a pile of thorny new problems, step on even more powerful toes, and engage in a new round of political chess.

Yet, he had never felt so grounded.

Because he knew he was doing the right thing.

He was mending the foundation.

"Well done, kid."

Roosevelt’s voice echoed in his mind, full of satisfaction.

"You’re building a real empire."

"You’re putting a beating heart into this cold machine."

"Only with that heart can your empire truly live."

Leo took a deep breath and picked up the microphone again.

"The awards ceremony will now continue."

His voice was steady and strong.

"Next."