Standing Tall in the Lion's Den

As the discussion starts to cool down, Marilena glances over at Carla, who raises her eyebrows in a silent question. Marilena nods subtly, signaling for a quick exit. They both rise from the table, excusing themselves politely. Carla leads the way, and they slip through the dining hall's heavy wooden doors toward the hotel's pristine marble-floored corridor.

Once they're out of earshot, Carla's face breaks into a grin. "You really stirred things up back there, didn't you?"

Marilena lets out a relieved sigh, still feeling the adrenaline from standing her ground. "I couldn't just sit there listening to them dismiss everything. It was like they were ignoring reality."

Carla chuckles, linking her arm with Marilena's as they make their way toward the restrooms. "I think you did the impossible—you actually got them to think about something beyond their next big acquisition. You should have seen Elizabeth's face. I thought she was going to faint."