The Invite

Nadia folded her arms, shooting daggers at Ace. He sat beside her, completely unaffected, as if he hadn't just undermined their team in front of the clients.

He was supposed to support their staff, not throw them under the bus.

"Mr. Carter is right," one of the clients spoke up. "As much as I'm impressed by the presentation, punctuality is a big thing for our brand. What do you have to say about that?"

Zara's stomach twisted.

She felt her hard work slipping through her fingers. Her nails dug into her palms, and the taste of blood lingered in her mouth as she swallowed.

She took a shaky breath, forcing her voice steady. "This project means a lot to me," she began, meeting the client's gaze. "That's why, despite having an accident last night and waking up in a hospital bed this morning, I rushed here to present my work."

A murmur spread across the room.