the Sp

louder than usu

whirred, and people hurried pa

it felt heavier. My chest was tight, my s

en Mr. Odum stormed past. His secretary, Tania,

y minutes. The person who's s

dum said, not waitin

tes. Live.

uth dry. "I... I d

ver and squeez

work. You're ready. Just breat

arp voice added weight. "Do it perfectly,

jelly. My heart pounded. Sha

le that seemed to stretch forever. Leather chairs lined both sides, filled wi

light spilling over the table

g made me

en I s

e

, watching. And the moment I looked at him, I

the floor, he was watching me. I felt it everywhere on my han

ipped. My che

ld protect me. My heart thumpe

y click of my heels echoed in the vast space, and I could fee

ft and shaking. "Today, I'll present the quarter

ce wobbled. But then I remembered Tania

s eyes followed every gesture of my hands, every movement of my shou

nce toward the CEO reminded me I wasn't alone in this, his eyes were there, watching, but not ju

ime I looked at the slides, I could feel the weight of his eye

movement fel

r. My hands moved naturally with the slides. My voice steadied. I could hear the quiet hum of the air,

seeing me like

rofessionally, but with that same quiet attention. It made my chest ti

de. "That's all for tod

use. A quiet,

.. ap

some even smiled. Relief washed over me, my chest eased, and

te me. My cheeks were warm. I smile

n... I

ss

fr

It was steady, familiar. And it m

ad called

assment, the dress, the cold wind, the way he had helped m

ooking. Not just now, he had b

very word, ev

t my body refused. My legs felt like le

le longer. The lights seemed brighter. And him..

s. He saw m

e comp