“Benita, focus!” her boss, Mr. Andrews, whispered harshly, nudging her slightly as she sat frozen, her eyes glued to the man whom she didn't even know his name.
The man she’d kissed. The man she’d spent the night with. The man now confidently standing at the front of the room, flipping through slides on the massive screen.
And he introduced himself as Adrian. Just Adrian. No last name.
“Do you know him?” Mr. Andrews pressed, his voice barely audible.
Benita swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry. “No—yes—” she stammered.
Mr. Andrews raised an eyebrow, his sharp gaze darting between her and Adrian. “Which one is it, Charles?”
“I… I might have met him,” she whispered, her face flushing.
Mr. Andrews leaned in closer, his tone icy. “I don’t care if he’s your long-lost cousin or your ex-boyfriend. What I care about is this partnership. If we lose to him, it’s on you. Got it?”
Benita blinked at him, her stomach twisting. “Got it,” she murmured.
“Good,” he said curtly, stepping back but keeping a watchful eye on her.
Benita forced herself to look away from Adrian and focus on his presentation. He spoke with a charisma that commanded the room. His deep voice, the confident way he gestured, the ease with which he answered questions—it was infuriatingly impressive.
“…and with this strategy, AJ Corporations will see not only a 20% increase in revenue but also enhanced brand loyalty within six months,” Adrian concluded, stepping back with a satisfied smile.
The room erupted in applause.
Benita clapped politely, her heart racing. She had to outshine him. Somehow.
“Excellent proposal, Mr. Hayes,” one of the board members said, beaming.
“Thank you,” Adrian replied smoothly, his gaze briefly flicking to Benita.
“Next, we’ll hear from Benita Charles, representing VisionTech,” the chairman announced.
Benita took a deep breath and stood, smoothing her skirt. As she walked to the front, she felt Adrian’s eyes on her, but she didn’t dare look his way.
“You’ve got this,” she told herself silently, setting up her slides.
She turned to face the room, her voice steady as she began. “Thank you for the opportunity to present VisionTech’s proposal. Our strategy is not only innovative but also tailored specifically to AJ Corporations’ long-term goals…”
Benita fell into a rhythm, her nerves fading as she explained her ideas. She gestured to the slides, making eye contact with the board members, gauging their reactions.
But as she wrapped up her key points, a bold idea struck her.
“And finally,” she said, her tone sharpening, “while Mr. Hayes made excellent points about market expansion, there’s a critical flaw in his proposed approach.”
A murmur rippled through the room. Adrian, seated at the far end of the table, sat up straighter, his brows furrowing.
Benita clicked to a blank slide, her confidence growing. “His strategy assumes that customer behavior will remain static, but recent trends suggest otherwise. Without flexibility, his plan risks underestimating emerging competitors. VisionTech’s proposal addresses this by integrating adaptable solutions, ensuring long-term success.”
The board members leaned forward, nodding in agreement.
Adrian’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his piercing gaze locked on her.
Benita finished with a smile. “Thank you. I’m happy to take any questions.”
The room erupted in applause, louder than before.
“Well done, Ms. Charles,” one board member said. “Your insights were sharp and forward-thinking.”
Benita returned to her seat, her heart pounding. She avoided looking at Adrian, though she could feel the weight of his gaze.
As the meeting adjourned, Mr. Andrews patted her shoulder. “You redeemed yourself, Charles. That was impressive.”
“Thank you, sir,” she replied, her voice faint.
She gathered her materials, her mind racing. She had to talk to Adrian.
“Adrian,” she called as he passed by her.
He stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Adrian, please, can we talk?”
He finally turned, his expression cold. “There’s nothing to talk about, Ms. Charles.”
The formality of his tone stung.
And with that, he walked away, leaving Benita standing there, her chest tightening.