icipation of this start. I had settled all I needed to do with the HR, but it seems my wor

s some hold over me, but the thoughts of our past were suddenly suppressed and

o you, not even your son's father. In fact, you

prepare for tomorrow. I cannot allow Ethan to catch me unawares, and thankfully,

s blessings, and one of them is Julian. He has been with me through the th

icking sharply on the polished marble floor. Every sound felt amplified, ever

t with a confidence I didn't entirely feel. My

to the same boardroom we used yesterday. It was larger than any I'd

hat I was exactly where I belonged. This was my domain now,

the head of the table had oth

Cole

in every competitor's side and, inconveniently, a man who somehow knew my name..

nt of challenge, like he was already testing me. "I've read your preli

nk you can delive

ted revenue growth, and mapped out contingencies for potential operational risks. If we follow the steps outlined,

culating. I didn't trust it, and yet I couldn't deny the effect it had, like a

ack in the chair, "that you can navigate the inte

er pressure, Mr. Cole. Challenges are

, "Your confidence is admirab

nstead smiled-a smile that said I was not intimidated, not easil

osity, some skepticism, others' admiration, but I only had ey

question I d

conspiratorial, "is... innovative. But uncon

en it aligns with the objective

sary, and, in that pause, a thousan

ging me, daring me. It made my pulse quicken, my

iness. "Let's put it to the test. You lead the first strateg

and the tremor under profess

ftness that made my chest tighten: "I hope you're ready for more than spreadshee

ut the energy behind them made

Ethan is no ordinary boss; it might

o him. I didn't need him to see the tiny flicker of vulnerability I felt, the

sually against the conference table. His voice wa

rowning. "I'm not s

damn you for being so unpredictable, made my sto

t before I said something I'd regret. "Then we'l

and I could feel it, the intensity of his gaz

ssional stress, nothing more. Yet, when I replayed his words in my mind, I felt a heat rising in my c

as going to test me in

who has successfully pulled the part o

oday, so I won,

tomorrow, the ga