Chapter 2

Before the review meeting started, Gina placed a hot Americano on my desk.

"Sharon, please don't be mad. I thought about it all night, and I really think you should lead the presentation after all."

Her voice wasn't too loud, but it was just loud enough for everyone in the conference room to hear.

Our colleagues looked up at me.

Someone tried to break the tension with a chuckle.

"Gina is honestly too sweet. She won the game last night, and now she’s giving up her presentation spotlight."

I didn't touch the coffee. "The proposal was mine to begin with."

The room fell dead silent.

Gina’s eyes welled with tears instantly.

"I didn't mean it like that. I just felt like you've been a bit off lately, and I didn't want you to feel too stressed on stage."

Michael walked in just in time to catch her last words.

He shot me a look. "Sharon, a proposal is never a one-person job."

I opened my laptop. "Which is why I'm only asking, why am I not the one presenting it?"

Michael placed his folder on the table, his tone flat and professional.

"The client prefers a more high-energy style. Gina is great at breaking the ice. You’re in charge of the Q&A. No one is discounting your hard work."

Gina murmured, "Michael, forget it. I won't be present. I don't want Sharon to think I'm stealing her thunder."

Michael reached out and gently squeezed her shoulder. "Keep preparing your slides."

I stared at his hand.

It was the same hand that had rested on Gina's shoulder during the trivia game while comforting her like she was something precious to be protected.

---

The clients arrived.

Gina stood at the front of the room, starting with a bright smile.

"The core concept of Riverview is giving residents a sense of security, to make them feel cared for before they even ask."

She clicked to the second slide.

The slide I had written.

By the third slide, she began to falter. "The conversion funnel here..."

Michael immediately cut in. "Sharon, take over."

I stood up and took the remote.

I had barely spoken two sentences before Gina suddenly clutched her stomach.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't eat anything last night and I think my blood sugar is crashing."

Michael’s face tightened. "Sit down."

She shook her head, resting her forehead against the edge of the desk.

"No, it's fine. I can push through. Don't let me disrupt Sharon."

The clients looked on awkwardly.

Without a word, Michael snatched the remote out of my hand. "Let's take a ten-minute break."

He helped Gina out of the room.

Before the door swung shut, I heard Gina whisper, "I'm so sorry. I'm always causing trouble for you."

Michael’s voice softened. "You are never a trouble."

Inside the conference room, someone whispered, "Michael is so attentive to Gina."

"Seriously. Sharon is way too cold. Her best friend is practically fainting and she didn't even look up."

I sat back down and ran through the rest of the presentation on my screen, finalizing every detail.

---

Before leaving, the client turned to me.

"Ms. James, your logic is incredibly sharp. Will we be coordinating directly with you for the next steps?"

Before I could answer, Michael walked back into the room.

"I'll have Gina handle the follow-up. She has a better read on client relations."

The client blinked, surprised.

Gina was leaning against the doorframe.

She was pale, but she still managed a sweet smile at me.

"Sharon, don't worry about it. I'm just trying to lighten your workload."

I shut my laptop. "No need."

Michael’s voice dropped as he warned, "Sharon, this is work."

"I know." I handed the printed draft to the client. "Which is why I'll email you the complete data files directly.

“We wouldn't want any details lost by mistake."

Gina’s face went completely white.

Michael glared at me. "Do you have to make things difficult for everyone today?"

I met his gaze. "Am I the one making things difficult?"

Before he could snap back, Gina’s phone buzzed.

She glanced at it, and a look of pure delight washed over her face.

"Oh! The resort just got back to me. They have a scenic suite available this weekend."

She looked at me as if nothing had happened.

"Sharon, come with us! It'll be so much more fun if the three of us go together."

A colleague laughed. "A ticket for two, how can it be used by three?"

Gina playfully stuck out her tongue. "I don't mind sleeping on the couch!"

Michael smiled, his annoyance vanishing. "She always loves a crowd."

I looked at the two of them. "I have to work this weekend."

Michael frowned. "The pitch is over. What could you possibly need to work on?"

I packed my laptop into my bag.

"My resume."

The entire room went dead silent.

The smile froze on Michael's face. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I didn't answer.

My phone screen lit up. It was a message from a recruiter.

[Recruiter: Hi Sharon, are you free to chat tonight about the Director position at our Seattle branch?]