Sophia's POVThe silence was deafening.Fifteen pairs of eyes bore into me. The error message glowed mockingly on the screen behind me. Maria's smile gleamed in the front row like a blade catching light.Think. Think. THINK.And then, like a spark in darkness, it came to me.Alfonso.I took a deep breath and stepped away from the useless laptop. When I spoke, my voice was steadier than I expected."Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to tell you a story."Mr. Whitmore's eyebrows rose. "A story? Mrs. Romano, we came here for a presentation on pharmaceutical data, not—"I held up my hand. "Give me five minutes. If you're not interested after that, I'll step aside."He exchanged glances with the other investors, then shrugged. "Five minutes."I walked to the center of the room, away from the broken technology and the wrong samples. Away from Maria's calculating gaze."Two years ago, my younger brother fell from a building." I paused, letting the words settle. "He's been in a coma ever since. A
Read more