<b>For </b>many designers, stepping into the spotlight and <b>giving </b><b>a </b><b>speech </b><b>at </b>aunch event is a dreame true–a rare opportunity that most never get.
And when that chance doese, almost nobody turns it down.
So when Evangeline told him her decision, Theo was momentarily at a loss. “<b>Why</b>?” he asked, genuinely baffled.
Evangeline exined the recent online controversy and shared her thoughts. <b>If </b><b>it </b>were anything else, she might have stood her ground, but this involved UME’s reputation. She didn’t want to risk jeopardizing the entire project because of her personal issues.
Theo looked at her. The confident glow she usually carried seemed to have dimmed.
He’d once dismissed her as just a housewife, but during their time working together, Theo realized Evangeline wasn’t nearly as unremarkable as he’d assumed. In fact, there were moments he almost forgot about her old role entirely.
But now, he saw it clearly: the moment she had to step beyond herfort zone, all her insecurities came flooding back.
After a pause, Theo shook his head and refused. “I’m busy tomorrow. There’s too much on my te–and I don’t like taking credit for someone else’s work.”
“But Director Shaw, you’ve been involved in every part of this project. It wouldn’t be stealing credit,” Evangeline argued quickly.
“I said what I said. End of story.”
“But-”
“Right now, you and I are the only ones who know this project inside out, Either you go up there, or theunch event goes silent. Your choice.”
He cut her off before she could finish, handed her the speech, and left without
another word.
Evangeline stared at his retreating figure, feeling helpless.
She understood Theo’s message, but she’d never been one to take unnecessary
risks. Tomorrow, with a hundred cameras trained on her, saying even a si wrong word could be blown out of proportion.
<b>30.07 </b>
cha
<b>Given </b><b>how </b><b>many </b><b>people </b><b>already </b><b>had </b>their <b>ses </b>against her, <b>any </b>misstep <b>only </b><b>be magnified</b>.
Determined to avoid that, she stayed in theb for hours, <b>practicing </b>until she was <b>sure </b>nothing could go wrong. Only then did she finally leave.
Elsewhere<b>, </b>inside a sleek corporate car, Soren rubbed his temples wearily.
“Soren, you need to take a break,” Poppy chided gently, taking the newspaper <b>from </b>his hands. “Grandma’s birthday party is in a couple of days–if you run yourself ragged now, what will you do then?”
Between managing Fawkes Enterprises‘ new project and organizing his
grandmother’s birthday celebration, Soren had been burning the candle at both
ends.
Poppy had offered to help several times, but he’d always turned her down.
“I took a massage ss a while back. Let me help you rx,” she suggested.
“No need,” Soren replied curtly.
“Don’t be so formal with me. Sit still, will you?”
Poppy slid onto the seat across from him and reached out, gently kneading his
shoulders.
From the driver’s seat, Gregory caught a glimpse of them in the rearview mirror, quickly averting his gaze.
He thought the scene looked a bit too intimate, but after the sess of the new Fawkes project, Poppy was the darling of thepany, and Soren’s attitude toward her had visibly softened.
If Mr. Fawkes wasn’t bothered, Gregory certainly wasn’t going to say anything. Better to just focus on the road.
As he kept his eyes straight ahead, they passed UME’s downtown
headquarters and suddenly, Gregory spotted a familiar figure on the sidewalk.
Evangeline?
His heart skipped a beat,
She was just ahead of them, and their car would inevitably pass right by her.
Gregory nced in the rearview mirror. Poppy was still massaging Sore. shoulders.
212
20:01
<b>He </b>knew <b>there </b><b>was </b><b>nothing </b><b>between </b><b>them</b><b>, </b><b>but </b>others might not see it th <b>way</b>–<b>especially </b><b>Evangeline</b>, <b>who </b>was <b>already </b><b>upset </b><b>because </b>of this very fur <b>she </b>saw <b>them </b><b>now</b><b>, </b>who knew <b>what </b>drama <b>might </b>unfold?
His <b>hands </b>moved faster than his thoughts. Gregory hit the <b>button </b><b>to </b>roll <b>up </b>all the windows.
“Gregory, don’t close the windows,” Poppy protested. “We need some <b>fresh </b>air–Soren will feel better with the breeze.”