"Ready?" he asks.
"Born ready," I mutter, clicking to admit our clients to the virtual meeting.
Four faces appear on screen: Jason Kendrick, Adrenaline's marketing director; Ava Martel, their brand manager; and two executives whose names I've memorized along with their backgrounds and preferences. I launch into introductions, my professional mask firmly in place.
"We're excited to walk you through our campaign concept today," I say, sharing my screen to display the deck. "As we discussed last week, Adrenaline has a unique opportunity to position itself as both performance-focused and lifestyle-relevant."
The presentation goes smoothly for the first twenty minutes. I outline our strategy, highlighting the multi-platform approach and influencer partnerships we've identified. Jason and Ava nod along, asking the occasional question.
"What sets our approach apart," I explain, advancing to a key slide, "is how we're integrating product performance with aspirational lifestyle content. Our research shows that your target demographic responds to authenticity over polish, which is why—"
"If I could just clarify something," Sebastian cuts in, leaning forward. "The research actually indicates a split response. The 18-24 bracket values authenticity, but the 25-34 demographic—which makes up 43% of your customer base—responds more strongly to achievement-oriented messaging."
I freeze, my hand halfway to the keyboard. He just publicly corrected me. To my client.
"Sebastian raises an excellent point," I recover smoothly, though my heart is hammering. "That's precisely why our campaign includes both elements. The execution varies by platform and target segment."
I advance to the next slide, which details exactly this strategy—the one I was about to explain before he interrupted. "As you can see here..."
The rest of the call proceeds without incident, but I'm seething internally. When Jason mentions Sebastian's previous work with Red Bull, I want to scream. By the time we wrap up with promises to send additional materials, my jaw aches from forced smiling.
"That went well," Sebastian says as soon as the call ends.
I stand, gathering my materials. "My office. Now."
He follows me down the hallway, maintaining a careful distance. I close the door behind us with a controlled click rather than the slam I'm feeling.
"What the hell was that?" I demand, turning to face him.
"What was what?" His brow furrows in what appears to be genuine confusion.
"You undermined me in front of the client."
"I didn't undermine you—I added context."
"Context I was literally about to provide before you jumped in to 'clarify.'" I make air quotes with my fingers. "You made it look like I missed a crucial detail."
"That wasn't my intention."
"Then what was your intention? Because from where I'm standing, it seemed like you were trying to show off your expertise at my expense."
He steps closer, frustration evident in the set of his shoulders. "I was trying to help land the account."
"I don't need your help. I've been managing this client relationship for months."
"And Amelia brought me in because my background adds value. That's it."
We're standing too close now, the small confine of my office is forcing a proximity that feels dangerous.
"Next time," I say, my voice dropping, "wait for me to finish my point before jumping in with yours."
"Next time," he counters, "maybe include me in the whole prep so I know what you're planning to cover."
"I did include you! We spent an hour reviewing the deck this morning!"
"An hour isn't enough to get fully aligned on a presentation of this importance."
"Well, I didn't know you'd be on the call, so forgive me for not scheduling a full-day workshop!"
