His breath whistles through his nose sharp and loud. His nostrils flare, his jaw locked so tight it looks like it might crack.
Henry shifts in his seat, his voice steady. “Sir, if I may,” he says, cutting in. “It truly was an accident. No one was seriously hurt, and Grayson himself assured us he was fine. The presentation was a success. In fact, I’d argue it was one of our strongest yet. I’m incredibly proud of the work Gemma delivered yesterday. Max and Grayson clearly were too. I can guarantee it won’t happen again.”
His words hang in the air.
Henry’s always ready to defend me. I realize how lucky I am to have such a wonderful boss.
The CEO’s eyes pierce holes through me. “Gemma, I’ve always been impressed with your work. You’re one of our best. But yesterday”—he shakes his head, his lips pressing into a thin line—“yesterday was the first time I’ve ever felt truly let down. And in such a disastrous way.”
A lump forms in my throat as tears prick my eyes. I battle with myself to maintain composure. Iwon’tcry in front of him.
He leans forward. “He could have filed a report—drag our name through the mud. Do you understand? You represent Prestige Partners. Your conduct should reflect the standards we uphold. Whether thebuttonincident was an accident or not, it simply was not good enough.”
He lets the words sink in before continuing. “I also heard you were rather… flustered when you arrived.”
Who on earth told him that?
Then it hits me—Louise.
That mole.
He continues. “I don’t know why, and frankly, I don’t care. What Idocare about is professionalism. When you arrive at work, I expect you to bring your A-game. My employees are expected to show composure. We don’t bring chaos into the workplace. We are better than that.”
I nod. “Yes, sir. I understand. You have my word—it won’t happen again.”
He gives a small nod in return, satisfied.
Folding his hands together on top of his desk, he leans back in his chair. “Good. Now, this brings me to why I wanted to speak with you.”
Crap. There’s more. My stomach feels like it’s about to fall out of my arsehole.
I brace myself, but what he says next catches me completely off guard.
“I’d like to give Louise and Theo the opportunity to pitch their ideas to Mr. Browne. Louise came to see me after yesterday’s meeting and provided a full debrief of what transpired. Her enthusiasm to rectify the situation hasn’t gone unnoticed.”
That slimy little turd.
He drums his fingers on the desk. “Given the circumstances, I think it’s prudent to give our client options. Louise and Theo will be presenting their alternative vision for the campaign to Mr. Browne this Friday. If their vision resonates more than yours, well…” He pauses, shrugging. “That’s how business works.”
My eyes widen in shock.
I’veneverbeen taken off a project. If this opportunity is stripped away from me, I’ll be humiliated. What chances will I have to progress within Prestige in the future?
No. Louise can’t take what I’ve worked so hard to have. I won’t let her.
He can’t be serious. I realize that yesterday was a colossal shit show, but we won that project fair and square. I have years of successful launches to prove it.
I’d sooner fuck a scarecrow than let Louise take away what I’ve earned.
This is utterly humiliating
Henry leans forward, his expression serious but composed. “Sir, with all due respect, I have to challenge you on that. What happened yesterday was a mistake—one that was entirely out of our control. I’d like to be clear: The quality of the pitch was exceptional. Brilliant, even. The work we presented was of the highest standard, as per usual, and that shouldn’t be disregarded or overshadowed by a single, accidental mishap.”
Henry holds The CEO’s gaze as he continues. “I don’t believe reprimanding Gemma and myself for something that had no bearing on the work itself is fair. We should be judged on our performance, not on an unfortunate moment that didn’t reflect our capabilities.”
Bless him. I have to hand it to him—he’s ballsy. It’s hot.
My eyes dart to the CEO, who rolls his lips thoughtfully. He raises his eyebrows, surprised by Henry’s courage.
