Christina's POV
I didn't waste time with excuses or sob stories. I simply apologized for being late and launched straight into my presentation.
While the projector warmed up, I tugged my shirt into place and used those precious seconds to steady my breathing.
Akira was still on high alert after our mad dash to the office, and I needed her calm.
"Today I'm presenting BloomState," I began, finding my professional voice despite my racing heart. "Each piece captures the fleeting moments in a flower's lifecycle."
I clicked through my designs one by one—tiny spiral bud earrings, an open heart necklace resembling a full bloom, the structural Seed Pod Ring with its sharp angles, and finally the Dewdrop Collar with its light-catching stones.
"I've studied Ms.Black's entire catal
