The silence in the room was suffocating—so still, you could almost hear a pin drop.
"Are you questioning me?" Her father's growl shattered the quiet, his face twisted in a way that told her she was treading dangerous ground. But for some reason, she didn’t back down.
"I’m not, Father. I just think it’s risky asking the Johnsons to invest billions into something you’ve never even practiced. We could try a smaller scale first. If it works, then we can approach them," Lillian said, trying to stay calm.
Her father’s response was unexpected. He started laughing. Really laughing.
"Hahaha, haha..."
Lillian’s heart sank. She had learned long ago that when he laughed like this, it was worse than when he was angry. The sound of his laughter echoed through the parlor, making both her and her mot
