Chapter 32
The meeting ended with a quiet tension that lingered long after the last comment was made. Vanessa sat back in her chair, trying to shake off the frustration that still gripped her. The words she had said to Cory in front of the team—it felt hollow. She had given Cory the credit she didn’t deserve, and part of Vanessa knew she had let herself be steamrolled again. The moment the meeting was over, Vanessa gathered her things quickly, intent on getting out of the conference room before anyone could approach her. Her thoughts swirled with irritation, guilt, and regret, but she wasn’t about to let anyone see how shaken she was. She couldn’t afford to look weak—not now, especially not after everything Cory had done. As she walked down the hallway toward the elevator, she felt a hand on her ar
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