Chapter 27
Daphne
I arrived at the meeting room fifteen minutes early. Navarro had insisted that I not be late, emphasizing how crucial it was to make a good impression in such an important meeting. I reminded myself that this was part of my professional growth, the kind of opportunity I had been waiting for since I graduated from university. But as I sat in one of the chairs near the end of the table, all I could feel was a knot in my stomach that refused to loosen.
The white lights in the room were too bright, cold, as if they were meant to highlight every insecurity I was feeling in that moment. Around me, the attendees began arriving in small groups, greeting each other with jokes and comments about the day's agenda. I forced myself to smile and nod whenever someone spoke to me, but
