Trillion dollar lie (billionaire at cross roads)

Jenna’s POV It’s Monday yet again. My first job fresh out of university after studying computer science. I honestly wasn’t expecting to work for a video game company, but hey… for a start, it’s great, and the pay is enough to get me by. I freshen up, moving a little quicker than usual, already feeling that nervous energy building in my chest. Today is important. I wear my Fantasy Corporative Games (F.C.G.) shirt, blue boyfriend jeans, and sneakers. I tie my hair into a bun, letting a few strands fall in front of my face. I stare at myself in the mirror for a second… trying to steady my breathing. You’ve got this. I grab a quick breakfast, barely tasting it, and head out to catch a taxi. F.C.G. isn’t far from my apartment—it only takes about ten minutes—but today, every minute feels heavier. I want to be early. We just finished programming a new game using C++, and today, the board of directors—and the CEO, Ryan Markfields—are going to evaluate it before launch. No pressure… right? I step out of the taxi and look up at the tall building in front of me. The stone sign reads F.C.G., bold and unmissable. My chest tightens slightly. I take a deep breath… then walk in. “Morning, Stella,” I say, giving the receptionist a small smile. “Morning, Jenna,” she replies warmly. I head to the elevator, nodding at a few staff members along the way. Everyone seems unusually early today, their movements quicker, voices lower… focused. The tension is in the air. I step into the boardroom and immediately spot Cindy, Darius, and Patrick. They wave me over. “Hey guys,” I say, dropping my bag slightly onto the table. “What time did you come? It’s like an hour before the meeting.” Darius doesn’t even look up from his laptop. “We just wanted to make sure everything is alright before we present this to the board and Mr. Markfields,” he says, fingers moving rapidly across the keyboard. “I bet we’ll do well, guys,” Patrick adds, leaning back slightly with his coffee. “We should celebrate after this. It took a whole month to code everything—security parameters, user interface features… this is the biggest game we’ve ever worked on. Come on, give yourselves some credit.” I let out a small breath, feeling a bit of the pressure ease. Cindy steps closer to me, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. “No stammering and being shy on us, Jenna,” she says softly. “You are brilliant… and you will nail your part of the presentation.” Her words settle something inside me. I nod. I never really had friends growing up. I thought that would continue, even in university. But then I met Cindy. She didn’t just become my friend—she became someone who helped me carry things I didn’t even know how to talk about. The bullying. The foster homes. The weight I’ve been dragging around for years. She introduced me to her aunty, Dr. Emma Johnson—my psychiatrist and therapist. And somehow… things started making sense. I’m still healing. But I’m not alone anymore. “Morning, everyone.” The deep voice pulls me out of my thoughts. We all turn. Ryan Markfields stands at the door. My heart skips—just slightly. “Morning, sir,” we all respond. “Well, I’ll leave you to prepare,” he says calmly, glancing at his Rolex. “The meeting will begin in about 30 minutes.” “Thank you, sir.” He leaves just as quickly as he came. I glance at Cindy—she looks completely frozen. I can’t even blame her. The man is… unfairly attractive. Long brown hair, sharp blue eyes, a strong build—and those tattoos. They look symbolic, almost like something out of a story. A mix of strength and mystery. He gives off this strange blend of cowboy and something deeper… especially with that Texas accent. I shake the thought away quickly. Focus, Jenna. The meeting starts sooner than I expected. The board members file in, their presence immediately making the room feel heavier. We take our seats. Ryan positions himself at the head of the table. “Good morning, everyone,” he begins. “Since everyone is here, we can begin. I will call upon the team responsible for the new gaming program. You will present, take a few questions, and then we will conclude.” My stomach tightens. This is it. Patrick goes first—cybersecurity. Confident. Smooth. Flawless. Of course, he nails it. Then Cindy and Darius step in, explaining the features—the AI interface, the gameplay, and the console setup. They’re incredible. I watch as some board members actually stand up to applaud them. My chest tightens again. Now it’s me. I stand up slowly, feeling every eye in the room shift toward me. My hands feel slightly cold. My heartbeat quickens. I glance at Cindy—she gives me a reassuring smile. Then my eyes accidentally meet Ryan’s. His gaze is steady… intense. It almost throws me off. I quickly look away. Breathe. I gather myself and begin. I explain the code. Why I chose C++ over Python. The complexity of the game. The security strength. As I speak, something shifts. My voice steadies. My confidence builds. I’m not just surviving this anymore… I’m owning it. When I finish, there’s a brief silence. Then nods. Approval. Relief washes over me so suddenly I almost don’t know what to do with it. Then come the questions. Most are directed at Cindy, Darius, and Patrick. But then— “Ms. Jensen.” I look up. Linda Fox. Her tone is sharp but not rude—just… precise. She asks everything. How long the program took. Why certain structures were used. Then she asks me to actually explain parts of the layout in C++. For a second, I feel that panic rise again. But I push through. Answer by answer. Step by step. By the end of it, my nerves were buzzing—but I held my ground. The meeting ends with a vote. The game is approved for launch. The room erupts into excitement. Darius is already talking about the party, the outing, and doing the most. I can’t help but smile. “Jenna! Jenna!” Cindy calls, waving. “Come on, I’ll take you home so you can prepare for the party!” “I’m coming—just a second,” I say. “I think I left my glasses inside.” I head back into the boardroom. It’s quieter now. Empty. Almost. I spot my glasses on the table— —and Ryan. He’s talking to Linda. “Hey… um, Jenna,” he says, noticing me. “Hello, Mr. Markfields. I left my glasses back here.” “This is Ms. Linda Fox,” he says lightly. “I believe you remember her from your question-and-answer debate.” He chuckles slightly. Linda turns to me, extending her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. You are quite the programmer, Ms…?” “Ms. Jensen,” I say, shaking her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.” “I must take my leave,” she says. “Mr. Walthorne will be expecting my report. Have a good day.” “You too.” She leaves. Ryan looks at me again. “Hope you come to the party, Ms. Jensen,” he says with a small smirk. “After all, it’ll be your first one since joining.” God… this man is handsome. “Yes,” I say, trying to stay composed. “I will come.” Outside, I spot Cindy by her car. “Took you long enough,” she says. “Sorry—I was talking to Mr. Markfields and Linda from Walthorne Industries.” “Oh, you mean the woman who almost sent you into a frenzy?” she laughs, searching for her keys. “I saw her leave in a G-Wagon. Walthorne really treats their employees well. I could die to work there.” I laugh softly. “Let’s go,” she says. “We have a party to prepare for.” We get into the car and drive off, leaving F.C.G. behind.