"MK." The word hung in the air, a bombshell that shattered the tension-filled silence of the Nexus boardroom.
Emma blinked, certain she had misheard. But the eruption of cheers from her colleagues confirmed it – they had won. MK had secured the Nexus Project contract.
As Mark shook hands with the Nexus CEO, his face split in a triumphant grin, Emma found her gaze drawn to Tom. The defeat in his eyes was palpable, a stark contrast to his composed expression. For a moment, their eyes met, and Emma felt a pang of... what? Guilt? Regret? Before she could decipher it, Tom looked away, turning to console his team.
The next few hours passed in a whirlwind of congratulations and celebration. Emma went through the motions, smiling and nodding at all the right moments, but her mind was elsewhere.
