Asher stood. Polished. Commanding. Every inch the CEO.
His gaze settled on Winifred onstage, brimming with open favoritism and admiration.
"I have to say, I'm impressed. Ms. Taylor is remarkably talented for her age. Her positioning of the project is precise, her planning is clear, and her vision is bold, innovative, and full of potential."
"As the CEO of Sanchez Group, I will commit every resource at our disposal to the Southgate project and to supporting her. In my view, Ms. Taylor's proposal is, without question, the strongest candidate at today's conference."
The applause that followed was louder than before, crashing through the room like a wave.
Winifred stood at the podium, her cheeks flushed, gazing down at Asher with a look of undisguised adoration and triumph. She looked every bit the golden girl, cherished and elevated by a powerful man.
Whispers rippled through the audience. The consensus was clear: Winifred had already won.
I sat in my corner, ice spreading through my veins, and felt the last flicker of hope inside me go dark.
He used to look at me that way. He used to call me a genius, used to exhaust every beautiful word in his vocabulary on me.