Chapter 172

Allison's POV.

The air in the boardroom was thick, almost suffocating, as I stood poised at the head of the long mahogany table. My heart was a frantic hummingbird against my ribs, but my hands, surprisingly, were steady on the clicker.

The presentation was everything—sleepless nights, battling self-doubt, and channelling every ounce of my frustration and hope into a single, cohesive vision.

I was just about to click to the first slide, taking a deep breath to ground ...