Liana’s POV
The projector light hums behind me as I finish the final slide. My voice calmer than I feel.
“…and with the Helix Integration Model, Z-Core will see a twenty eight percent efficiency increase in the first quarter of rollout.”
I pause, scanning the room. The board members wore sleek suits, their eyes tired as they nodded to numbers they could barely hear. This was my victory moment, the one where they see me as more than a new Director.
Instead, all I heard was silence. Mr. Harrow clears his throat. “Mrs.” he catches himself, “Ms. Smith, a solid proposal.” He flips a tablet toward me. “Though you’ll have to explain this.”
On the screen, an article headline flashes:
MERCERTECH ANNOUNCES NEW AI LOGISTICS FRAMEWORK, THE HELIX MODEL.
The breath catches in my throat. “That…
