“Absolutely not! I would never—”
Elias gestured helplessly.
“I hired a freelance designer. Perhaps they misunderstood my instructions!”
“Your name is on the presentation, Elias. You’re the person standing in front of us.”
He frantically clicked his mouse, trying to move past the slide.
Instead, another appeared.
**FIVE YEARS IS ENOUGH TO BECOME OBSOLETE**
Margaret leaned forward.
“Are you aware that I’ve worked here for twenty-three years?”
“Margaret, please, I’m terribly sorry—”
“Stop apologizing for what we’re seeing and start explaining why it’s here.”
At last, Elias lowered his head.
“I didn’t personally check every slide.”
Margaret stared at him.
“You expected us to trust your judgment with an entire department, and you couldn’t even review your own presentation?”
Elias opened his mouth but had nothing to say.
Beside me, Nina whispered, “I think I just witnessed a man’s soul leave his body.”
