Caspian
Everything was going perfectly.
I sat at the head of the long glass table, fingers laced loosely together, watching the investors nod with growing interest. Their eyes sparkled when I explained the final part of the proposal, and one of them even leaned forward with a smile that said, "We're in."
I was seconds away from securing one of the biggest international partnerships of my career.
Then my phone buzzed.
I glanced down discreetly — Marcel.
I hit the side button to silence it, but something in me hesitated. Marcel never called me during business hours, let alone twice in a row.
I leaned slightly back in my chair and whispered, “Excuse me,” before answering quietly, “I’m in a meeting, Marcel. I’ll call you back.”
But his voice was sharp. Panicked. “Caspian—don’t hang up.
