Work at Blackwood Enterprise offered no respite or rest, especially after Damian Blackwood, having been convinced by Marcus, his friend and right-hand man, decided to grant the creative team the opportunity to present a new proposal. One week was the time he had given them.
Needless to say, Selene was angrier than ever, and she was determined to prove that her theory that the CEO had a specific problem with the proposals she presented was not merely her imagination. So, she suggested to Alan, one of her colleagues, that he present the same proposal that she had presented days before, assuring him that there would be no problem with him claiming it as his own.
The young man, who knew that Selene's proposal was highly viable, accepted immediately, as the girl had very firm values and always kept her word.
So, when the day came to present the proposal again, the entire work team gathered in the boardroom.
Obviously, the CEO was at the head of the table, Damian Blackwood dominated the scene with his imposing presence. His impeccable bearing, the perfectly tailored suit, and the serious expression that never left his face, made him a figure who inspired respect and, for some, fear. His blue eyes severely scanned those present until stopping at Selene.
From the moment Alan began presenting his proposal, the CEO dedicated all his attention to him, at times nodding in agreement, at others taking some notes.
Selene observed each of his reactions and knew perfectly well what the outcome of the meeting would be.
The tension in the meeting room could be cut with a knife.
The girl maintained a neutral expression, although inside she felt her blood boiling. In front of her, Alan continued to present the proposal, relying on graphics and projections that Selene had given him, the same ones that in the previous meeting the CEO had not given her the opportunity to present.
Damian, sitting at the head of the table, drummed his fingers against the polished wood surface. His gaze, like two intense embers, wandered over some documents while listening to his sales director with apparent interest.
When Alan finished, there was a brief silence. Selene's eyes instinctively sought Damian, waiting for him to give his verdict. The proposal had very good scope, it was innovative, with the best long-term margins. She knew it because she had spent nights adjusting every detail, anticipating objections, preparing answers.
And she didn't even flinch when Damian spoke.
"Excellent proposal, Alan, accepted," he dictated firmly, as if there were no possible discussion.
The words fell like a sentence. Brief. Forceful.
Selene felt a knot forming in her stomach, but she concealed it perfectly. She did not allow the disappointment to be reflected on her face, although inside a silent fury began to seethe with growing force. Her posture remained straight, professional, although in her mind the acceptance of the proposal was repeated again and again.
The worst part of it was that for a couple of presentations now, Damian's objections seemed to be preying on her proposals. It didn't matter how much technical support she had, nor the exhaustive analyses she presented. He dismissed them with the same indifference with which he had just chosen the option that Alan had just presented, which was none other than hers.
"Any comments?" Damian asked, meeting the eyes of each of those present, stopping for just a second on Selene.
She held his gaze, firm, almost defiant.
"Not from me," the girl replied in a serene voice, although under the table, her nails dug discreetly into the palm of her hand.
She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter.
Damian nodded, calling the meeting to a close. The attendees began to get up, collecting their things amidst murmurs, since more than one realized that Alan's proposal was the same as the previous week's.
As Alan left with a smile and a look of gratitude towards his partner, Selene felt rage burning inside her like a burning ember. It wasn't just professional frustration. It was something deeper, a growing suspicion that Damian Blackwood was not being objective. That, for some reason that escaped her comprehension, he was determined to contradict her.
"What the hell does he have against me?" she thought, taking a deep breath to calm down.
The whole situation was disconcerting to her.
For his part, Damian had remained in his seat, thoughtful, trying to understand the young woman's attitude. He had faced many employees before, board partners, rivals, CEOs of other companies, even other Alphas who tried to challenge his authority. But none had awakened in him that level of irritation he felt when she held his gaze without showing an iota of fear.
"What an irritating woman," he thought with a grimace that he didn't know if it was a smile or a repressed grunt.
He got up from the chair, walked to the window and crossed his arms over his chest, contemplating the clouds that were beginning to turn a stormy gray. The weather seemed almost symbolic to him. Deep down, he knew that she was right on some points, but accepting her ideas directly would mean yielding ground in a silent battle that neither of them was willing to lose.
Marcus, who was still in the office, looked at him with a mocking gesture.
"Did you realize that it was the same proposal as last time? Right?" he inquired. Damian watched him as if asking him not to continue.
But since Marcus, in addition to being his Beta, was his best friend and had known him for almost a century, he did not remain silent.
"You know what the worst part of all this is?" he commented, approaching with a folder in his hand, his friend looked at him through the glass of the window knowing that even if he did not ask him, Marcus would still speak. "That deep down you like that she contradicts you."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Damian replied immediately, but his tone did not have the conviction of other times.
Marcus left the folder on the desk with a soft thud.
"You can fool everyone, Damian. But not me," he said, leaving the office before the Alpha could respond.
The afternoon fell slowly over the city. In her office, Selene reviewed the latest reports with her jaw clenched. The discomfort of the meeting had not left her, but inside her, a spark of rebellion grew stronger.
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