When Queen Isabelle offers me a deal to fake an engagement with the Crown Prince, my first instinct is to laugh. I must be hallucinating-blame it on the tea. But as her words sink in, I realize the potential boost this could bring to my tech company...
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"Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back." – Plato
The early morning sun filtered through the towering skyscrapers, casting everything in a warm, golden hue. A postcard-perfect moment, if only I weren't seconds away from a full-blown panic attack. I mean, it was a typical morning in New York—honking horns, sidewalk vendors hustling their way through rush hour, and the sea of commuters moving like they were all in some choreographed dance. The city was awake, buzzing with life. And me? I was barely holding it together as I headed to my first meeting of the day—a high-stakes sit-down with a board member who had the power to either throw me a lifeline or let me drown. No big deal.
Well, maybe it wouldn't have been such a big deal if my HR manager hadn't been outed as a convicted felon. Oh, and let's not forget the cherry on top—our stock took a nosedive overnight. Yep, as of this morning, "Ortiz Solutions" was officially the latest headline in "Corporate Scandal Weekly." So, no pressure.
I swear, it felt like someone had ripped out the foundation from under my feet, and I was standing there, arms flailing, trying to stop the inevitable free fall. Fun times. Because what better way to start the day than with the looming possibility that my company—my blood, sweat, and tears—might crumble before lunch?
Calling it my "empire-in-the-making" might sound dramatic, but hey, I made Forbes 30 Under 30, and that wasn't just because of my killer smile. I've earned the right to be a little dramatic, thank you very much. Besides, you don't work yourself to the bone for years just to see everything slip through your fingers because your HR guy had a secret criminal record. And yet, here I was, praying that I wouldn't have to explain to the board how my 'crime-fighting tech CEO' persona had allowed a literal criminal to oversee hiring. Not exactly a strong look for the face of an up-and-coming tech dynasty.
Just thinking about it made my stomach churn. It wasn't the roller-coaster kind of flip either—it was more like that heart-stopping, I-might-actually-throw-up kind. The carefully polished image I'd spent years crafting, the one they plastered all over "Most Influential Entrepreneurs Under 30" articles, was dangling by a thread. And that thread? Held by people who probably never even bothered to read beyond the headline. "Strong, female entrepreneur takes the tech world by storm." Sure. Except now that storm might be more of a PR tornado, and I was about to be blown away.
I glanced at my phone for what felt like the hundredth time, holding out hope for a miracle email or text that would magically solve my problems. Maybe the board member would cancel? Maybe my HR manager's criminal record was some bizarre mix-up? Nope. Just radio silence. Typical. Of course, nothing would come easy today. Next to me, my abuela, Soledad, was completely unfazed by the chaos swirling around us. She sat behind the wheel, one hand resting on the gearshift, her body relaxed like we were just out for a leisurely Sunday drive and not barreling toward a meeting that could either save or destroy my company.
