Uncharted Territory

The Presentation

Amara's POV

Today was the day of the presentation redo finally arrived. I walked into the office feeling a mix of anticipation and dread, not knowing whether the board would finally get on board with the product or if we'd hit another snag. Everything had been prepped meticulously. I had triple-checked every detail—the slides, the data, the projections. By the time the clock hit 10 a.m., I was more than ready for it to be over. It was just another big moment in a week full of them, but I knew the pressure wouldn't lift until the board meeting was finished.

Damien had been... more intense than usual, pacing through the office with an air of quiet anxiety. He had asked me to double-check every detail again, and I couldn't tell if it was because he doubted my ability or if he just couldn't trust anyone to handle it like he would. But I didn't mind. I was used to it by now.

I made sure to get to the conference room early. My laptop was set up, the presentation slides pulled up, and the handouts printed. I sat at my desk, glancing occasionally at the clock, my nerves creeping in again. I knew the presentation would go smoothly. I had done everything right.

As I was mentally reviewing the slides for what must have been the hundredth time, Damien walked into the room, his sharp eyes scanning everything as he entered. His usual detached demeanor was there, but something about the way he was moving—how stiffly he carried himself—made me wonder if he was more anxious than he let on.

"Everything set?" he asked, his voice a little sharper than usual.

"Yep," I replied, my voice steady despite the flutter in my chest. "It's all good to go. We're ready."

"Good," he said, his gaze flicking over the slides one last time. "Make sure to stay on top of things. I don't want any mistakes."

"Of course," I nodded, trying not to sound nervous.

The boardroom filled with the usual crowd, and soon the meeting began. Damien stood at the front, exuding authority, as always. He walked them through the slides, his tone professional but emotionless. I stayed in the background, watching the board members' expressions carefully, though it was hard to gauge anything from the blank faces that stared back at Damien.

As the presentation continued, Damien's eyes never met mine. He didn't need to look at me. I was just the assistant—he trusted me to do my job, and that was that. But still, I couldn't help but feel that familiar tension whenever our paths crossed, even in the silence.

The room was quiet for a moment when Damien finished. I waited for feedback, but he didn't linger for their responses. He stood tall and nodded once. "Thank you," he said simply. And just like that, it was over.

The board members began to murmur among themselves, but Damien wasn't interested in their immediate reactions. He turned and made his way toward me, his steps confident.

He stopped just in front of me and didn't say anything for a beat. It was like he was deciding what to say, but I couldn't figure out what it was. His eyes lingered on mine, but he didn't let his guard slip for even a second.

"Good job, Amara," he said, his voice low and steady. "Thanks for handling everything."

I blinked, a little taken aback. "You're welcome," I said softly, the words feeling different than I expected. There was something in his tone. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on. He wasn't the type to give compliments lightly, especially not to me.

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the room. I stood there for a moment, still processing the interaction. Was he... thanking me? Or was it just another professional gesture? I didn't know, and I wasn't sure I wanted to spend time analyzing it.