Lisa & Rokko - Missed Chances (english version)

Chapter 15

Rokko was sitting in his office, staring at the screen where a press release for the Kerima presentation was open. He read the sentence yet again: "Kerima is confident that the presentation will set a new standard and is looking forward to the opportunity..." He sighed. It didn't sound convincing enough—too stiff, too empty. He needed to breathe some life into the text.

Suddenly, the door burst open with a loud bang and Hugo stormed in, out of breath, visibly distressed and completely pale in the face. Rokko flinched. "Mr. Kowalski!" he gasped, hands on his hips as he tried to catch his breath. "You have to come immediately! Ms. Plenske is... she's all alone with the press sharks!"

Rokko felt a cold shiver run down his spine. His thoughts raced. Lisa, alone with the reporters who were just waiting to get a story?

"Where is she?" he asked, his voice calmer than he felt.

"In the foyer! They're practically swarming her," Hugo stammered.

He immediately pushed himself vigorously away from the desk with his office chair, stood up, and ran out of the office, closely followed by Hugo.

As he entered the large, open space, he immediately felt the tension. He saw Lisa, who, with a firm voice and her chin raised, confronted a woman from the press whom he instantly recognized as the reporter who had tried to expose her in the past with the manipulated television portrait. But the journalist and her team, apparently sensing a new impending disaster they could twist into a scandal for Kerima, were met with Lisa's unwavering determination.

Lisa stood there, hands on her hips, leaving no doubt about her stance. Rokko, actually the PR expert who should take control in such situations, stopped dead in his tracks and watched the scene, fascinated.

He saw how Lisa put the journalist in her place with words, how she refused to be intimidated, which deeply impressed Rokko.

"Is Kerima in trouble?" one voice echoed across the room.

"Is it true the Kerima presentation is being cancelled, as the latest rumors suggest?"

Lisa looked her straight in the eye. She took a deep breath and spoke with a firm voice: "The presentation will take place as planned," she said. "Sometimes a good story is so tempting that you don't want to check the facts, is it? That's regrettable. Mr. Haas's presentation is, of course, already finished. And I can assure you, it will blow you away."

Rokko couldn't help but smirk. He watched the reporters stare at each other, whispering. He was so taken with Lisa's performance that it took him a moment before he could act again. He stepped up to her, placing a hand on her shoulder as he turned to address the crowd.

"Ms. Plenske said it perfectly. There is no cancellation. There are no problems. The presentation will take place at the end of next week as scheduled and it will be... exceptional." He turned and walked back toward the offices with Lisa at his side.

After the press slunk off in embarrassment, Rokko stepped a little closer. "That was... impressive," he said, a brief, genuine smile crossing his face. He nodded at her in acknowledgment. "You were really playing a high-stakes game there."

"They don't need to know that we're not finished yet," she replied with a wink.

Lisa, still feeling the adrenaline rush, looked at him, and a broad grin spread across her face.

It was the first time since their reunion that they had spoken so openly and honestly with each other.

She only just realized how close they were standing. Rokko, who also noticed it now, took a step back and cleared his throat. "Well... I have to go," he then said, his tone a little more formal again. "I... we still have a presentation to prepare."