"Yes… of course," Rose mumbled, rising stiffly to her feet. "On behalf of the company, we thank Miss Venus Morgan for her incredible insight and presentation. We… look forward to implementing her strategy."
Polite applause followed.
Back at her seat, Lucia leant to Venus and whispered, "You know you just crushed every soul in this room, right?"
Venus grinned, whispering back, "Let's just say… I came prepared."
Nicholas Adamson was still watching her, tapping a finger against his chin, curiosity dancing in his eyes.
And for the first time in a while, Venus felt not just seen—but respected.
Later That Day
Back in her office, Venus sat on the couch, surrounded by flowers and congratulatory notes from coworkers.
Her team walked in.
Davis grinned. "If this were a basketball game, you just dunked on everyone."
Melanie held up a tiny cat sticker. "This is how proud I am of you."
Franklin tapped his pen like a drumroll. "Round of applause for our fearless leader."
Lucia, her assistant, added, "And let's not forget how she turned sabotage into strategy."
Venus chuckled. "You all are crazy. But thank you. It means a lot."
Venus had just returned to her desk after her team left when a soft knock landed on her door.
She looked up. "Come in."
The door opened gently, and in walked Mr. Nicholas Adamson—tall, polished, and wearing that smooth, charming smile that always made him look like he stepped out of a magazine.
He was dressed in a navy-blue suit so sharp it looked like it could slice paper. His cologne arrived two seconds before him.
"Mr. Adamson," Venus said, rising slightly from her chair and offering a polite smile. "Welcome back. I see vacation didn't dull your shine."
He laughed lightly. "You always know what to say, Venus. But today, I come bearing compliments."
She tilted her head. "Let me guess… my presentation?"
He nodded. "Absolutely. It was brilliant. You didn't just give a report; you told a story, delivered a plan, and kept everyone engaged. Even the finance team was wide awake, and that's rare."
Venus chuckled. "That's because I bribed them with eye contact and colourful graphs."
He laughed and stepped inside, closing the door gently. "I'm serious, though. That slide about turning pressure into profit? Powerful stuff."
Venus sat back down. "Honestly? That came to me after three cups of black coffee and a long night of pacing. Creative magic, or caffeine madness?"
Nicholas pulled the chair opposite her and sat down. "Well, whatever it was, it worked. I was impressed."
She smiled. "Thank you, sir. That means a lot."
He gave her a curious look. "You don't need to call me 'sir' every time. Nicholas is fine."
Venus raised an eyebrow playfully, leant forward, and whispered. "Noted. But when someone wears a suit like that, it feels wrong not to throw in a little respect."
He laughed heartily. "Fair enough."
There was a pause. A warm, easy silence.
"You've always had it, Venus," he said, more serious now. "But today? You proved it. Everyone saw it."
Venus looked up and gave a soft smile. "Thank you, Mr. Adamson. I just did my best."
He stood, adjusting his suit jacket. "Well, keep doing it. You're setting the standard."
"I hope we can work together on a project someday," he added.
Venus laughed and said, "You are a big shot; what do I have to offer?"
"Till then," Nicholas remarked .
She nodded. "And next time, maybe bring cookies if you want another chat."
He laughed again, deeper this time. "Deal."
As he walked out, Venus watched him go. He left behind a trace of cologne—and a feeling she couldn't quite place.
Meanwhile, upstairs in his office, Raymond stood by the tinted window, arms folded, eyes on the hallway monitor.
He didn't usually watch it, but something told him to glance today.
His eyes narrowed slightly when he saw Nicholas exiting Venus's office, smiling like a man who'd just heard a good joke.
Then he saw Venus at her desk, laughing softly, relaxed.
Raymond frowned.
He wasn't angry. He wasn't jealous. But… he felt something. Something small. Quiet. Warm. Possessive.
He turned away from the screen, muttering, "Nice try, Nicholas."
Later that evening, Venus stepped into her car, tossed her bag to the passenger seat, and sighed in satisfaction.
Just as she turned the ignition, her phone rang.
Caller ID: CEO
She blinked and quickly answered through her Bluetooth.
"Hello, sir?"
"Venus," came the deep voice on the other end. "Brilliant work today. I'm impressed."
Her face lit up. "Thank you, sir. I appreciate that."
"I wanted to say it directly. That presentation was sharp, clear, and refreshing."
"Thank you again. I… I just gave it my best."
"I know you're probably on the road. I won't keep you. Just wanted to say well done. I'll call you later so we can talk more."
"Yes, sir. I look forward to it."
"Drive safe, Miss Phillips."
"Will do, sir."
She ended the call with a grin. "Not a bad day at all."
About twenty minutes later, Venus stepped out of her car and saw her grandmother standing at the front door with a wide smile and folded arms.
"My superstar," Grandma said. "Welcome home."
Venus walked out of the elevator and hugged her. "Hi, Grandma."
But Grandma didn't let go just yet. She pulled back and squinted. "You did well today… But something's off. You're not shining like usual."
Venus sighed and dropped her bag by the sofa. "Someone tried to sabotage my presentation."
Her grandmother's eyes widened. "What?!"
"Yes," Venus said, rolling her shoulders. "She tried to shake me before the meeting. But Grandma…" She suddenly jumped back into a karate stance and threw a light kick in the air. "I cleared her off like this!"
Grandma shrieked with laughter and stepped back. "Ah! Venus!"
Venus grinned. "I told her, 'You picked the wrong woman today.'"
Grandma wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. "That's my granddaughter. No one can cage or intimidate you."
Venus dropped onto the couch, kicking off her shoes. "No one, Grandma. Not anymore."
Grandma nodded proudly and walked towards the kitchen. "Let me make you some tea. You've earned it."
Venus smiled and leant back on the cushion. "And maybe some of that banana bread too?"
"Coming right up," Grandma called.
Venus closed her eyes and sighed.
Yes. It had been a good day… And tomorrow, she'd be even better.
But when her grandmother came out of the kitchen, she was shocked to see Venus....