A flicker of interest. Of temptation. It passed quickly across a few faces. But she wasn't done. Her eyes hardened, just slightly.
"But the moment that money hits your accounts…" She leaned forward, just enough to close the distance. "I will be filing a lawsuit against each of you for violating our contract terms."
Silence. Not uncertainty this time. Shock. "You gave me your word," she went on, her voice quiet but cutting, "and you're breaking it because of internet gossip."
Her gaze swept across them again. Slow. Measured. "Word spreads fast in this industry." A beat. "Tell me…who will want to partner with suppliers who jump ship the moment things get difficult?"
No one answered. Because there was no answer that didn't condemn them. The confidence that had filled the room earlier began to crack. Small at first.
Then wider.
They shifted in their seats, glancing at one another, searching for reassurance that wasn't there anymore. And then. Almost instinctively. Their eyes moved.
