JASMINE
We waited in Stephan's office for what felt like an eternity. The silence pressed down on us like a heavy blanket. Stephan paced behind his massive desk, his jaw locked so tightly that a small muscle ticked repeatedly in his cheek. Every few seconds he checked his phone, then slammed it down again. Rick stood by the window, repeatedly refreshing his laptop screen, his face drained of color and shining with nervous sweat.
Millions were hanging in the balance. Our reputation was crumbling in real time, and the investors had gone completely silent after receiving the partial plan. The tension in the room made it hard to breathe.
Stephan finally stopped pacing and brought his hand down hard on the desk with a loud slap. "They are not responding at all. They are refusing everything. This is going to destroy us."
