Bella sat in the chair across from the three executives, her hands clasped in her lap, her back straight. Her heart was pounding, but her face was calm. She had learned long ago not to let people see her nerves.
The office was small but elegant. Dark wood furniture that looked old and expensive, a thick carpet that muffled every footstep, and a window that overlooked the campus courtyard, where students were walking between buildings. The afternoon light was soft and golden, casting long shadows across the desk.
The three executives sat across from her. They had been evaluating her presentation, taking notes, whispering to each other while she stood at the front of the lecture hall. Now they had called her here. She did not know why.
"Sir?" she asked, her voice steady even though her chest felt tight.
