381 Stamping My Authority

(Jayden)

The Nexus Global London office sprawls before me in slick, minimalist decor—glass walls, polished stone floors, and a sterile, almost clinical sense of order.

I’m here, and the cool indifference emanating from the walls almost dares me to feel out of place. But I won’t give them the satisfaction. I’ve done my research and I’m ready to battle.

We step into the boardroom, and the low hum of conversation dies immediately. My eyes scan the table, taking in the steely expressions.

The London team looks at me like I’m here to disrupt their carefully curated world. I’m the outsider, the American, the wild card disrupting their routine, and the disdain isn’t exactly subtle.

I don’t let it rattle me. This is my company now.

At the head of the table sits Grayson Whitmore. Late forties, silver at the temples, his suit cut to perfection and his demeanor radiating the cold, meticulous confidence of someone who’s run this show for years.

His air of superiority is so quintessentially Britis