CHAPTER 21: The Third Floor

DAVID

This is crossing a line. I know how hard Bella has been working putting in late nights and doing everything possible to make sure she wins. Her presentation was impressive, but if I just hand her the win, people will start putting two and two together.

I text her, lifting my chin slightly to catch her attention. The second she glances at her phone, a small smile curves on her lips. That’s my girl, I think, barely hiding my own grin. Bella didn’t even need her original work to knock this out of the park that’s what I call boss moves.

BELLA

As soon as I feel my phone buzz, I glance down. A message from David reads, You’ve got this. You can present this without a hitch. I believe in you.

The words sink in. No one’s ever really believed in me except Dad and Elowen. And now there’s David, practically a stranger, telling me he’s got my back.

Then it hits me. Vivian. This is her doing. I swear, she’s not going to get away with this. I’m still fuming when David strides to the front of t