Everything Taken I Left to Become CEO (Darcy and Zane) novel Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: The Presentation**

Zora’s lips curved into a reassuring smile as she looked at Zane. “I know exactly what you’re thinking,” she said, her voice light and teasing. “You’re overanalyzing the whole situation. Mr. Stone has a girlfriend, remember? He’s just being friendly because Summit Core’s product is exceptional. And let’s not forget that old school connection between us. That’s all there is to it. No hidden agendas.”

Zane’s brow furrowed, skepticism lingering in his eyes. He wasn’t entirely convinced by her words.

What Zora didn’t realize was how utterly captivating she was.

Zane’s mind wandered back to the way Bex looked at her; it was the same intensity he felt when he gazed at her. The unmistakable spark in Bex’s eyes mirrored his own, and that realization gnawed at him.

With a heavy sigh, he leaned back, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in his stomach.

Zora, sensing his distress, wrapped her arm around his, giving it a gentle shake. “Hey, no more sighing! Once we win this bid, I’ll let my team handle all the follow-ups. I promise I won’t have to deal with him personally anymore, alright?”

Zane felt a wave of helplessness wash over him as he looked into her eyes.

“Will we really win it?” he asked, his voice tinged with doubt.

“Absolutely! Bex confided in me that he’s genuinely impressed with our product. He even gave me a heads-up about the pre-sales requirements for today,” she replied, her confidence infectious.

A sense of relief washed over Zane, but it was quickly overshadowed by a pang of concern for Zora. He couldn’t shake the feeling that this deal hinged too much on her personal connections.

“From now on, let others handle these messy networking tasks. You should focus on R&D and management,” he insisted, his tone firm.

Zora deserved to be elevated above the mundane world of favors and obligations, to be admired from a distance. The mere thought of her getting entangled in that web of politics pained him deeply.

Meanwhile, the ringing phone pulled Darcy’s attention back from the mesmerizing world outside the glass doors.

“Ms. Gale? Ms. Gale?” Cade waved a hand in front of her, breaking her reverie.

Darcy blinked, finally noticing her phone vibrating insistently on the table.

“Hello, Mr. Steele?” she answered, her tone shifting to serious as she recognized the caller ID.

It was the CEO of Easemark Ventures.

“Darcy! My sincerest apologies,” he replied cheerfully, his voice bright despite the busy day. “I was caught up in back-to-back meetings and just saw your missed calls. What’s going on?”

Darcy paused for a moment, carefully choosing her words. “Mr. Steele, I hope I’m not interrupting. We had an appointment with your IT Manager’s assistant for a POC this afternoon, but when we arrived, the receptionist was unable to reach him. I was concerned he might be unwell or perhaps had taken the day off.”

She framed her words delicately, implying the receptionist’s inability to reach the assistant, trusting that he would read between the lines.

“Is that right? Are you and your colleague still downstairs?”

“Yes, we’re currently waiting in the lobby café,” she confirmed.

“I understand. Just a moment, please,” he said before hanging up.

As they settled in, Darcy and Cade quickly connected their laptops to the display screen, the air thick with anticipation.

Cade turned to her, his voice low. “Ms. Gale, would you like to present, or should I take the lead?”

“I’ll handle it,” Darcy replied, determination shining in her eyes.

She had spearheaded this product iteration and understood the intricacies of what Easemark truly needed. It was clear she was the best choice for the task.

Moments later, Bex entered the room, his expression shifting to one of feigned apology. “I’m truly sorry for the mix-up. The receptionist made an error. I’ve already had HR address it. My apologies for any inconvenience caused.”

Everyone in the room could sense the insincerity in his words, but no one dared to call him out. There was no point in confronting someone who was trying to be polite, even if it was merely a façade.

If Bex wanted to play his part, Darcy was more than willing to play along.

“You’re too kind, Mr. Stone,” she said, her tone smooth. “Mistakes happen to the best of us. I’m just relieved that it’s all sorted out.”

With that, she picked up the remote, advanced the presentation to the first slide, and turned to him. “Shall we begin?”

Mr. Stone offered a broad smile, his demeanor shifting as he gestured for her to proceed. “Please, Ms. Gale. The floor is yours.”

For the first ten minutes, Bex listened intently, nodding along occasionally. But soon, his focus waned; he lost interest and began scrolling through his phone, the distraction palpable.