Chapter 224

James Bennett frowned slightly. Glancing at Amelia White, then at Maria Lewis, he gave in. “Go ahead.” With words from the company’s top boss and her direct superior, Maria had no room to say no. Bracing herself, she made her way to the lift platform. The moment it rose, standing high over the crowd, she felt like she had a bird’s-eye view—nothing blocking her sight. She knew her job was simple: be in the photo. Wearing a polite smile, she looked toward Charlotte Davis’s camera. When Charlotte threw her an “OK” sign, Maria took a deep breath and started, “Honestly, I didn’t expect to give a speech today. I didn’t prepare anything, so... I’ll just say a few words. Hope everyone has a great time tonight…” Before she could finish, the platform suddenly dropped. Maria lost her balance and flung forward as startled gasps filled the room. James, acting on instinct, lunged forward. Thankfully, he wasn’t far and managed to catch her just in time, though her foot twisted awkwardly on landing. H