Chapter 4 - The Evaluation of a Lifetime
Julian didn't smile, but his mouth twitched with the ghost of something resembling amusement as he gestured to the chair opposite him. My hands shook as I sat down, my damp portfolio resting heavily on my lap like an anchor. He didn't mention the rain, the sedan, or my soaked blouse. Instead, he opened my file and began dissecting my financial risk analysis models with ruthless, razor-sharp precision. Every question he asked was harder than the last, probing my limits to see how I handled intense pressure. I forced my voice to steady, defending my strategies with the fierce determination of someone who had spent years fighting for every inch. When I caught him making a brief, approving note on his pad, a spark of fierce hope finally cut through my panic.
