The morning of the product release dawned bright, but Erin's nerves felt like storm clouds. She was in hours early, repeating her script, rehearsing her pacing, and making sure the demo unit of the eco-friendly water heater was flawless.
By the time guests began arriving in the sleek, glass-walled presentation hall, everything was ready—at least, it looked that way.
From her place behind the curtain, Erin scanned the audience: media, potential investors, long-standing partners, and employees. Xander was seated in the front row, his usual unreadable expression giving nothing away. Two rows back, Lillianne sat with a perfectly composed smile that somehow felt sharper than glass.
The introduction went smoothly. Erin walked out to polite applause, the click of her heels echoing in the space. Her slides loaded behind her.
She clicked to Slide 1.
"As you can see here," Erin began, gesturing to the chart, "our research shows that 72% of homeowners between ages 25 and 45 are actively looking for sustainable home alternatives. But that's not enough. What we found more interesting was this—"
She tapped on a bar graph segment that most had overlooked.
"—a growing concern over noise levels. People want greener options, yes, but they don't want to hear their water heater humming like a generator at 2 a.m."
A few in the room chuckled. Even Xander leaned slightly forward.
She clicked to Slide 2. Competitor breakdown.
"Now, regarding our rival's recent launch..." She pointed at a photo of their model. "Impressive specs on paper. But it's already racking up user complaints — too loud, too bulky, and not as energy-efficient in real-time conditions as advertised."
Victor raised a brow. "That's a bold claim. You're saying ours will do better?"
"I'm saying ours is designed for the gaps they left," she answered. "Ours will address and fix all those flaws."
A low murmur rippled across the room.
John frowned. "And how exactly do we address or fix those flaws?"
She moved to Slide 3.
"By redesigning the system from the inside out. We've added a dual-layer noise-dampening shell, upgraded the filtration system for longer lifespan, and made all internal parts fully recyclable. It's quieter, it's cleaner, and it's cheaper to run."
She advanced to Slide 4 — a sleek animation showing both models side by side.
"And here's the difference over a five-year use span," she said, voice calm. "Less noise, 30% lower power draw, and a projected $300 in household savings. We didn't just make it as good. We made it better."
Silence — the stunned kind.
Someone in the back muttered, "She came prepared."
Except… something was wrong.
Slide five, which was supposed to highlight their unique filtration technology, now displayed incomplete specs and a badly formatted chart.
A murmur rippled through the audience, a few skeptical glances flickering toward her. Out of the corner of her eye, Erin caught the quick twitch of Lillianne's lips—an unmistakable smirk.
She didn't skip a beat.
"Now, you might notice some details missing here," Erin said smoothly, clicking forward. "That's because I'd like to show you directly."
She abandoned the slide entirely, moving to the demo unit. With quick, confident movements, she unscrewed the panel, revealing the filtration system inside. She explained the process in plain terms, gesturing so even those at the back could follow.
It was riskier than sticking to the script, but it paid off—the audience leaned forward, visibly more engaged.
When she moved back to the slides, she improvised around the missing data, reframing it as "exclusive details" that would be revealed in the press kit after the launch.The murmurs died. Heads began to nod.
From the front row, Xander watched her with an unreadable expression — until the corner of his mouth curved ever so slightly.
By the time she concluded, applause filled the room, louder and warmer than when she'd walked in.
Xander's hands came together in deliberate, measured claps, his gaze fixed on her in a way that made her chest tighten.
Several people congratulated her as she stepped down from the stage, a few executives praising her "adaptability" and "command of the room." She smiled politely, thanked them — but her mind was already elsewhere.
She met Lillianne's gaze across the room. Neither spoke. Erin simply returned a small, knowing smirk… and walked away.
Once back in her office, she locked the door, leaning against it for a moment.
Earlier this morning, the first thing she'd noticed when she stepped into her office was a faint shift in the air. The chair at her desk had been moved slightly. A pen she never used was lying on the keyboard.
Frowning, she'd gone straight to the discreet CCTV panel she'd had installed weeks ago. She skimmed the morning's footage until her stomach sank.
There.
A figure with the exact same build as Lillianne, slipping into her office. Sitting at her desk. Hands moving over her PC. The camera angle was just low enough to keep the face hidden.
Before she could pull up her slides to check for tampering, her phone had rung. Xander's voice: "It's time. Grab your things and meet me — we're heading to the hall now."
She hadn't had time to look deeper.
Now, she was certain.
It was Lillianne.
But Erin wasn't going to call her out — not yet.
Sometimes, the best revenge was letting your opponent think they'd won.