Chapter 6: Under the Surface

I handed Derek the memory card. He beamed. "Tyler, you’re on the ball! There’s a dinner tonight—let’s network. Connections are everything in this business."

I thanked him, but my stomach dropped when I spotted a familiar black Cadillac in the lot.

"President Morgan and her group… are here too?"

Derek winked. "The dinner’s with President Morgan. Don’t underestimate me, kid."

No escape. I followed him in.

The private room was huge. We small-timers weren’t at the main table with Lillian’s crew.

Derek introduced me around. "This is our new guy, Tyler Evans. Tyler, say hi."

I toasted more than I should’ve. By the end, my head spun. I barely made it to the bathroom before I threw up, splashing my face with cold water afterward.

The corridor lights were dim. A familiar silhouette lingered by the window.

My heart pounded. I wanted to slip away, but as I stepped forward, Lillian called my name—each syllable heavy with something I couldn’t name: "Tyler. Evans."

I froze, swallowing hard, her footsteps approaching.

I closed my eyes, bracing myself. Her presence hovered near. When I opened my eyes, her gaze met mine—deep, dark, bottomless.

"...President Morgan."

My throat squeezed tight. "How did you know my name?"

She studied me for a long moment, then straightened. "Your senior paraded you around all night. The whole room knows your name."

Thinking of Derek’s booming voice, my cheeks burned.

"Sorry about Derek—he means well, just gets a little loud sometimes. Hope we didn’t bother you."

I tried to explain, desperate not to drag Derek into anything.

Lillian didn’t respond right away. Under the warm yellow lights, she shot me a sly, sideways look, like she was sizing me up for trouble.

"Do I really look like someone who sweats the small stuff, Reporter Evans?"

I ducked my head. "That’s not what I meant."

She handed me a business card—gilded, heavy, embossed with her name. "You’re still an intern, right? There’s a job opening. Interested?"

Her card was cold in my palm. I stared at LILLIAN MORGAN, CEO, my thumb brushing the raised letters like they might burn me. Was this a chess move, or just a whim?