After dinner, as dessert plates were cleared and glasses clinked with soft laughter, Avery stood from her seat and gently tapped the edge of her glass. The soft chime hushed the table, and everyone turned their attention to her.
Avery's warm gaze swept across the team seated around her—her designers, assistants, coordinators, and planners, the people who had poured their energy into the success of the press conference. Most of them looked up with wide eyes, some with surprised smiles, clearly not expecting a speech at the end of the night.
"Thank you so much for your efforts, guys," Avery said, her voice carrying over the low background music of the restaurant. "You all are the backbone of Celestria. Nothing that happened today—none of this success—would have been possible without each and every one of you."
A collective cheer rose softly, mixed with smiles, claps, and proud expressions. One of the interns looked like she might cry, her hands clasped tightly under the table.
