"Juliana..." Liam's voice held a warning tone that made my skin crawl. His eyes flashed with panic, silently begging me not to reveal what we both knew.
I smiled coldly at him. "Yes, Liam?"
The entire room was watching us now, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. The director stepped forward, confusion etched across his face.
"Mr. Ricardo, is there something I'm missing here? Do you not have Dr. Bella's authorization?"
Before Liam could respond, Miles jumped in. "It doesn't matter. We don't need Dr. Bella." He moved beside me, placing a protective hand on my shoulder. "Juliana stays with us."
Liam's jaw tightened as he struggled to regain control of the situation. "You're making a mistake. Dr. Bella's expertise is unmatched in this field."
"So is Juliana's creativity," Ryan chimed in, surprising me.
One by one, my teammates voiced their support.
"Her solution was brilliant," Mason added. "We need her here."
