CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN - The Confrontation

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Sarah, the CFO, paled visibly. "But sir, without that contract..." Mason held up a hand, silencing her. "I know. We're in trouble. Deep trouble." The weight of his words settled over the room like a suffocating blanket. The Nexus contract had been their lifeline, the one thing keeping Universe X afloat amidst the recent turmoil. Without it, their future looked bleak. "What are our options?" James from R&D asked, his voice small. Mason ran a hand through his hair, his exhaustion evident. "We regroup. Cut costs wherever we can. And we fight like hell to land the Quantum deal next month. It's our last shot." As the meeting dispersed, Mason retreated to his office, slamming the door behind him. He slumped into his chair, the weight of the company's future crushing down on him. How had everything gone so wrong, so fast? His phone buzzed – a message from Claire. "We need to talk. Tonight. No excuses." Mason's stomach churned. He knew he'd b