CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN - CROSSING PATHS

   "As you can see here," she said, pointing to a graph, "our current in-house staff actually saves the company money in the long run compared to outsourcing." She moved on to share testimonials from various departments about the custodians' importance. "Just last month, our team prevented a potential disaster when we quickly contained a water leak in the server room," Nia explained. "An outsourced team might not have the same level of familiarity with the building or sense of urgency." As she continued, Nia noticed the board members leaning in, clearly engaged. Mr. Allistair was nodding thoughtfully, while others were furiously scribbling notes. Just as Nia felt she was winning them over, a voice cut through her presentation. "I'm sorry, but I have to interrupt here." It was Mr. Darry, one of the senior executives known for his hard-line approach to cost-cutting. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "While I appreciate the effort you've put into this presentation, Nia, I have