CHAPTER FOURTEEN - Fractured Trust

"You know," he said, "I'm starting to think I made a mistake when I hired you." Ava froze, her heart sinking. "What do you mean?" Max smiled, surprising her. "I mean I should have hired you for a much more senior position. You're wasted as a secretary, Ava. The way you've handled this crisis... it's been nothing short of remarkable." Ava felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. "I... thank you, Max. That means a lot coming from you." Max nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable with the praise he was giving. "Yes, well... we should probably get back to work. Those investors won't reassure themselves." As they gathered their materials and headed to the meeting, Ava couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. For the first time since she'd started working at Bennett Enterprises, she felt truly seen and valued. As the dust began to settle from Leo's embezzlement scandal, Ava found herself diving deeper into the company's records. She'd developed a newfound appreciation for the importance of