CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE - WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

It all came to a head during a critical management meeting to review projections for a major development deal that had been in the works for over a year. Ava briefed Max thoroughly on all the minutiae and potential sticking points, but he seemed disengaged and irritable from the outset. When one of the senior VPs raised a concern about securing additional equity funding, Max simply shrugged him off with a curt, "We'll handle it later." Ava tried to catch his eye with a meaningful look, but Max just glowered at the table, clearly not paying attention. Biting her tongue to keep from causing a scene, she plowed ahead with the next agenda item. The meeting eventually concluded with Max having contributed virtually nothing of substance. As if he had been phoning it in from another dimension entirely. As the room disbursed, Ava hung back, waiting for the other attendees to clear out before approaching Max's seat at the head of the table. He was withdrawn, his jaw ticking as he frowned do