CHAPTER SIXTY NINE - A WHISPER IN THE DARK

Max's eyes snapped open, a fire burning in them. "That's not fair, Sarah. I've worked hard every day since then to prove myself, to make the company better-" "Better for who?" Sarah shot back. "For the chosen few who get all the opportunities? While the rest of us are left behind, our talents wasted?" Ava's mind was reeling, but she forced herself to focus on the present danger. "Sarah, I hear your frustration. But what you've done... sabotaging equipment, endangering lives... it's not justified. It's not who you are." For a moment, Sarah's resolve seemed to waver. The knife in her hand lowered slightly. "You don't know who I am," she said, but her voice had lost some of its edge. Max took a cautious step forward. "I do, Sarah. I remember when you first joined the company. Your enthusiasm, your ideas... you were brilliant. What happened to that person?" Sarah's eyes glistened with unshed tears. "She got tired of being overlooked. Of watching less qualified people get ahead because