Chapter 24

Bryan's expression tightened as he gave me a sideways glance. "Mr. Holt, it's probably not a great idea to toss confidential proposals around like that. You never know when someone with bad intentions might use it against you." Javin frowned, clearly puzzled. "Mr. Hoover, what are you getting at?" "Just a minute ago, Mr. Kaelan here handed me the exact same proposal as yours. If we hadn't already struck a deal earlier, I wouldn't have known who was copying who." Bryan's voice dripped with sarcasm. Javin shot me a look, raising an eyebrow. "Oh? Mr. Leroy, is this the big industry-shaking idea you were bragging about? Looks more like you're just playing dirty." From the corner of my eye, I saw Sharon nearby, disappointment flickering across her face. "Kaelan, I didn't think you'd sink this low just to get ahead." Their back-and-forth had my head spinning. I took a deep breath, trying to pull it together before speaking. "So, just because you turned your proposal in first, that makes