Page 70 of Book Club Confidential

“I like it a lot,” she said. “It was my idea.”

Xavier frowned. “I thought you weren’t working on this project until today?”

“I brainstormed ideas a few weeks ago,” she said. “Peyton knows that, because he saw me with Nina in the conference room when we discussed this.”

“Tessa,” Xavier scolded. “What are you saying?”

Tears of frustration and overwhelm stung her eyes. “That color palette was Nina’s idea, not Peyton’s. He took the other idea, too, about female empowerment.”

Peyton scoffed. “The idea you just hated? Make that make sense,” he said, laughing as he looked to the uneasy employees around the table.

Xavier narrowed his eyes on Tessa. “The latest suggestion is exactly what we need. If that idea was truly yours, why would you intentionally withhold it? If you took the time to create it, why would you then keep it from me and this team?”

Peyton sat and leaned back in his hair. He raised his brows in question. “Exactly.”

Tessa’s phone vibrated anew. Kate’s face appeared on-screen.

The time was 5:40.

Her throat tightened with panic and emotion. How had she become the bad guy? And how had Peyton gained access to her ideas? She’d moved them off the network and onto her device.

“Tessa,” Xavier spoke her name like a curse. “Accusing Peyton of intellectual property theft? That is a serious accusation. And intentionally withholding material that would help us win this account is a serious disappointment. What is going on with you lately? Why are you looking at your phone?”

She darted her gaze to him, stomach knotted, and palms slick with sweat. “Sorry.”

“We’ll have to sort this out with HR tomorrow,” Xavier said, voice stern but mildly miserable. “Right now, we have fourteen hours to create a pitch worthy of this account. We cannot lose this incredible opportunity. This is so much more than landing a new account. It’s our chance to reinforce our outstanding reputation as the best advertising and marketing firm in southern Virginia.” He dropped onto his chair and yanked his attention away from her.

She grabbed her phone and sent another apology message.

Kate replied immediately.

Kate: Please don’t do this

Kate: I need you

Heat climbed from Tessa’s chest to her face and lightened her head.

If she walked out now, she could lose her job.

If she gave in to the pressure and conformed to her old ways, her friends might do the same. She couldn’t allow that. She wanted better for them. She wanted the best for them. Happiness and joy. A life they loved.

She couldn’t set a precedent for folding under pressure. And she didn’t want to let herself down either. She’d come too far.

The voices around her warbled as she stood and collected her things. Her vision grew hazy in the periphery.

“You okay?” someone asked as she took her first unsteady step.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “I have to go.”

She put one foot in front of the other, gaining stability and momentum with every hurried step away from the conference room.

Millie froze in the white-tiled hallway, shock on her delicate features. “Everything okay?”

She nodded, surprised to see Millie had stayed.

“Tessa!” Xavier barked. His voice echoed after her.

“Go,” Millie whispered, motioning her ahead and striding in Xavier’s direction. The click-clack of her heels reverberated off the tiles.