#neal sampat

[jimjamjomjum]

[ierofrnkk]

It’s unbelievable that he has game

[matchesarelit]

Imagine If You Will... (Presentations, Neal Sampat x gn!Reader)

Neal always made the best presentations, and you'd never say no to catching another one even if it took over your dinner break... although it doesn't hurt that you're totally into him.

Warnings: Drunkenness (not Neal or Reader), Conspiracy theories (one made up by me), cursing, Jim and Maggie being annoying will-they-wont-they (S1-esque), teasing (non-sexual), mentions of sex ('bone', 'sleep with'), talk of making someone jealous (Maggie) W.C: ~3.5k A/N: wrote this for myself cause the thought would not leave my mind, a bit all over the place tbh

For a Tuesday, the bar you work at was insanely packed, well for any other bar that is. The karaoke bar often found itself full on the most random of days, thanks to the News Night team that often poured in not long after nine. There must have been some serious stress up in the newsroom today, the usual crowd had ran through their happy hour left overs in minutes and were putting away drinks faster than you could open, pour or mix.

Well, almost all of the crowd.

A few tired faces sipped slowly, all but completely removed from the jovial air of the night. Predictably a small table of higher ups had tucked themselves away from the younger employees but for once they seemed at least content, relieved that the day was done.

The aforementioned younger employees were singing along to whomever was on stage, laughing and having what seemed to be a great time.

The most jubilant of all however was practically frothing holding in a ted talk up one end of the bar, Neal had all but skipped in around twenty after nine and slammed his laptop onto the bar. His palms drummed against the device as he sat waiting for your attention to catch on him, he'd prepared yet another presentation that he was more than eager to share.

There had been over a dozen presentations since he'd first caught you off guard with his Bigfoot conspiracy around six months prior, and you'd been intrigued (and smitten) pretty much ever since he'd taken a breath after the speech to introduce himself.

When you'd finished serving the small line you'd gained, you pulled a tray of glasses over to the corner where he'd stationed himself, setting yourself up to begin polishing as he spoke, you waited a moment before meeting his eyes.

'What do you have for me today?'

His smile grew ever wider as he began to ramble, shooting up from his stool, hands wild as always.

'There is a man on the edge of Texas who swears up and down that he witnessed an alien abduction,'

'That's crazy everyone knows-' You kept your voice monotone but the corners of your mouth pulled back as you watched the perpetual motion machine in front of you gearing up, giving away your interest.

'Yes! Exactly! No one gets abducted in Texas, but this runs in a long series of the general trend moving south towards the equator and-'

'Neal' Grabbing his attention with a call of his name and a soft hand stilling his frozen in the air you attempted to slow the speeding train, 'Don't spoil it! Wait for my break!'

Your enthusiasm wasn't new, and thankfully even after you asked him to delay his presentation, he had learned over time that you were truly interested.

Neal was a marvel, he had a way of making topics interesting no matter how absurd or irrelevant they were. Well... Most of the time. Not even his skills could make the discussion of 'Decentralized disingenuous rip-off architectural styles of the 22nd century' an enjoyable way to spend your half hour break... and yet you had sat there and engaged him nonetheless, forced as it may have been.

Yanking the laptop to his chest, he nodded vigorously, muttering out a string of 'of course'-s until he tripped slightly, steadied himself and wandered cautiously off in the direction of his friends.

Continuing the task at hand, you failed to notice someone saddling themselves in the recently abandoned stool and staring intently at the top of your lowered head, until, of course, they cleared their throat.

'Sorry, how can I- Oh hi Jim, what can I get you?' Jim had introduced himself a while back, and given the amount of mopey nights he spent sat at the bar you'd spoken quite a bit. You'd given him the bartender therapy treatment time and time again to no prevail, conceding not too long ago that maybe you'd just leave him be, outside of pouring his drinks.

Strangely enough he seemed caught off guard by the question, stuttering out a brand name somewhat absentmindedly, before falling silent.

'So, what's on your mind?' Placing the beer in front of him and retrieving fresh glass, you began to polish it to really finish the picture.

Glancing back to his group of friends, you followed his gaze, Maggie was sitting with the others but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Letting a groan slip past your lips you set your gaze back on the man in front of you. You'd heard your fair share about the pair of them, from the pair themselves, from Neal and on occasion from a drunken Mackenzie.

'Really? what a surprise! Christ! just make a move!'

'But I cant Sh-'

'They broke up' you cut him off, eyes narrowed in his direction

'Still... I can't- She doesn't thin-'

'Jesus fuck Ji-' This time It was a new voice that interrupted your own interruption,

'If you wanna know how she feels, just make her jealous'

'N-no I-that's not-' Your own stutter was ignored this time as Jim's eyes lit up at the woman's remark.

'Do you really think that'll work Mac?'

'No of course not... its just the plot of every romantic comedy for no reason.' Her sarcasm was about as thick as the idea itself was, this was a recipe for dumb-ass-ery for sure and something you wanted no part in. So you searched for the eyes of another customer, desperate, for the first time, to return to your job as you stepped away from the pair.

'Would you help me?' Ignoring him in hopes he was talking to he woman by his side you cursed the lack of a line, until with a call of your name he repeated his question.

Whirling back to him your face traversed the range of outraged expressions in the milliseconds it took to take the step, before settling on one of exaggerated disbelief.

'No way.' The simple dismissal had his head dropping onto the table, whereas Mac seemed undeterred. A hand, unknowingly heavy in tipsy lack of focus, slapped the back of his head in an attempt at comfort as she set a half hearted scowl on you.

'Why not? They just need a little bit of help,' Rolling your eyes at the push, you took a breath.

The pair needed more than a little help, they needed a truckload, and from what you've heard and witness in the bar, they'd dodged truck after truck over the past year. In your consideration of a reply, you let your eyes wander the space, getting stuck, as they always did, like glue on Neal as he traipsed towards his friends in the overpacked booth.

'They're both adults they-'

'Its because of Neal!' Mac's hushed exclamation followed by the smile of a cat with a mouthful of canary was infuriating, expected as it was.

'Wow great job, I cant believe you figured it out! You really are a journalist!' Your sarcasm was only slightly motivated by embarrassment at being caught staring, or at least that's what you'd prefer to tell yourself.

'Yeah Mac, its kind of obvious' The muffled statement left Jim as he raised his head, 'Even I got that and I didn't even see them checking him out.' Rolling your eyes with a smile you flipped him off for good measure, sure the conversation was sadly destined to continue.

'You'll be too busy with his presentation anyway won't you?'

'Yep! So have fun moping, I'm gonna take my break early.' Dismissing his glass house attempt at teasing you reached behind yourself, untied and shrugged off your apron, before turning away from the bar.

Making quick work of the space between, you stopped in front of the group, giving a quick hello to the others as Neal made a prolonged attempt to scramble from the cushioned seat, laptop tucked under his arm precariously. Offering him your hand and leading him to one of the tables in the back you ignored the all to familiar whistles cast your way by his friends.

Patting down his clothes, he opened the document and gestured you towards a seat, his movements were wilder than usual, the fun of the night clearly twisting his tired mind into an even more excitable demeanor.

'SO', he began, if you'd witnessed him doing a bump you'd have been less surprised by his immediate volume, 'Dirk Sevent, reported that on the fourth of April he was abducted from his backyard in Abilene, Texas.' The clack of his spacebar revealed a map, some photos and what you could assume was a picture of the man in question as he continued on, 'This is the forth report of such an incident in Texas over the last four months...' Clack 'However if we go back, this frequency of reports is triple what it was just five years ago, this is occurring in all states at it's latitude. This rate, which was, around five years ago, present in states at a placement such as Nebraska, which in turn had the rate that was present in Texas five years ago, ten years ago...' As he spoke Neal paced around you, emphatically pulling fact after fact from his mind, barely sparing the computer a look outside of hitting the spacebar. Listening to his speech, your eyes followed every gesture and jerk, utterly enthralled by the enigma that was his presence in these moments.

Clack...

'...the mirror effect in the southern hemisphere...'

Where did he pull that miniature globe from?

Clack...

'...psychological phenomenon...'

Is that a stock photo MRI?

Clack...

'...alien strategy...'

Okay now that's plainly just ET

Clack...

'...The End'

The impassioned speech passed the time much too fast, as it often did, and yet the pair of you continued a lively discussion until your phone alarm let you know to get back to work.

Neal walked you back to the bar, the conversation unrelenting until your apron was secured and a guest had started calling for your attention. With a wave he returned to his booth and you returned to your work, already impatient for the next presentation.

...

The crew from News Night were back at the bar within the week, another stressful day you presumed, and you considered for a moment that perhaps the broadcast had gone wrong when Jim's pouting face settled at the stool in front of you. However, when you heard an obscene chorus of laughter from their regular booth you realized it must be a ~personal issue~, so setting a beer down in front of him, you quirked an eye brow up as you met his eyes and with a sigh he met yours.

'I'm fine.' he ground out. Humming in response you moved to turn away knowing full well he was going to continue.

'I have no idea what I'm meant to do'

Furrowing your brow you tapped a finger to your chin, 'Hmm it is a hard one... OH wait, no its not just ASK. HER. OUT!' you were basically yelling, luckily the jarring voices of a duet sounding from the karaoke stage practically drowned you out.

Ignoring the roll of his eyes you maintained, 'She'll say yes.'

'You don't know that!' Jim ran a shaky hand down his face.

'Yes I do, everyone does. I'd even bet the people who see her on the blurry background of the broadcast do too.'

'Oh fuck off. Prove it then!'

'Piss off, I'm not helping you make her jealous' Reason not consciously known, you find yourself glancing around the bar, landing on nothing at all before returning to the man in front of you.

Meeting his eyes you weren't too happy about the smirk that pulled at the corners of his mouth, nor were you too excited about the teasing tone that filled his voice when he began to speak, 'You know he's not here... something about working late then going straight home.' Narrowing your gaze, you awaited what inevitably came next.

'Soo... You could help me? Knowing Neal wont see it, you should be happy to help now. Right?'

Releasing a deep breath you eyed Jim, considering the fallout.

One of their co-workers could see and think it was real and tell Neal, all the flirting over the last six months would go down the drain cause you'd look like you were about two seconds away from boning his friend (and boss).

Then again you were probably overthinking it, Neal wasn't here, and if Jim and Maggie did get together you doubt anyone is gonna remember Jim flirting with you. Even if they did, you'd just tell him the truth, you'd tell him you were trying to help Jim, lord knows he wants the pair together more than you do.

Plus this is a great chance to bargain...

'Okay, I'll do it, but just this once... and only for a price, from now on, you give a 30% tip on anything you buy from me or anyone here, forever.'

'What-?'

'That's the price... I'll flirt with you, help make it convincing and help you figure out if Maggie feels the same.'

He was silent for a moment... mulling over the deal until he slowly began to nod.

'Okay, deal.'

'Good, now slowly fix your posture, as if you want to look less like a gremlin in front of the woman you like.' Watching him follow your words, you let out a small fake laugh, not too noticeable but surely audible even through the never-ending karaoke performances. Painting a sickeningly sweet smile on your face, you tilted you head slightly as you feigned fawning over the man in front of you.

'Now lean back on your stool, I'm going to lean forward...' Trailing off in your lilting tone you reached to undo the top most button of your shirt, the action covered by a scratch of your neck with the other. Leaning across the bar on your elbows you put yourself in his space, fingers tapping on the surface as you kept your eyes on him.

'Why don't you flirt with Neal like this?' Why didn't you? His question was fair, but annoying nevertheless.

'Shut up. Now, do you have a business card on you?'

'Uh yeah, with the office line, why?'

'Write something on one side, and hand it to me with a smirk, let your hand sit on mine for a moment before moving it.' Jim did as you said, leaning closer until the pair of you were but centimeters apart, the smirk on his face was charming as he watched you take his card with a shy smile. Even as he spoke it remained and flirtatious as ever, 'Is all this what you want Neal to do?'

His teasing was short-lived after that, when you leant closer, lips ghosting over his ear as a hand rested on his chest. You eyes glanced around the room as you spoke,

'Neal wouldn't need me to tell him what to-'

Your voice dropped off as your flitting gaze fell on the door,

Standing over the threshold was Neal, laptop tucked under his arm, eyes seemingly stuck on the pair of you.

Pulling back from Jim you move to hold his chin under your thumb, maintaining the smile on your face despite the strain it suddenly required. You spoke through your your gritted teeth, barely attempting to keep the seethe from your voice, 'Going straight home is he?'

His brow pinched the smirk falling slightly, 'Yeah why?' Glancing to your side to lead his attention, you leaned back from the bar. Watching out the corner of your eye as Neal stepped back out through the door, it falling closed with a slam behind him, your hands immediately moved to tug off your apron, still attempting to pretend to be flirting with Jim as you smoothed out your clothes.

'Go speak to Maggie, make this worth it or so help me god...' Forcing out the mumbled words, you tucked a piece of stray hair behind his ear for good measure, before, as casually as you could with your blood pounding through you ears you made your way out from behind the bar and out the door.

Fuck fuck fuck

Whirling around on the stoop, you couldn't see Neal anywhere, your heart sunk and the weather twisted the knife, within seconds every inch of skin puckered in goosebumps and your nose stung red. The frozen wind blew through the tee and jeans you wore to work like water through paper, your coat long forgotten in your rush.

Hands twisting together furiously, in a futile attempt at conjuring warmth and calming your nerves, your focus was spread too thin and you wavered as you scuttled towards the AWN building. Head on a swivel you searched the footpaths for his tall figure, stopping in your tracks only after a car horn blared right past you.

It took a longer moment than it should have before you noticed your feet were on the asphalt. Scurrying back to the side of the road you drove the heels of your hands into your eyes, hoping to wake up your absent brain as you prepared to concede and slink back to the bar.

Until a foreign heat rested on your shoulder, following the hand you found Neal's eyes on yours and his lips moving in some sort of mime act. Oh wait he's speaking,

'Hey-oh watch out there, are you okay? What are you doing out here?'

His voice was soft yet unsure, with an ounce of something new, that you immediately knew you didn't want to hear again.

'I-' Shaking your head in another attempt to collect a single thought you looked towards the ground, '-I was looking for you, and I guess I was moving a little too fast for my head to keep up.' His eyes remained on yours, as he nodded slowly, seemingly at a loss for words in a similar stupor to your own.

'Wait- Why were you looking for me?' His tone was the same and you hated it all the more that it must have been your doing.

'I saw you come in, but you left straight away, it was weird. I wanted to check on you.' Your voice was low, restrained from the casual air it normally held when you were with him, it didn't feel right.

'Yeah, I had a presentation, but you were busy so I thought it could wait.' His new tone wasn't harsh or cold, it was distant.

'Oh- yeah it wasn't-' real flirting, '-He asked if I'd' Fake flirt with him to make Maggie jealous.

Finishing either of those sentences would have been great... finishing that rambled nonsense with anything other than...

'He said you were going straight home.'

Fuck, Fuck. 'Cause what does that even mean?

'What' it was more of an ousting of breath than a question, you could tell his eyes were still locked on you, even as yours burrowed into the pavement.

'The other day, Jim and Mac asked me to flirt with him to convince him that Maggie liked him and would get jealous. I said no, and they knew it was because of you-'

'Me-' his interjection flew cleanly in one ear and out the other as you continued.

'So today, cause he thought you wouldn't be here, he asked again and I agreed because I thought it would be good for them to finally get together already and also I made him pay me 30% in tips in perpetuity-'

'No wait wh-' Once again your rambling tramped over his question.

'-And like you weren't there so there was like no harm no foul so I was like who cares, it can only go well. And even if someone told you I could just explain what happened which I guess is what I'm doing...'

Pushing slightly on your shoulder to get your attention, his tone was still as strange as it had been but now it had an even stranger calmness, 'Why does me not being here mean anything?'

There wasn't really a way to answer without giving it all away, but there was no way you were going to do anything but tell him the truth, so you steeled yourself as you finally met his eyes,

'I figured if you saw me pretending to want to sleep with your boss it would send mixed messages, when I feel like the message of "Wow Neal, you're so hot and funny and smart" has at least been kind of clear. Even if it went clear over your head.'

'Wanna know something interesting?' His hand dropped from your shoulder, and the cold that took his place twisted your stomach...

'No...' In your mind there was nothing good that came from this so you took the slightest step back as you watched him pry open his laptop.

'Yeah, you do.' His eyes were on yours again as he spun the computer around in his arms, across the screen was a new presentation, an image of dark red curtains with script title scrawled in white; 'Reasons we should kiss right now...'

Clack...

'We're both really hot'

I mean he's not wrong,

Clack...

'I'm like crazy into you'

Is that a stock photo human heart?

Clack...

'You're totally into my presentations...'

How did he take that photo without you noticing?

Clack...

'Except for the "Decentralized architectural styles", yes I noticed.'

'P.S. that was a test'

Cheeky bastard...

Clack...

'...kiss?'

Okay now that's plainly just ET again

Pushing the laptop closed against his chest you closed the space between you,

'Kiss...' you confirmed as you leant in close.

.

.

.

'That wasn't originally the one for today so if you do want to hear about MothMan's tramp stamp-'

'Neal?'

'yeah?'

'Kiss.'

'OH yeah!'

[royalsunshinehotel]

caramelizing onions (Dev Patel, preference)

Five Days Until Monkey Man!!!!!

a/n: inspired by an ask from @binickandros from forever ago <3 backbone of the fanbase with their gifs 🫡thank you for your service.

Anwar Kharral (Skins 2009) I've got a headcanon that Anwar is a big soup enjoyer, specifically French Onion Soup, so I think Anwar could do alright caramelizing onions. As an adult, I think he can hold his own in the kitchen, but that's because he knows that the payoff is going to be worth it.

Sonny Kapoor (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, 2011) Sonny is blessed to be in the position where he can export the onion caramelizing to the hotel kitchens, where a professional can handle it. He has not been allowed in a kitchen since 2005, per his mother's orders. No, he will not tell you why.

Neal Sampat (Newsroom, 2011-2014) In my head, Neal comes from a family of restauranteurs. He's inherited the family skill, he's out of practice. His stove has been broken since he moved into this apartment. The odds are stacked against him, but still, he busts out a hot plate and gets to work, you're getting your onions.

Deon Wilson (Chappie, 2015) Deon has been eating hot pockets and adult portions of lunchables since he moved out of the house in 2015. He's barely familiar with vegetables, you're gonna have to teach him how to work the stove. Sorry girl, he's really cute tho.

Sheru "Saroo" Bierley (LION, 2016) Sue Brierly made sure both of her sons knew how to hold their own in a kitchen, and Saroo is not gonna forget that knowledge. If you've got a hankering for French onion soup, you better believe that he's gonna do everything he can to get ready for you.

Jay Menha (The Wedding Guest, 2018) Sanjay is tricky. The two of you travel so often for 'work', and it's kind of hard to not get takeout. However, once in a blue moon, Jay will make a nice meal for the two of you. He's romantic, he's sweet, and the two of you have a cozy night together. Yes, he did call his mother to make it happen. Yes, he's gonna do everything in his power to make sure you don't find that out.

David Copperfield (2019) I feel like David will need help the first few times he's in a kitchen. He's a man of means now, so he's able to pay his cook to give him lessons in the kitchen. This being said, I feel like David will want to cook for you, but tell you that the cook prepared it. You like it better when David cooks for you, even if you don't know it.

Joshua Madika (Modern Love, 2019) Joshua can and will buy you every single onion in the world. He doesn't mean to be so 'much', but you love him for it! This being said, he will give Carmelizing Onions one solid attempt, and depending how it goes, then he'll get you takeout from all your favorite spots in the city. It's a win-win to be honest.

Sir Gawain (The Green Knight, 2021) Oh, I'm sorry babe, he'd absolutely not be able to caramelize onions for you. I do, however, think, that he would be great at making smores. He is totally capable of putting a marshmallow on a stick and holding it over heat until it's golden brown. That is the extent of his food-gathering capabilities. God bless him for still being alive at age twenty-one.

[smartiehw]

[mrsroryhuntzberger]

I forgot how much shit goes down in one episode of the newsroom. In season 3 episode 2 the following happens:

-Neal commits espionage (fine this technically happens in season 3 episode 1 but still)

-Neal alerts the FBI to said espionage

-FBI raids ACN and takes all their hard drives to find the stolen government files Neal accidentally convinced a whistle blower to steal

-Neal goes on the run

-Don commits insider trading on accident

-Hallie starts (another) war between ACN and republicans via a deleted tweet

-ACN is 10 days away from being liquidated if Leona Lansing can’t get $4 million dollars to pay out two 24 year olds with daddy issues

-Maggie snoops on an EPA guys phone call and gets a bigger story about CO2 levels in the atmosphere after having an ethical realization that using what the guy said on the phone was kinda sneaky

-Everything is up in flames and this is Maggie returning to the newsroom after returning from covering the Boston bombing

[spikershoyo]

guys send more dev and his characters request I can feel the creativeness flowing (I am still working on the angst but I HAVE THE VISION)

[solarpannel64]

Starting the newsroom and I’m so obsessed with Neal 🤞

[mellamoflora]

possible fic idea that I might never be right but I wanna see what happens. Cute cultural anthropologist becomes the center of Neals attention when she’s interviewed for a piece and turns out she's super into conspiracy theories (which she can sometimes back up because of knowing about things and everything, if you want me to write anthropology later tell me). And it gets cute, Neal is horny, so yeah, what do you guys think?

[buckets-and-trees]

Huffily Ever After: A CindereLloyd Story [2/?]

Chapter Two - Conference Day One Characters/Pairings: Lloyd Hansen x curvy Female!Reader Word Count: 6.4k Summary: The first official day of the conference kicks off with opposition and opportunity. You unexpectedly connect with someone from your past and bump into the infamous Lloyd Hansen - and keep bumping into him.

Content/Warnings: modern Cinderella adaptation, unknown identities, toxic coworkers, enemies to lovers, eventual smut

Notes: I am in no way a PR or Marketing expert! I do often work with marketing professionals, so I have a passing awareness of some of the trends right now. But when we get to the "detailed" PR and Marketing parts of the conference and conversations, this is an amalgamation of notes I took from our organization's recent one-day marketing summit, looking up sessions at actual marketing conferences, and using those topics to further my googling and reading some more articles and watching a couple of YouTube videos to get to the point where I felt like I could write some dialogue that seemed believable and wasn't overly vague. If you actually do anything with PR or Marketing, please just be gentle!

A/N 2: I mention Neal Sampat from The Newsroom as the opening keynote for the conference, but all the other professionals I've included are totally made up.

Previous Chapter | Series

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The next morning, you awoke with a start when your alarm went off. The memories of the masquerade at Versailles flooded back in a rush. The opulent ballroom, the mysterious stranger, that electrifying kiss in the gardens almost seemed like a dream. But the slight ache in your feet from dancing all night and the faint scent of the mystery man’s cologne still clinging to your skin confirmed it had been real.

You stretched in the comfy hotel bed, your mind replaying the events of the previous night. The way the man had looked at you, the intensity of his gaze behind that striking mask. The feel of his strong arms as he guided you across the dance floor. The passion in his kiss that had left you breathless and wanting more.

A soft buzz from your phone jolted you from your reverie. It was a text from Gus asking if you were up yet and interested in grabbing breakfast.

You smiled at Gus's text, always grateful for his friendship, but especially glad to have someone like him at your side to face the conference and all that it would entail. You quickly replied that you'd meet him in the hotel lobby in forty-five minutes.

As you showered and got ready for the day, your mind kept drifting back to the mysterious man from the masquerade. Who was he? Would you see him again at the conference? You knew he would be here, but it was a large conference with over a thousand professionals registered to attend. Part of you hoped you would somehow bump into him again, while another part worried the magic of last night would be shattered in the harsh light of day.

You carefully applied your makeup, trying to hide the slight shadows under your eyes from the late night. As you fastened your mother's necklace around your neck, you remembered the man's words about it. How he had seen its sentimental value when others might have dismissed it as too simple. Today it fell beneath the collar of your shirt, and you tapped it, the memory bringing a small smile to your lips.

Dressed in a crisp blazer with your leather tote bag at the ready, you set off to meet Gus.

As you stepped into the elevator, you couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness about the day ahead. The conference was officially starting today, and you were determined to make the most of it. Your encounter with the mysterious man at the masquerade had left you feeling more confident, more alive. You were ready to channel that energy into your professional endeavors.

The elevator doors opened, and you spotted Gus waiting for you in the lobby. He was lounging in one of the plush armchairs, scrolling through his phone. When he saw you approaching, he jumped up with a grin.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to grace us with her presence," he teased, giving you a quick hug. "I was beginning to think you'd been whisked away by Prince Charming."

You felt a little heat creep up your cheeks, remembering the mysterious man's parting words of Goodnight, Cinderella. "Hardly," you scoffed, trying to play it cool. "Just a late night of networking, that's all."

Gus raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Uh-huh. And I suppose that's why you disappeared for hours with tall, dark, and handsome?"

You felt your cheeks heat even more at Gus's words. "It wasn't like that," you protested weakly. "We just talked."

Gus's grin widened. "Talked, huh? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"

You rolled your eyes, giving him a playful shove. "Oh, stop it. Nothing happened. We just walked in the gardens and had an interesting conversation. That's all."

"Mhmm," Gus hummed, clearly unconvinced. "Well, whoever he was, he certainly seemed interested in you. I saw the way he was looking at you on the dance floor."

You felt a flutter in your stomach at the memory. "Really? I mean... it was just dancing."

Gus chuckled. "Keep telling yourself that, honey. Now come on, let's get some coffee and pastries in both of us before we officially descend into the chaos of this conference.”

Gus had you walk two blocks away for the breakfast spot he had determined was best, but you were glad for his foresight when the cafés you passed that were closer to the hotel were teeming with people. You were able to get a small table almost straight away and ordered coffee and croissants.

“Oh, God,” Gus groaned after the waiter left your table.

“What?” you asked.

“I think Lloyd Hansen is sitting over there, a few tables behind you.”

You resisted the urge to turn around and look. "Lloyd Hansen? As in the heir apparent of Hansen Global Digital Industries?" you whispered, leaning in closer to Gus.

Gus nodded, his eyes darting over your shoulder. "The one and only. He looks like he might be even more of a nightmare in person than they say he is."

Your heart raced at the thought of being in such close proximity to one of the most powerful emerging figures in your industry. His father’s company, Hansen Global, was at the forefront of innovation in digital marketing and PR. Lloyd Hansen was known for his ruthless business tactics but mostly for standing to inherit the empire his father had been building.

"What's he doing?" you asked, fascination getting the better of you despite the distaste you had for the man’s reputation.

Gus took a sip of his coffee, using the motion to glance over again. "He's alone, just reading something on his tablet. Probably plotting world domination or something."

You chuckled at Gus's joke, but couldn't help feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Lloyd Hansen's reputation preceded him - brilliant but ruthless, innovative but cutthroat. Even though he was the prince of his father’s company, you'd heard rumors of how he'd climbed the ranks at Hansen Global leaving an abrasive trail of crushed competitors and discarded colleagues in his wake. Still, it seemed like he had such an easy go making a name for himself whereas you worked tirelessly and scraped for every break you got and new benchmark you achieved.

"Should we go and introduce ourselves?" you whispered, half-joking.

Gus's eyes widened. "Are you crazy? That man eats small fish like us for breakfast and I heard he hates being approached at events like this. Apparently, he once made an intern cry just for asking him a question."

You winced. "Yikes. Okay, maybe not then."

“He’s only here to do the rounds and make appearances.”

You noo longer wanted to meet him, but your curiosity was still piqued. "What does he look like? I've only ever seen photos online and in articles, but sometimes people look totally different in person."

Gus leaned in, lowering his voice. "Tall - taller than I would have guessed from photos. Dark hair, chiseled jawline that could cut glass. 90’s-level mustache. Wearing an obscenely expensive suit. And he's got these piercing blue eyes that look like they could see right through you."

Your heart skipped a beat at the description. It sounded eerily similar to your mystery man from the masquerade. But it couldn't be, could it? Surely Lloyd Hansen wouldn't have engaged in such a frivolous evening of anonymity and dancing. Besides, he no doubt would have been hobnobbing with the elites since his father’s company were the hosts sponsoring the event.

"Don't turn around," Gus warned, "but I think he just looked our way."

You froze, fighting the urge to glance over your shoulder. "What should we do?"

“Nothing, it looks like he’s leaving.”

You breathed a sigh of relief as Gus confirmed Lloyd Hansen had left the café. The brief tension dissipated, and you tried to refocus on the day ahead.

"Well, that was exciting," Gus chuckled, breaking the tension. "Now, let's focus on our game plan for today. We've got about an hour to finish up here and then check in at registration before the opening keynote. And then we still want to hit that panel on crisis management and deescalation in the first block of sessions, right?”

You nodded, pushing thoughts of mysterious masked men and intimidating industry tycoons out of your mind. "Yes, let's go over our notes one more time. Claude is one of the panelists, but the full group of panelists are killer and I want to get a really good question in."

As you and Gus huddled over your tablets, reviewing key points and statistics, you felt a renewed sense of purpose. Last night's magical interlude had been wonderful, but now it was time to prove yourself in the harsh light of day.

After finishing breakfast, you and Gus made your way to the hotel and the conference registration area. The buzz of excitement was palpable. The area outside the hotel's grand ballroom had been transformed into a sea of sleek banners and digital displays, all emblazoned with the conference logo. Attendees from around the world milled about, their voices a cacophony of different languages and accents.

"I can't believe we're actually here," you whispered to Gus, clutching your leather tote bag a little tighter. The enormity of the opportunity before you was suddenly very real.

Gus squeezed your arm reassuringly. "We've got this," he said with a wink. "Now, let's go get our badges and swag bags like the professionals we are."

You both joined the queue for registration, inching forward as the line slowly moved. You were busy admiring the intricate floral arrangements adorning the registration tables when you spotted two familiar figures ahead of you in the line. Your heart sank as you recognized Anya and Holly, their perfectly coiffed hair and designer outfits making you feel suddenly underdressed despite your carefully chosen ensemble.

Once they finished checking in, they turn and spot you and Gus. Anya’s crimson lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Well, well," Anya purred, her voice dripping with faux sweetness as she and Holly approached you. "If it isn't two of our favorite team member! Did you enjoy playing dress-up last night?"

You felt a rush of irritation at her condescending tone and the way she ignored Gus entirely, but forced a polite smile anyway. This was hardly new. They’d ignored you in the car the full way to the masquerade last night.

"Good morning, Anya, Holly. Yes, the masquerade was lovely. Did you enjoy yourselves?"

Holly sniffed, adjusting her designer glasses. "It was fine, I guess.

Though some of us were actually networking instead of gallivanting off with mysterious strangers."

You felt a rush of heat to your cheeks at the implication. How did they know about that? "Yes, we were all there to network," you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

Anya leaned in, her voice low and venomous. "Word of advice, darling. In this industry, it's not just about who you know, but who knows you. And trust me, no one of consequence is going to remember some nobody from a tiny firm who spent the night dancing instead of making real connections."

You felt a surge of anger at her words, but before you could retort, Gus stepped in. "Actually," he said smoothly, "we made some excellent connections last night. Claude Dumont from Hansen Global was particularly interested in our work in emerging markets."

Anya's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing her face before she schooled her features back into a mask of indifference. "Well," she said, her tone slightly less confident, "I suppose even a broken clock is right twice a day."

"We should get going," Holly interjected.

“Just remember we’re here to work, not flirt,” Anya tossed over her shoulder as she walked away with Holly.

“I don’t know why you stay with them. You should really transfer to another team,” Gus said.

“It wasn’t bad when Vaughn was still on the team. And Walsh said I’d be invaluable to them during the transition,” you explained.

Helen Walsh had scooped you out of the intern pool at Nexus earlier than most make it and brought you onto her team, giving you your first fulltime position - with a respectable starting salary and benefits, practically your fairy godmother. A year and a half ago Walsh had been promoted to Nexus’s VP of Strategy and Innovation and that’s when there had been some realignment of teams, putting you under a new director - Amilla Tremaine.

“But it’s not a transition period anymore. We are well past that.”

You frowned. “I know, but I do like our clients and our projects. And I don’t want people to think I’m just a team jumper.”

“No one would think that,” Gus countered.

“Maybe you’re right, but…”

Gus sighed. “Okay, I’ll back up, but we’re here at this conference,” he said, “this is exactly the time to be thinking about new opportunities, new projects, make new connections, so promise me that if you don’t get some insane new offer outside of Nexus, you’ll at least think about a new team transfer?”

You put on a bright smile for him and said, “I promise.”

The conference staff worker called Gus forward to check in, which was perfect timing.

The truth was, you had already thought about a transfer. You’d even talked to Amilla about the possibility a few months ago, and Amilla had acted so shocked and insisted that you wouldn’t be nearly as great anywhere else as where you were exactly right now. You had tried to pivot that reasoning into it you wanting to move to a different team so you could gain some new expertise, and she had talked that down, too.

It was clear she was determined to keep you, despite the disdain you often felt from her.

And while she was unwilling to let you go, it was a moot point to try and transfer because directors negotiated with each other when employees transferred to another team, and you were certain Amilla would block any move.

You know you could take it to Walsh, but you didn’t want to be that employee who went over the Directors’ level to a VP.

You could manage.

As you and Gus finished checking in and collected your conference materials, you tried to shake off the encounter with Anya and Holly. You wouldn't let their pettiness dampen your spirits or derail your focus.

Your thoughts were interrupted as the conference staff called you forward to check in. You plastered on a professional smile and approached the registration desk.

"Name, please?" the cheerful volunteer asked.

As you gave your information and received your badge and conference materials, you couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and trepidation. This conference was a huge opportunity, but Anya's words still stung. You were determined to prove her wrong and make meaningful connections.

With your registration complete, you and Gus started toward the opening keynote. The corridors were bustling with attendees, all chattering excitedly about the upcoming sessions and networking opportunities.

You made your way into the main conference hall, where the opening keynote was set to begin. The room was massive, with rows upon rows of chairs facing a grand stage. The energy was electric as attendees found their seats, the low hum of excited chatter filling the air.

As you settled into your seats, you couldn't help but scan the crowd, wondering if you might catch a glimpse of your mystery man from the masquerade. Your eyes darted from face to face, but of course no one seemed to have those particular piercing blue eyes.

The lights dimmed, signaling the start of the opening session. A hush fell over the crowd as the conference organizer stepped onto the stage to introduce the speaker, Neal Sampat. As Neal took the stage, commanding the room with his presence, you couldn't help but lean forward in your seat. The speech was engaging, full of industry insights, experiences from his past, and predictions for the future of digital marketing. You furiously scribbled notes, not wanting to miss a single point. It was a perfect kick off with its infectious and inspiring energy.

As the keynote speaker concluded to thunderous applause, you felt a renewed sense of purpose and excitement for the conference ahead. The energy in the room was palpable as attendees began to file out, chattering animatedly about the insights they'd just gained.

"That was incredible," you breathed to Gus as you gathered your things. "I have so many ideas already!"

Gus nodded enthusiastically. "I know, right? I can't wait to dig into some of those strategies."

As you made your way out of the main hall, you consulted your conference schedule. "Okay, so we have that panel on crisis management next. We should hurry if we want to get good seats."

"Yep, that's the one," Gus confirmed. "It's in Conference Room 212B, which should be... upstairs and that way." He pointed down a bustling corridor.

You and Gus navigated through the crowded corridors, dodging clusters of networking attendees and following the signs to your next session. As you rounded a corner, you suddenly collided with someone, your conference materials scattering across the floor.

"I'm so sorry!" you exclaimed, kneeling to gather your papers. "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"No, you weren’t," a cool, annoyed voice replied.

Your head snapped up, and you found yourself looking into a mustached face with piercing blue eyes. Your breath caught in your throat as you realized you had to be face to face with Lloyd Hansen himself. Up close, you could see why Gus had described his eyes as intense - they seemed to bore right through you. Your heart raced as you scrambled to your feet, clutching your papers to your chest.

"Mr. Hansen," you stammered, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"

He cut you off with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Just watch where you're going next time," he said curtly. His eyes flicked down to your name badge, then back up to your face.

"I will," you assured him, trying to regain your composure. "Again, I apologize for the inconvenience."

Lloyd Hansen's gaze lingered on you for a moment longer, his expression hard. Then, without another word, he stepped around you and continued down the hallway.

You let out a shaky breath, a mix of anger and embarrassment surging through your veins.

"Are you alright?" he asked, shooting a wary glance at Lloyd.

"I'm fine," you assured him, “let’s go.”

You and Gus managed to snag seats near the front of Conference Room 212B just as the panel was about to begin. The room was packed, which was no surprise and a testament to the importance of the topic.

“Welcome to our session! You’re in the room for ‘Shields Activated: How to Combat Crisis, Predict Predicaments and Deescalate Reputational Battles,’ and I don’t want to waste a second of our time, so I’m going to introduce you to our experts and we’ll dive right in.”

As the moderator introduced the panelists, your eyes widened in recognition. You had paid attention to the panelists listed for this session but somehow skipped over the moderator’s name, but before you now was one of your favorite professors from graduate school, Maggie Mortimer.

You smiled as you watched Maggie expertly guide the panel discussion, her sharp wit and insightful questions drawing out the best from each expert. As Claude Dumont began speaking about a particularly tricky PR crisis his team had navigated, you leaned forward, hanging on every word.

"The key," Claude was saying, "is to always be three steps ahead. Anticipate not just the immediate fallout, but the potential ripple effects weeks or even months down the line."

As the Q&A portion began, you mustered up the courage to raise your hand. Maggie's eyes scanned the room, and you saw a flicker of recognition when she spotted you.

"Yes, the young lady in the blue blazer," she said, gesturing towards you.

You stood, heart pounding. "Thank you. My question is about the balance between transparency and protection of sensitive information during a crisis. How do you determine what information to disclose and what to withhold, especially when public trust is at stake?"

Claude Dumont leaned forward, his eyes lighting up at your question. "Excellent point," he said. "It's one of the trickiest aspects of crisis management. The key is to be as transparent as possible without compromising legal or ethical boundaries. We always aim to provide enough information to satisfy public concern and demonstrate accountability, while carefully protecting any sensitive data or ongoing investigations."

He paused, then added, "It's also crucial to be upfront about what you can and cannot disclose. The public often respects honesty about limitations more than they do vague platitudes."

He went on to elaborate, providing examples from his own experience. As he spoke, you noticed the other panelists nodding in agreement. When Claude finished, Maggie turned to the other experts, inviting their input.

As you sat down, Gus gave you a discreet thumbs up. You felt a surge of pride that your question had sparked a lively discussion among the panel.

When the session ended, you and Gus made your way to the front of the room where the panelists were gathering their things. You hoped to catch a quick word with Claude Dumont and thank him for his insightful response to your question.

As you approached, Maggie Mortimer spotted you and her face lit up with recognition. "Well, if it isn't one of my star pupils!" she exclaimed, pulling you into a quick hug. "I thought that was you asking that excellent question."

You felt a flush of pride at her words. "Thank you, Professor Mortimer. It's wonderful to see you again."

"Please, call me Maggie," she insisted. "We're colleagues now."

You grinned. “Maggie, this is Gus Lancashire, we both work at Nexus PR.”

They exchanged pleasantries, and then Claude joined you.

“Claude, I’d like to introduce you to-” Maggie started.

But Claude cut in, “Oh, I met these two last night, Maggie. And I hope you’ll both be at the panel I’m moderating tomorrow. I’m still trying to find a replacement with Leon having to bow out, but I’m on the hunt.”

Maggie's eyes lit up at Claude's words. "Oh, you're looking for a replacement panelist? You know, Claude, I couldn't help but notice your panel is a bit male-heavy. Perhaps we could kill two birds with one stone here."

She turned to you with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Your eyes widened as you realized where Maggie was going with this. Surely she couldn't mean...

"What do you say? I remember your work in my crisis communication seminar - you had some fascinating insights on the intersection of social media and reputation management in times of crisis."

Your eyes widened in shock. "Me? On a panel? Oh, I don't think-"

But Claude was already nodding enthusiastically. "That's brilliant, Maggie! We definitely need more diverse voices, and the perspective of an emerging professional would be invaluable."

You felt your cheeks flush as you stammered, "I'm flattered, truly, but I'm not sure I'm qualified to be on a panel with such esteemed experts. I mean, I've only been in the field for a few years..."

Claude waved off your protests. "Nonsense! Fresh eyes are exactly what we need. The topic is ‘Blending Audience Insights and Brand Expertise to Build Trust and Social Relevance,’ and your question earlier showed a keen understanding of the complexities we face in the public and social sphere in general. I think you'd bring a valuable perspective."

Maggie nodded in agreement. "Don't sell yourself short. You've always had a knack for seeing angles others miss. This could be a great opportunity for you."

You glanced at Gus, who was grinning and nodding vigorously. You took a deep breath, trying to calm the mix of excitement and terror swirling in your chest. "Well, if you really think I could contribute something valuable..."

"Excellent!" Claude clapped his hands together. “You’ll join us for dinner tonight. I’m hosting for all our panelists to meet and mix the personalities together ahead of tomorrow.”

You took a deep breath, trying to calm the mix of excitement and nerves bubbling up inside you.

This was an incredible opportunity, one that could potentially launch your career to new heights. But the thought of speaking on a panel in front of so many industry leaders was daunting.

"I... I would be honored," you finally managed to say, your voice steadier than you felt. "Thank you for considering me."

Claude beamed. "Excellent! I'll have my assistant send you the details. The panel is tomorrow afternoon, so we'll need to meet briefly in the morning to go over the format and key points."

You nodded, still feeling slightly dazed. "Of course. I'll make sure I'm prepared."

As Claude and Maggie excused themselves to prepare for their next engagements, Gus turned to you with an enormous grin. "Holy shit," he whispered excitedly. "Do you realize what just happened? This is huge!”

You nodded, still feeling slightly stunned. "I know, I can't believe it. This is... wow."

"You're going to be amazing," Gus assured you, squeezing your arm. "But you should probably let Amilla know."

Your stomach dropped at the thought. Amilla wasn't going to be pleased about you suddenly being elevated to panelist status. "Right," you said with a grimace. "I should probably do that now before she hears it from someone else."

You pulled out your phone and composed a quick email to Amilla, trying to strike a balance between excitement and professionalism. You hit send before you could overthink it.

"Okay, done," you said, letting out a breath. "How long until lunch? I suddenly feel like I need to eat my weight in carbs. "

After more sessions, a delicious lunch, and a round of affinity group networking, you had just enough time to run up to your room to refresh your look before dinner. You opted to keep most of your outfit the same, but changed into a classier pair of shoes and switched up your hair.

When you stepped out of the elevator into the hotel lobby, you felt a mix of excitement and nerves fluttering in your stomach. You smoothed down your blazer and adjusted the delicate necklace at your throat, your mother's pendant a comforting weight against your skin. The lobby bustled with conference attendees, their animated chatter filling the air with a buzz of energy.

Your eyes scanned the crowd, searching for Maggie's familiar face. The ornate chandeliers overhead cast a warm glow across the marble floors, creating an atmosphere of understated luxury. Potted plants dotted the space, their lush fronds adding a touch of living elegance to the decor.

You spotted Maggie near the concierge desk, her silver hair gleaming under the lights. She was deep in conversation with a tall man you didn't recognize, her hands moving animatedly as she spoke. As you approached, Maggie caught sight of you and her face lit up with a warm smile.

"Ah, there you are!" she exclaimed, waving you over. "I was just telling Dr. Rossi here about your thesis work with me."

You felt a flush of pride as you joined them, extending your hand to Dr. Rossi. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," you said, trying to keep your voice steady despite your nerves.

"Likewise," he replied with a kind smile. "Maggie speaks very highly of you. I look forward to hearing your insights at tomorrow's panel."

"Thank you," you replied, tamping down the small shot of nervousness at Dr. Rossi's words. "I'm honored to be part of the panel and looking forward to the discussion."

You were excited, but it was also a huge and intimidating thing to tackle for the first time, especially last minute, and you wanted to do well with this opportunity.

Just then, Claude appeared, greeting everyone warmly. "Shall we head to dinner?" he suggested, gesturing towards the hotel's Michelin-star restaurant.

As your small group made its way through the lobby, you couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. You were about to have dinner with some of the most respected minds in your field. It was an opportunity you never could have imagined when you arrived at the conference.

The maître d' led you to a private dining room, where some of the other panelists and a couple of representatives from Hansen Global were already gathered. Claude made quick introductions as everyone took their seats. You found yourself between Victor Chen, a crisis management specialist, and - to your complete chagrin - Lloyd Hansen.

He didn’t look much happier about the seating arrangement than you were.

You took your seat, trying to appear calm and collected despite the awkwardness of sitting next to Lloyd Hansen. As everyone settled in, waiters appeared with menus and began pouring wine.

"So," Lloyd said, his voice low and smooth, "you're the last-minute addition to tomorrow's panel."

You turned to face him, determined to maintain your professionalism despite the flutter in your stomach. "Yes. I'm looking forward to contributing to the discussion."

He arched a brow and then pointedly looked away from you and at his menu.

Fine, you thought. Let him keep living up to the taciturn reputation he’s built up.

But as you reached for your own menu, the man on the other side of you - with sharp eyes and an even sharper suit - started to strike up a conversation with you.

"So, you’re our ingenue," he said, giving you an appraising look. "Claude said you’ve been on his radar the past few months."

Claude had said as much himself last night. It was a good reminder that you did have some work and experience to back you going into this panel - and moving forward as a professional in this field.

"It's an honor to meet you," you replied, trying not to let your voice betray your awe. You'd read several of Victor's case studies in grad school. "I'm a big admirer of your work, especially your handling of the Greenleaf Tech crisis last year," you said, your voice growing more confident as you spoke about a topic you were passionate about. "The way you managed to turn public sentiment around while still addressing the core issues was masterful."

Victor's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh, you followed that case? It was certainly a challenge. What did you think of our social media strategy during the first 48 hours?"

You leaned in, eager to discuss the intricacies of the case. "I thought it was brilliant how you used X, Threads, and Bluesky simultaneously to provide real-time updates and transparency. It really helped to quell the spread of misinformation."

As you and Victor delved deeper into the discussion, you felt yourself relaxing. This was your element - analyzing strategies, discussing best practices. You barely noticed as the first course arrived, too engrossed in the evolution of your discussion with Chen. You could feel Lloyd shift slightly beside you, his attention caught by your conversation despite his apparent disinterest.

The waiter arrived with the first course, a beautifully plated salad of seasonal greens and edible flowers.

"You make some interesting points," Victor said, pausing to take a sip of her wine. "I'm curious, how would you have handled the situation differently?"

You took a moment to gather your thoughts, aware that others at the table were now listening in. "Well, I think the overall strategy was sound," you began carefully. "But I might have considered leveraging more user-generated content in the early stages. Encouraging employees and satisfied customers to share their experiences could have helped humanize the company during a critical time."

Victor nodded thoughtfully. "An interesting approach. It carries some risks, but could certainly pay off if executed well."

"Indeed," Claude interjected. “I’m hoping you can really highlight utilizing an authentic humanizing approach on the panel tomorrow,” he said to you specifically, “we want to ensure we're covering all angles of building trust and social relevance in today's digital landscape, and that’s something I’ve seen in the work you’ve done with the clients your team works with."

The dinner progressed, and you found yourself growing more comfortable with the group. The conversation flowed easily, touching on various industry trends and challenges. You contributed where you could, offering insights from your own experiences and asking thoughtful questions.

Lloyd remained mostly silent beside you, only interjecting once or twice with a sharp comment or observation. You couldn't help but notice the way his presence seemed to command attention whenever he spoke and the way his piercing blue eyes scanned the table as if assessing everyone's reactions.

The main course arrived - a perfectly poached snapper with peas and a buerre blanc sauce that made your soul leave your body - and the conversation shifted to the challenges of maintaining brand authenticity in an increasingly digital world.

"The key," Dr. Rossi was saying, "is to find the balance between staying true to your core values and adapting to changing consumer expectations."

You nodded in agreement, swallowing a bite of fish before adding, "And I think that's where social listening becomes crucial. It's not just about pushing out content, but really understanding what your audience cares about and how they perceive your brand."

Lloyd Hansen, who had been mostly silent throughout the meal, suddenly spoke up. "Social listening is all well and good," he said, his voice cool and authoritative, "but at the end of the day, it's about results. Brand loyalty only matters if it translates to the bottom line."

You felt a flicker of irritation at his dismissive tone. Before you could stop yourself, you turned to face Lloyd directly.

"With all due respect, Mr. Hansen," you said, your voice steady despite the nervous flutter in your stomach, "I'd argue that brand loyalty and financial results are inextricably linked, especially in today's market. A strong, authentic brand connection leads to customer retention, word-of-mouth marketing, and ultimately, sustained growth."

Lloyd's piercing blue eyes locked onto yours, his expression unreadable. For a moment, the table fell silent, and you worried you'd overstepped. But then, to your surprise, the corner of Lloyd's mouth twitched in what might have been the ghost of a smile.

"An interesting perspective," he said, his tone less dismissive than before. "And how would you propose measuring the impact of this authentic connection on actual revenue?"

You weren’t sure how to answer. You knew that was important, but your experience working with profit-driven brands was much more limited, and as it wasn’t your strength, that’s not where you typically got assigned on projects.

On your other side, Victor Chen jumped in with, "Customer lifetime value, retention rates, and net promoter scores are all valuable indicators. But beyond that, we can track engagement rates across social platforms and correlate them with sales data to see how authentic connections translate to purchasing behavior."

“Sometimes the impact is more subtle,” Dr. Rossi added, “like increased resilience during market downturns or the ability to command premium pricing. But I believe these factors all contribute to long-term financial success."

After that the conversation flowed, but Lloyd remained silent - he didn’t seem defeated, merely taking a back seat again, his piercing gaze flicking between the speakers. Despite his imposing presence beside you, you found yourself feeling an increasing rapport with the others panelists through the discussion. There was a wealth of knowledge and experience around the table, and this was the kind of discussion you knew you would want to see if you were attending the panel tomorrow. You soaked up every word like a sponge, but by dessert didn’t feel like a complete imposter adding your insights.

Dinner drew to a close and the conversation had shifted to lighter topics. The last of the dessert plates were being cleared away - a decadent chocolate soufflé that had everyone at the table raving. The warm, intimate atmosphere of the private dining room was filled with the soft clink of coffee cups and the gentle murmur of conversation.

You were following an animated discussion between Maggie and Dr. Rossi about the evolving landscape of social media influencers that had devolved into them raving over some of their favorites - genuine contributors worth keeping an eye on as well as some guilty pleasures - when a sudden movement caught your eye. Lloyd Hansen had abruptly pushed back his chair, the legs scraping against the polished hardwood floor with a jarring screech that cut through the ambient chatter.

"If you'll excuse me," he said, his voice clipped and formal, "I have some urgent matters to attend to. Claude, thank you for hosting."

Before anyone could respond, Lloyd was striding towards the door, his tall frame cutting an imposing figure as he exited the private dining room. The sudden departure left a momentary awkward silence in its wake.

Claude cleared his throat, smoothly stepping in to fill the void. "Well, I suppose that concludes our evening. Thank you all for coming. I look forward to a fantastic panel discussion tomorrow."

As the group began to disperse, you couldn't help but feel a mix of relief and curiosity at Lloyd's abrupt exit. He had maintained an intimidating presence seemingly by design, and yet there was something intriguing about him that you couldn't quite put your finger on. It was frustrating that he was so curt and distant because part of you really wanted to dissect the man behind the mask.

Maggie approached you as you gathered your things. "You did wonderfully tonight," she said warmly. "I knew you'd fit right in."

You smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Maggie. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this opportunity."

“And I appreciate you being a good sport and sitting by our lovely Prince Charming,” Claude said, coming up next to you.

You laughed softly at Claude's comment about Lloyd. "He certainly lives up to his reputation," you said diplomatically.

Claude's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Indeed he does. But don't let his prickly exterior fool you - I’ve watched him climb up through Hansen Digital Global, and Lloyd can be brilliant at what he does. He just lacks certain social graces."

You nodded, thinking back to Lloyd's few but incisive comments during dinner. Despite his brusque manner, you couldn't deny the sharp intelligence behind his words.

"Well," Claude continued, "I think we've all earned a good night's rest. Remember, we'll meet at nine in the morning to go over the panel format and key points. Don't be late!"

next chapter: The Panel

We'll see more Lloyd next chapter. But one of the things I love about Cinderella folklore is that there's romance AND there's Cinderella's journey, and I really want to do that justice for you, too! This conference is a big deal! We can't waste all that potential for you!

↠ Main Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest

I do not do tag lists, but FOLLOW @buckets-and-stories and TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS to be updated any time I publish a new work!

[ierofrnkk]

he would be my office crush

[matchesarelit]

h-he's so beautiful

[royalsunshinehotel]

Hey, could you please (if your up to it, that is) do some headcanons with Dev Patel preferences about how each one will propose?

Proposal Preference (Dev Patel)

GIF by jcylenz

Anwar Kharral (Skins UK) Anwar's proposal is flashy of course. You really do see it coming from a mile away, and you better believe that the ring is insane. I don't think he's a comic book girlypop, but this doesn't mean he won't buy you something akin to Brie Larson's take on Thanos's Infinity gauntlet. If you're not careful, he's gonna take you to the top of a skyscraper and ask, and helicopter you off to an exotic location. Careful babe.

GIF by murddockz

Neal Sampat (The Newsroom) I think Neal gets kinda corny with it. He's away on an assignment, for about a month, and you're just at home and at work, languishing without him. You're chilling in the break room one night during a broadcast when Will proposes to you on Neal's behalf, during the broadcast. You turn around and your idiot has sneaked in to the building, and is currently on one knee waiting for an answer.

GIF by pateldevs

Saroo Brierly (LION) You guys have a beach proposal, obviously. The two of you, together, can come across as his being athletic, doing sporty things, and you watching from the beach, in a chair with an alcoholic beverage. It's a good dynamic, and it works. Saroo proposes, you can tell he's taking it so seriously, but there is definitely a seal corpse washed up nearby and he's actively trying to block it from your view, but it's okay. It's a good omen, you think.

GIF by miss-lauryn-hill

Sanjay Menha (The Wedding Guest) Honest to God, I think it's so quiet and so romantic. Jay spouts something that sounds like a Hozier song, how he'll "find you in every lifetime," and the two of you go back to bed asap. It's probably early in the morning, likely dawn, and you've just made him so happy.

GIF by spiderliliez

David Copperfield You see it coming from a mile away, because he's been agonizing over every single detail. It's beautiful, romantic, and a picnic, near the beach, but close enough to the house where you won't have to worry about sand and wind. To be honest, I feel like David may choke up and get sniffly before he actually gets the words out, so you have to simply take the ring box from him and lay on top of him to calm him down. He feels strongly about this okay?

GIF by jcylenz

Joshua Madika (Modern Love) If there's one thing that Joshua's gonna do, he's gonna make you feel special. But he's not gonna scare you. His money has been a divide between the two of you before, so he keeps it low key. Joshua buys a restaurant out for the evening so he gets to have a subtle flex, and have you all to himself. He enjoys watching you try every food you've ever seen online, and he loves it even more when you say tell him 'yes'.

GIF by ofallingstar

Gawain (The Green Knight) From the bottom of my heart, I truly think Gawain would rather have to propose to him. He is a prince, he is next in line for the throne. You will have to spell it out for him that you want him forever. These other bitches (read: princesses and aristocracy) shouldn't even try, to be honest.

GIF by irlvernon

The Kid (Monkey Man) I think the marriage concept is pretty foreign to him, but if the situation arises where he should need to braid you a blade of grass, he's gonna do it. He's gonna be with you forever, and he's going to do it.

[smartiehw]

[i-got-the-feels]

I adore Neal Sampat so much