Chapter 23 Twenty Three
The next morning arrived too soon.
Izzy woke up to the sound of her alarm and the faint hum of birds outside. Her body felt heavy, but her mind was sharper than ever.
Last night’s argument with Dominic still replayed in her head... his words, his touch, his anger... but she refused to let it distract her.
Today was about work.
And she was going to prove she wasn’t just another face in his office. She was Izzy Hart... and she was damn good at what she did.
The main conference room had been transformed overnight into a presentation hall. Long tables lined with bottled water and notepads stretched across the room, and a small stage stood in front with a large screen behind it.
The event banner read:
“Innovation Pitch 2025 – Create. Compete. Inspire.”
Everyone was buzzing with excitement. The pitch competition was the highlight of the retreat... a friendly rivalry where employees were randomly paired up to present a creative business solution.
The only ones not participating were the company heads... Dominic Steele and Adrian Cross... who sat on the judges’ panel with two other executives.
Izzy scanned the pairings list on the projector screen... and froze.
Pair 7: Izzy Hart & Sienna Clarke.
Her stomach dropped.
Of course. Out of everyone, she had to be paired with Sienna.
And as if the universe wanted to test her patience even more, Sienna appeared right beside her, heels clicking sharply against the floor.
“Good morning, partner,” Sienna said sweetly, though her tone dripped with sarcasm. “I hope you’re ready to lose.”
Izzy straightened. “We’re supposed to work together, not against each other.”
Sienna gave a little laugh. “Oh, don’t worry, darling. I’ll carry the presentation. You can just… smile pretty for the audience.”
Izzy clenched her jaw but didn’t answer.
She refused to let Sienna get under her skin…not today.
As they walked to their seats, Sienna leaned closer and whispered, “And don’t cry if I win this pitch. It’ll ruin your makeup.”
Izzy gave her a calm, polite smile. “Don’t worry, Sienna. I don’t cry over small things.”
The morning passed quickly. Each team was given two hours to prepare their presentation topic before stepping up to pitch in front of everyone.
Their assigned topic flashed on the screen:
“The Future of Workplace Wellness: Creating a Happier, Healthier Team.”
Sienna immediately took control.
“I’ll handle the main idea,” she said, flipping her hair. “You can take care of the visuals and slides.”
Izzy bit back a sigh. “Fine.”
They worked side by side, though “worked” was a generous word…., Sienna mostly talked, while Izzy quietly turned their messy ideas into a strong, structured plan.
By the time their presentation slot arrived, Sienna was glowing with confidence. She strutted onto the stage in a sharp red suit, smiling like the star of the show.
Sienna smiled brightly at the crowd, her voice smooth and confident.
“Good morning, everyone. Today, we’re going to talk about something that affects every single one of us...how to build happier teams. Because when your people thrive, your company thrives.”
She clicked the remote and the first slide appeared.., glossy photos of smiling workers, yoga breaks, and team-building retreats.
“At Steele Enterprises, productivity is important,” she continued, pacing elegantly across the stage. “But passion is what keeps us going. That’s why we need more flexible workspaces, wellness rooms, and mental health check-ins. I call this concept Project Balance..., because great work starts with a balanced mind.”
Her tone was polished, her presentation smooth. People clapped, impressed by her charm and delivery.
When she stepped down, she flashed a smug smile at Izzy. “Try to top that.”
Izzy walked up next, her palms slightly sweaty but her heart steady. She stood in front of the crowd, her voice calm and clear.
“Good afternoon,” she began softly. “While Sienna spoke about balance, I’d like to talk about connection... because no amount of wellness programs can fix a workplace where people feel unseen.”
A quiet hush filled the room. Izzy’s voice carried something warm, something real.
“I believe wellness isn’t just about meditation breaks or flexible hours,” she continued. “It’s about belonging. It’s about leaders listening... not only to results but to the people behind them.”
She clicked to the next slide... simple but powerful visuals she had designed herself.
Her presentation was called:
“The Human Pulse: Building Emotional Resilience at Work.”
She spoke about real ideas… small morning check-ins, mentorship programs, appreciation boards, and leadership empathy training.
Every sentence was thoughtful, honest, and full of quiet conviction.
By the time she finished, the room was silent for a second.… and then came the applause.
Not polite, not forced...
It was genuine, loud, a heartfelt applause.
It grew louder, echoing across the hall until people were standing up and cheering.
Izzy’s eyes widened slightly. She hadn’t expected that kind of reaction.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Sienna’s frozen smile.
And in front of the judges’ table, she saw him...
Dominic Steele
He wasn’t clapping at first. He was just watching her.
Proud. Intense. Completely focused.
When she met his gaze, something in her chest tightened.
She’d never seen that look from him before... not the possessive kind, not the controlling one but something deeper.
Admiration.
Then, slowly, he began to clap too.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
As soon as she stepped off the stage, the other teams congratulated her. Everyone was still talking about her pitch... how she made something as simple as workplace wellness sound meaningful.
Sienna’s expression was unreadable. She gave a tight smile and disappeared toward the bar area, clearly upset.
Izzy was still catching her breath when a familiar voice came from behind her.
“That was brilliant,” Adrian said warmly.
Before she could respond, he pulled her into a hug.
“You completely owned that stage,” he said, laughing softly, and then...before she could even react... he kissed her on the cheek.
The gesture was light, harmless… but enough to make her heart skip.
Because from across the room, she could feel it... that heavy, burning stare.
Dominic.
He was watching, his jaw clenched, his expression darkening by the second.
Adrian, oblivious, kept talking. “You’ve got real talent, Izzy. Steele’s lucky to have you. I could steal you away.”
Izzy smiled weakly, thanking him... but her mind was spinning.
Because even though the applause was still ringing in her ears, and people were smiling at her with genuine praise, she could only focus on one thing...
Dominic Steele’s furious eyes locked on her from across the room.