The buzzing of the crowded room filled with reporters dimmed down. I fought to maintain my composure, not show my failure to avoid a blindsided attack. Failure… The sound of heart palpations melted away the room noise. Nausea flared in my stomach, threatening to rise as my hands started trembling, forcing me to hold on to the podium tighter in an attempt to still them, so no none noticed. I forced my chest to still, as my lungs desperately spasm, wanting to send me into hyperventilation. I knew something was wrong before I took the platform to start the press conference. I had spent an hour watching this room fill beyond its capacity with reporters piling well past the doors when only a handful of business journalists were invited. I considered Alex’s involvement, remembering the
