Page 69 of Ivory Obsession
“Years of pretending,” I joked weakly, but the humor fell flat, crushed by the weight of the day ahead.
The conference center loomed before us, a modern fortress of glass and steel teeming with the brightest minds in technology. We wove through the crowd, a sea of eager faces and name badges fluttering like leaves in an autumn breeze. But then it hit me—a wave of dizziness so strong it nearly buckled my knees.
“Whoa,” I muttered under my breath, gripping Ellie’s arm for support.
“Jade?” Concern flickered in her eyes, but I was quick to plaster on a confident smile.
“Fine, just...excited,” I lied, masking the unease that clawed at my insides. It wasn’t just nerves or nausea; it was fear, raw and relentless, haunting me with every step I took. But I couldn’t let it show. Not today. Not when I had so much to lose.
I shook off Ellie’s concern with a forced smile, knowing I couldn’t let my guard down, not even for a moment. The auditorium swallowed me whole as I made my way to the stage, the sea of faces blurring into one intimidating mass. My notes, once a crutch, now seemed trivial as I set them aside.
“Good morning,” I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside me. “Today, we’ll be delving into the intricacies of neurogenetic research and its potential to revolutionize medicine.” The words flowed from me, practiced and precise, a veil of professionalism I clung to like a lifeline.
But something was off. The empty seat where Dante should have been gnawed at me—a silent accusation, a missing piece in the elaborate facade of my life. I pushed the thought away, focusing on the science, the data, the truth that I could wield with confidence.
The room faded as I dove deeper into my presentation, until a figure at the back snapped me back to reality. Edward Rodriguez. His stern gaze locked on me, sharp enough to slice through the distance between us. A shiver ran through me, though I was careful not to let it show.
Why is he here? The question echoed in my mind, insistent and unnerving. What is his interest in this?
Why does he seem to follow me around like a bad smell?
I stepped down, my heart racing, and the world rushed back in—a kaleidoscope of sound and color that did nothing to ease the dread coiling in my stomach.
“Great job,” Ellie whispered as I rejoined her in the crowd. Her praise was a balm, but the shadow of Rodriguez’s presence lingered, a dark cloud over the bright promise of the day.
“Thanks,” I muttered, my gaze darting around the room, searching for that unwelcome specter. Rodriguez’s eyes found mine again, a silent challenge that sent a ripple of unease through me.
“Jade, you’re doing that thing where you overthink. It’s probably nothing,” Ellie said, reading my tension like a book she’d written herself. “Maybe he’s just here for the tech talks.”
“Maybe,” I agreed, but her words did little to quell the storm inside me.
The afternoon unfolded like a deck of cards, each panel and demo another layer of complexity to absorb. My mind should have been captivated by the innovations being unveiled—the potential of our research was limitless. Yet, there was always a ‘but’. But with every turn of a corner, every shift in the crowd, I felt his presence. Rodriguez, a hawk circling silently above its prey.
I clung to the excitement bubbling around me, let it buoy me through the sea of faces, past booths boasting advancements that could change the world. All the while, my thoughts tangled in a net of worry. How could I protect what was mine—what was growing inside me—when every instinct screamed that danger had entered the fray?
“Jade?” Ellie nudged me, her voice pulling me back from the edge of panic.
“Sorry, just...thinking about the next steps for the project,” I lied smoothly, or as smoothly as I could manage with my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs.
“Let’s grab some coffee; you need a break.” Ellie steered us toward a less crowded part of the venue, her small frame surprisingly effective at parting the sea of people.
I allowed myself to be led away, grateful for the momentary escape. Yet even as we stood in line for our drinks, I couldn’t shake the feeling of Rodriguez’s eyes boring into me, branding me with suspicion. Every glance over my shoulder confirmed it—he was still there, still watching.
“Jade, you’re doing that thing again where you zone out,” Ellie said, her voice a lifeline in the sea of my worries.
“Sorry, I’m just...” My words trailed off as I saw Rodriguez once again. This time he was huddled with another so-called IT expert, their heads close together, deep in conversation. He caught my gaze and offered a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, an apology without words for a crime I couldn’t quite grasp. “Isn’t it weird that he’s here?”
“I mean, he works with us, so I don’t see how it’s so weird?”
“Maybe I’m just being paranoid,” I replied, taking another sip of my coffee.
I tried to shake off my unease and concentrate on the moment. We were supposed to be celebrating our work, not fearing every shadow. But shadows have a way of growing long at the worst possible times.
Later, during the panel Q&A, the lights flickered briefly, and the screens glitched. Murmurs rippled through the room like the first signs of an unwelcome storm. Onstage, I felt exposed, vulnerable.
“Must be some technical difficulties,” Ellie said into the microphone, her composure unshaken.
The snafu was brief, but in those seconds, my mind raced with possibilities. Was this a sign? A hack into BioHQ’s systems? My heart hammered with the realization that my research—my life’s work—could be splayed open for all the wrong eyes to see.