An Unexpected Apology

PIPER’S POV

By the time the conference meeting ended, my nerves had finally settled. The presentation had gone better than I expected.

No interruptions, no awkward pauses, no tension hanging over my head. Just clean delivery, confident answers, and a room full of people who actually looked impressed.

When the applause came, it caught me off guard for a second. Then I smiled. Not forced. Not polite