The conference room buzzed with energy as reporters jostled for the best positions. Microphones were set up in a tight cluster, cameras focused on the podium where Ava would soon speak. The air was thick with anticipation and the low hum of whispered conversations. The door at the back of the room opened, and Ava, flanked by Liam, stepped in.
Ava's heart pounded, but she kept her chin high, her stride purposeful. Liam's presence was a steadying force beside her, his reassuring hand a brief touch at her back. They moved to the front, and the room fell silent, all eyes on them.
"Good afternoon," Ava began, her voice clear but laced with the tension of the moment. "Thank you all for coming."
She paused, taking a deep breath. The cameras clicked and whirred, capturing her every move. Ava's eyes scanned the room, landing momentarily on each journalist, reading their expressions.
