There was a beat of silence as the board members exchanged intrigued glances.
Lincoln nodded appreciatively. "Impressive. But with greater immersion comes greater complexity. Are you confident your infrastructure can handle the scalability of that many players globally?"
Jess jumped in smoothly. "Absolutely. We've partnered with top-tier server providers to ensure seamless global distribution, and our in-house team is dedicated to continuous support and expansion. Additionally, with the help of funding, we are planning to invest in more scalable infrastructure to cater to future demands. PixelWave will not only handle it but set new standards for performance."
Nia, sensing the room's positive shift, added, "With your investment, Morrison Group would be tied to what we believe will be a groundbreaking moment in gaming history. I firmly believe in my vision."
There was a brief pause, then Lincoln leaned back, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. "I like what I'm hearing Ms Mirren. I did my research on your background."
Nia's face drained all the colour. Jess straightened her spine and her expression steeled. She slowly held Nia's hand for comfort.
"What do you mean?" Nia asked softly. Her past is something she cannot erase but her shoulders hunched losing some of her confidence. She dreaded that her past would affect her present. Although she was cleared of all everything lawfully, but still her stomach twisted in discomfort.
Oh god no!
Zack cleared his throat and threw a look at his brother. Lincoln sensing the uneasiness quickly corrected himself, "Please don't mind. I did not want to make you feel anything bad or insult you. But as part of the company's protocol, we do a background check before we plan to invest. And I just wanted to assure you that it will not affect our partnership at all. "
Nia exhaled and relaxed. Jessica's expression relaxed as well.
"We're prepared to invest but with just a few conditions. We'd like a percentage increase in revenue sharing for the first two years and an equal say in the marketing strategies to ensure the game aligns with broader market trends and our standard along with the code of ethics."
Nia's heart soared with happiness, and she glanced at Jess, who gave a slight nod. It was a fair trade-off, given the scope of the funding they needed.
Nia nodded firmly. "We can agree to that."
Lincoln extended his hand across the table. "Then it's a deal."
Relief flooded Nia as she shook his hand, followed by Jess. The tension in the room eased, and a wave of accomplishment washed over them. They had done it—secured the funding they needed to take PixelWave to the next level. The discussion continues for an hour more.
As the meeting wrapped up, Lincoln stood. "Let's take a short break before we finalize the paperwork. We'll reconvene in fifteen minutes."
Jess stretched her arms and leaned over to Nia. "I need to use the ladies' room. Meet you back here?"
Nia nodded as she stood up, her body finally starting to relax after the intensity of the meeting. They both exited the room. As Jess disappeared down the hallway, Nia's eyes landed on a vending machine at the far corner of the lobby.
Strawberry milkshake!
She hadn't had one in ages. The vending machine sat innocently, beckoning her with its assortment of snacks and drinks. Smiling to herself, she fished out some change and made her way to it.
Inserting the coins, she punched in the code for her beloved strawberry milkshake. The machine whirred, and the bottle tumbled, but then… it stopped, wedged against the edge of the chute, refusing to fall into the opening.
"Are you kidding me?" Nia muttered, crouching down to see if she could pry it loose. She reached into the narrow space, wiggling her fingers to catch the edge of the bottle. It was stuck tight.
Annoyed but determined, Nia tugged harder, twisting her arm awkwardly inside the machine. "Come on," she hissed, her arm now stuck as well.
She tried pulling it back, but the machine wasn't letting go. "No, no, no," she whispered in frustration, jerking her arm harder. After a few more tugs, her arm suddenly came free, but the momentum sent her toppling backwards, arms flailing.
For a split second, she braced herself to hit the cold, hard floor—but it never came.
A strong pair of hands caught her just before she fell, and in an instant, Nia was pulled upright. Her heart raced as she steadied herself, her body pressing against the solid frame behind her.
"Still as clumsy as ever, I see," a deep low masculine voice drawled, tinged with amusement.
Nia froze, her heart thudding wildly as she turned her head to see none other than Zack standing behind her, his hands still lightly resting on her arms as her body pressed to him.
"Zack?" she breathed, eyes wide. His touch was firm yet gentle, and that familiar intensity in his gaze made her pulse quicken.
Zack smirked, his eyes flashing with a mixture of humour and something deeper. "And I see vending machines still have it out for you."
It was like déjà vu, a memory that played in her mind with startling clarity—years ago, another vending machine, another stuck item, and the same Zack Morris had watched her embarrassing fall on the floor and make a fool of herself. The only difference was this time he caught her.
"You remember that?" Nia asked, feeling a strange combination of embarrassment and something else entirely.
"Hard to forget," Zack replied, his gaze never leaving hers. "Some things don't change."
Nia's breath caught, the weight of their shared past suddenly heavy between them. Zack's hands slipped from her arms, but the heat of his touch lingered, sending an unspoken ripple of tension through the air.
There was something about being so close to him again that left her off-balance like she was teetering on the edge of something familiar yet unknown.
The past and present collided in a moment that left her both shaken and… curious.
Before she could say anything, Zack stepped back, giving her room to breathe.
He nodded toward the vending machine, where the milkshake had finally dropped into the tray. "Looks like you got your drink. No need for a rescue."
Nia blinked, torn between laughter and something else entirely. "Thanks…uhm for catching me," she managed to say, her voice a little steadier than she felt.
Zack shrugged casually, though his eyes held a glint of mischief. "Anytime."
He turned to leave, but not before casting one last glance her way. "Try not to get stuck again, Nia."
As he walked away, Nia stood there, still clutching the strawberry milkshake, her heart beating a little too fast.