The Catalyst office was unusually quiet for a Friday afternoon. The campaign was back in their hands, and work was flowing smoothly again, but the tension from the past week still lingered. Maya stood in the center of the common area, wringing her hands, her heart pounding as she prepared to address the team.
Ryan had called for a team meeting to regroup after their victory, but Maya had asked if she could speak first. He'd given her a slight nod of approval, stepping back to let her take the lead. Now, with everyone's eyes on her, Maya felt the weight of her emotions threatening to crush her.
She took a shaky breath, her voice trembling as she began. "I—I just wanted to say something. To all of you." She paused, looking around the room, her eyes darting from Priya to Liam, Sarah, Claire, and finally Ryan. "I owe you all an apology. For what happened with the campaign. For not catching the plagiarism sooner. It was my oversight, and it could have cost us everything."
Priya opened her mouth to protest, but Maya held up a hand to stop her. "Please, let me finish." Her voice cracked, and she had to take another breath to steady herself.
"I've always prided myself on being detail-oriented, on being able to anticipate problems before they happen. But this time, I missed it. And when it all fell apart, I felt like I was letting all of you down—this team, this... family we've built together." Her voice broke on the word family, and she swiped quickly at her eyes, blinking back tears.
Priya was already misty-eyed, her hand reaching for Liam's arm. Liam looked down, his usual smirk replaced with a somber expression. Even Sarah, who rarely got emotional, sniffled quietly.
Maya's voice softened, almost a whisper now. "When the campaign was taken from us, I thought I'd failed in the worst way possible. But then... all of you rallied behind me. You supported me when I felt like I didn't deserve it. You trusted me to make it right, even when I wasn't sure I could."
She turned toward Claire, her lips trembling as she offered a watery smile. "Claire, you reminded me to laugh when I felt like crying. Your energy and optimism—it kept me going, even when I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide."
Claire's eyes glistened as she stood up, walking over to Maya and enveloping her in a warm hug. "You're not allowed to crawl under rocks, Maya," she said with a wobbly smile. "You're way too good for that."
The team chuckled softly, the sound breaking through the thick tension.
Maya pulled back, looking toward Ryan now. Her throat tightened as she met his steady gaze. "And Ryan," she began, her voice faltering. "Thank you for not giving up on me. For believing in me when I didn't believe in myself. I... I don't think I'll ever be able to express how much that meant to me."
Ryan's expression didn't change, but something flickered in his eyes—something that made Maya's breath hitch. He gave her the smallest of nods, a gesture that felt more meaningful than words.
Maya turned back to the rest of the team, her voice growing stronger. "You're all incredible. I've never worked with a group of people so talented, so kind, and so willing to lift each other up when it matters most. I just... I needed to say that. And to say thank you. From the bottom of my heart."
There was a beat of silence before Priya stood, crossing the room to hug Maya tightly. "You're part of this family, too," she said, her voice thick with emotion.
One by one, the team followed, each offering their own quiet words of reassurance. Liam clapped her on the shoulder, Sarah squeezed her hand, and Claire made another joke about how Maya should have more meltdowns if they ended in heartfelt speeches.
Ryan stayed back, watching the scene unfold with an intensity that surprised even himself. Seeing Maya so vulnerable, so open, only made his feelings for her deepen. He couldn't help but marvel at her resilience, her ability to admit fault and still fight to make things right
As the group began to disperse, Ryan finally stepped forward, his voice low but firm. "You've earned this team's trust, Maya. Mine included. Don't forget that."
Maya looked up at him, her eyes still glistening. "Thank you, Ryan."
For a moment, they simply stood there, the weight of the past week hanging between them. And in that quiet, lingering moment, Ryan knew one thing with absolute certainty: he was falling for Maya. Again, and again, and again.