Chad brushed off Harold's compliment—the flattery felt hollow and forced.
"The public lecture runs from morning until late morning. Though if circumstances warrant it, we might wrap up early, depending on how quickly Phoebe finishes her tasks," Chad explained, his tone shifting to business mode.
He lifted his coffee cup and asked with genuine concern, "How sure do you think Phoebe is about acing this public lecture?"
"She told me she's completely confident," Harold replied without hesitation.
Chad blinked, caught off guard. 'Shouldn't I be asking about Phoebe's own assessment?' he thought.
Before Chad could probe deeper, the wall-mounted TV flickered to life. Almost showtime.
——
Phoebe's POV
I'm already settled in the designated classroom, chin resting on my palm as I wait alone.
Multiple cameras surround me, positioned to capture every angle once the lecture kicks off. The equipment doesn't faze me—even with lenses trained on my face, I know I look good.
