Her voice was calm. Precise. Flawless.
She moved through English legal clauses effortlessly… then into German… French… Italian… Russian… Mandarin… Arabic…
Language after language.
Fluent. Controlled. Unshakable.
By the time she finished, the room felt different.
Heavy.
Still.
She placed the document gently on the table and looked up.
“I’m done,” she said quietly. “Now keep your word.”
No one laughed.
Richard blinked, thrown off balance for the first time in years. “That was… impressive,” he said, forcing a chuckle. “But let’s not get carried away. It was just a joke.”
“A joke?” Sofia asked, her voice steady. “You humiliated me in front of your entire board. I fulfilled your condition. Now I’m asking if you’re a man of your word.”
The room shifted.
Eyes turned toward Richard.
Pressure built.
So he leaned forward, his smile sharpening.
“Fine,” he said. “Stay. Join the strategy meeting. Let’s see if you can keep up.”
It was a trap.
They expected her to fail.
Instead… she dismantled them.