His fingers touched the cool paper. The pressure from his board of directors was immense. The prestige was beckoning. But the pit in his stomach had grown into a chasm. He realized that "winning" this deal meant losing his soul.
"I can't do it," Elias said. The words were quiet, but they cut through the room like a blade. Don’t get the deal
Marcus blinked, his smile faltering. "Excuse me? We’ve spent six months on this." His fingers touched the cool paper
"Maybe," Elias replied, tucking the pen into his pocket. "But I'll be able to sleep on Christmas Eve." But the pit in his stomach had grown into a chasm
"You're walking away from forty million dollars over sentimentality?" Marcus laughed, a harsh, jagged sound. "You'll be bankrupt by Christmas."
He walked out of the glass-walled office and into the crisp afternoon air. His phone began to vibrate incessantly—angry texts from investors, frantic calls from his lawyer. He ignored them all. For the first time in years, the weight on his chest was gone. He hadn't landed the biggest deal of his career, but as he drove toward the office to tell his team their jobs were safe, he knew he had finally closed the only deal that actually mattered. If you'd like, I can: