I watched Evelyn's face crumble as Drake's words hit her. A month. That was his professional assessment of how long we could survive.
"Another month," she repeated quietly.
Drake nodded, looking almost sympathetic now. "I'm sorry, Evelyn. But that's the reality of your situation."
"What if I could guarantee our success?" Evelyn asked suddenly. "What if I could prove we're not a sinking ship?"
"How?" Drake scoffed. "You've lost your inventory, your reputation is in tatters, and Sebastian has unlimited resources."
"Answer the question," Evelyn pressed. "If I could guarantee success, would you reconsider?"
Drake leaned back in his chair. "Guarantee? There are no guarantees in business."
"But if there were?"
"Then I'd want to see proof," Drake replied. "Real proof, not empty promises."
Evelyn glanced at me. I could see the desperation in her eyes, the last threads of hope fraying.
"I have connections," she said. "People who could help."
"What kind of connections?"
