Marvin felt his heart skip a beat as he realized that the flash drive wasn't in his pocket. His fingers moved over the empty fabric again, hoping to find it, but it was nowhere to be found. He didn't let his expression change—his years of experience had taught him to stay calm in front of an audience, no matter the situation."Okay." Marvin said smoothly, "it seems I’ll have to make this presentation without any projection."Stella's eyes widened in alarm, but Marvin gave her a quick, reassuring look. He straightened up and faced the CEOs. "No problem. Let me walk you through the core ideas of the advanced cosmic energy proposal."He began speaking, laying out the basics of the project with a calm, confident tone. Marvin began, his voice steady and clear. “The advanced cosmic energy proposal revolves around using cosmic rays—high-energy particles that hit Earth all the time. Unlike solar or wind power, cosmic energy is available 24/7—”Before he could continue, the CEO of Ixchelov

Marvin finished the last bite of his salad, savoring the crisp greens as he sat at the kitchen counter. His eyes glanced over at the clock. It was almost time. He wiped his hands on a napkin and stood up, heading to his room to get dressed. The phone in his pocket buzzed just as he started buttoning his shirt. He pulled it out, noticing Stella’s name on the screen. "Hello, Marvin," came Stella's voice."Hello, Stella," he replied smoothly. "What’s up?""I’m fine." she said, her tone was light but it was with a hint of excitement. "Are you already at the cinema?""No, not yet," Marvin responded, slipping his other arm into the sleeve of his shirt. "But I’ll be there soon.""How about your preparations? Are you done already?" Stella asked."Almost, almost done," Marvin said, glancing at himself in the mirror as he adjusted the collar of his shirt."Okay, good," Stella replied. "See you at the cinema, then.""Yeah, see you soon," Marvin said, hanging up.From the doorway, his mother,

The security guard, a tall man with a shaved head, stepped forward and broke the tense silence. "If this man intends to buy all the tickets, I think we should give him a chance." His voice was calm but firm, carrying an authority that made everyone, including the ticket seller, pay attention."Bring out all the tickets." He ordered, as his eyes were locked onto the salesman.The ticket seller hesitated, as his face was scrunched up in disbelief. "Are you serious?"The guard nodded, as his expression turned stern. "Do as I say."Reluctantly, the ticket seller opened the locker behind the counter again, pulling out the entire stack of VIP tickets and the other varieties of tickets. The security guard slapped them down on the counter with a smirk. "However many this is." He said, eyeing Marvin, "I must warn you—if you can’t pay for all of them, I’ll will ensure that you are thrown out of here. Even though you’ve already bought a ticket for yourself."Marvin didn’t flinch. His voice was

Marvin sat comfortably in the plush seat, the screen was flickering as *The Silver Mirage* began. The opening scenes were filled with breathtaking landscapes, and soon the crowd around him was captivated. People whispered excitedly, and eyes were glued to the action on screen.The security guard, who had been so worried about switching the movie, peeked into the theater from the back. He was surprised to see that everyone seemed to be enjoying the film. No one was upset, no one complained. Instead, there was laughter, gasps, and the occasional "wow" from the audience. A wave of relief washed over him. Marvin’s unusual request hadn’t caused the chaos he feared. Everything was going smoothly, for now.Marvin, however, was only half watching the movie. His mind wandered as he realized something—Stella wasn’t there. She was supposed to meet him at the cinema. They had plans, not just for the movie, but to discuss something important. The deal with Orion Dynamics was a big one, and

Stella knelt down beside Marvin, gently placing her hand on his shoulder. “Come on, we need to get you out of here.” she said, her voice soft but urgent. Marvin groaned, his body aching as she helped him sit up straighter. “What... what are you doing here?” Marvin managed to ask, his voice was weak and shaky. His head was still pounding, and his vision blurred again as he tried to focus on her face.Stella didn’t answer right away. Instead, she slipped her arm around his back and slowly helped him out of the car. Marvin winced in pain, feeling every bruise and ache from the crash, but with Stella’s support, he was able to stand.She guided him carefully toward her vehicle, which was still idling nearby. “Come on, Marvin, stay with me,” she said as she opened the passenger door and helped him into the front seat. Marvin sank into the seat, and his head began to spin. “Stella... why?” he whispered, his words slurred, but Stella was already shutting the door and hurrying around to the