"One million dollars in cash, plus a BMW 7 Series!"
The ballroom fell silent for a heartbeat, then erupted into a buzz of speculation.
Everyone knew the weight of this prize.
"Who could it be? Vice President Zhang?"
"My money's on Director Wang from Marketing—his department doubled their numbers this year."
"What about..." someone lowered their voice, "Assistant Gilbert? He's President Henson's golden boy."
Dean Gilbert clearly heard that last remark.
The curve of his lips deepened, a flicker of smug certainty crossing his eyes.
Beside him, Mary smoothed an invisible wrinkle from her skirt, her smile perfectly composed.
I picked up the golden envelope and slid it open, taking my time.
"This year, our company welcomed an exceptional new member." My gaze swept across the audience. "She joined the R&D department less than six months ago, yet she spearheaded the core algorithm breakthrough for the Starsea Project—saving the company nearly ten million dollars and pioneering an entirely new technical pathway."
Whispers rippled through the crowd.
As my words sank in, the smugness on Dean's face slowly calcified. Mary's polished smile evaporated.