[Interlude] Three weeks earlier

"You should take part in that," Alex said.

"Hm?" Phuong barely looked up from her computer screen. She had to finish those contracts and tentative offers, otherwise the company was risking to fail the KPIs they had set for themselves and...

"No, really," Alex repeated. "You are so smart, you would breeze through there like a storm. And it would be great advertisement for our company."

"Well, you are the one responsible for advertisement after all," Phuong commented and turned her attention to the TV. "THAT show? No, never. That's a stupid sexist show. I can't believe they are allowed to air that. No, scratch that, I can't believe they are allowed to do that. Turn those girls into stupid ditzy brainless dolls..."

"But there's a lot of money, Phuong! Think about it! It's super popular. You walk home loaded with money, and we attract some investors on top. Heck, if you get the prize money out of there, we might not even need investors anymore. And what can happen? Maybe your hair tone will change or..."

"Nothing will change. I am smart enough to answer all of their questions. See? Marseille is the right answer. Oh, that stupid girl. Of course not! How stupid are you?!?"

"She got the Mental drain earlier, Phuong."

"Well, seems to me as if there wasn't much to drain in the first place. I could answer that question even with half of the capacity of my brain."

"Then do it! Come on!"

Phoung frowned. Maybe Alex was right. He was a young ambitious guy, but that's why she hired him as their marketing manager, after all. He had been pretty successful in the past. So successful that he didn't stop asking her about making him a partner. She even had a draft in her desk, checked by her lawyer, but she wasn't sure. Something about Alex seemed... too eager? If she made him her company partner, he would have a say in company matters, and Alex was a guy who would go to any lengths and take no prisoners. Probably the kind of person who would sell his own grandmother to reach his goals. She wasn't sure he was the right man to have at her side managing the start-up she had founded. And yet, he had been extremely helpful, prolific and effective in all of his ideas.

But something about him... She sometimes had the impression he was ogling her. Ar at least staring at her in a rather uncomfortable way. Maybe it was better to leave that paper in her desk...

"Alright, if you think you can't make it, Phuong, then forget it. Probably a bad idea. You're right. You are smart, but probably not smart enough to..."

"Of course I can beat that stupid show, Alex! Call them up, put me in. Let's show the world who we are...!"