The cameras followed them as they pushed through the flaps into the cold wind.

The crowd in the tent was buzzing with excitement now.

Julian stepped back to the microphone, his expression calm and confident.

“As you can see, our engineering is not only transparent, but rigorously tested,” Julian said.

“We are building a pier that will stand for generations.”

“We invite you all to join us at the edge of the pier for the official groundbreaking ceremony.”

The applause was loud and sustained this time.

Margaret Hale walked over to me, her face glowing with satisfaction.

“You handled that beautifully, Claire,” she said.

“You didn’t just defend your design; you exposed theirs.”

“Thank you, Margaret,” I said.

I looked out at the empty space at the back of the tent where Adrian had been standing.

My heart was beating fast, but not from fear.

It was the quiet thrill of a clean victory.

I walked out of the tent with Julian and Margaret.

We walked toward the edge of the concrete pier where the heavy construction equipment stood waiting.