good under pressure

Felix waved a hand dismissively, as if the impending chaos was no big deal. "You're good under pressure. Besides, the groundwork is already laid. You've selected the cast, including our newest addition Elara Whitfield."

I tried to keep my face neutral, but the fact that Felix just threw Elara's name out there so casually made me want to laugh. "Right, about that. You're… good with her being part of the cast?"

Felix leaned back in his chair, folding his hands behind his head like some smug corporate yoga instructor. "I don't particularly care who's in it, as long as it works. And from what I've seen of Miss Whitfield's background, she seems competent enough."

Competent enough? Elara was practically the embodiment of grace, intelligence, and talent. But sure, Felix, reduce her to "competent." I tried to keep my sarcasm in check. "Great," I said, my voice overly casual. "So, what exactly are these 'details' we need to discuss?"

Felix tapped his tablet, and the screen on the far wall lit up with an alarmingly detailed schedule. It looked like something you'd need a Ph.D. in time management to understand.

"The show is broken into segments," Felix began, in a tone that suggested he thought I'd fall asleep from boredom. "We'll start with a few introductory episodes where the cast members will be put in various unscripted scenarios think team-building exercises, but with more opportunities for public humiliation. We want to see how well they handle challenges and more importantly how entertaining they can be under pressure."

"Public humiliation? Wow, really tugging on those heartstrings," I muttered.

Felix, being Felix, ignored me. "The key is to highlight personality clashes, build some tension, and of course, maintain viewer engagement. It's reality TV, not charity work. The more drama, the better."

I leaned back in my chair, trying to process the endless parade of chaos Felix was casually describing. "So, basically, we throw them into situations where they'll inevitably argue, trip, and fall on their faces and film the carnage?"

"Precisely," Felix replied with a grin that could only be described as uncomfortably pleased. "And given Elara's background, she should fit in perfectly. She's the kind of character who will naturally stand out."

"Oh, she'll stand out, all right," I mumbled. Felix clearly had no idea what kind of attention Elara attracted, or he'd be sweating a lot more right now. Lucky for him, her actual talent was going to save my skin. "So, how exactly do we avoid any… complications with her?"

Felix glanced up, his expression as blank as ever. "I don't care what your personal issues are with Elara, Amara. All I care about is the show. As long as she performs well, we have no problem."

"Right. No problem at all." Because throwing a person I'm not supposed to associate with into a show I'm running behind the scenes couldn't possibly lead to disaster. Not like my parents have spies everywhere or anything.

Felix droned on about the rest of the show's structure, but I only caught bits and pieces of it. All I could think about was that Elara was locked in for this show, and I had less than 24 hours before filming started. One. Day. To make sure everything ran smoothly, nobody found out I'd set this all up, and Elara showcased enough of her talents to make her shine. All without my parents realizing she was involved.

"Tomorrow," I muttered. "We're filming tomorrow?"

"Yes," Felix said, giving me the same look you'd give a puppy who'd just learned a new trick. "You should be excited. You've been waiting for a chance like this, haven't you?"

Excited? I wanted to rip his tablet in half and scream into the abyss. "Yeah, I'm thrilled," I said, deadpan.

Felix flipped through his schedule on the tablet. "If you're feeling overwhelmed, I can guide you through the process."

[Overwhelmed?] The system's voice cut in. [Felix clearly doesn't know you have the emotional range of a cornered badger.]

"Thanks, Felix," I said, ignoring the system. "But I'll manage. Besides, you'll be 'monitoring everything,' right? So if I screw up, you can swoop in and save the day."

"Exactly," Felix said with that smug little nod that made me want to shove his fancy desk lamp up his nose. "Don't worry, Amara. I have faith in you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Wow, faith? That's new."

He either didn't catch my sarcasm or just didn't care. "You've come a long way. You're not the reckless heiress people thought you were."

"Gee, thanks," I said dryly, wondering if Felix realized just how far I'd rolled my eyes at that comment.

[Reckless heiress, huh? Maybe you should get that printed on a business card.]

"Felix," I said, standing up. "I've got this."

"Just don't screw it up," Felix added, standing up with me like he'd just given some kind of motivational speech.

"I wouldn't dream of it," I said through gritted teeth. I turned to leave, but just as I was about to walk out of his perfect little glass office, Felix added one last delightful tidbit.

"And remember," Felix said, his voice as calm as ever, "mentioning Eirik is strictly forbidden in the office. Your parents' orders."

I froze. Of course. That was the cherry on top of the anxiety sundae. My parents hated Eirik so much they'd made his name a taboo word in the company. It was like Voldemort but pettier.

"Yeah," I said, trying not to let my irritation show. "Got it."

The last thing I needed was for Felix or anyone else in the office to know that Eirik was anywhere near this show. Not that Elara would let him get within ten feet of her, but still, it was a potential disaster waiting to happen.

As I left the office, I heard the system again. [You know, for someone who's so hellbent on avoiding drama, you sure do attract a lot of it.]

"I don't need this from you right now," I muttered under my breath.

[Hey, I'm just here to remind you that your life is a circus. And guess what? You're the star clown.]

"Yeah, thanks for that," I shot back, finally reaching the elevator. "Just let me enjoy my impending failure in peace."

[Failure? I thought that wasn't an option.]

I gritted my teeth as the elevator doors closed. "It's not. Which is why I'm about to pull off the greatest miracle of all time. You just wait."

[Sure, sure. Let's just hope you don't trip over your own heels while you're at it.]

By the time I reached the lobby, my phone buzzed with yet another message. Felix, of course.

Felix: Don't forget, tomorrow's a big day. Make sure everything's ready. The show kicks off at 8 a.m. sharp.

I shoved my phone back into my bag, wondering if it would be too much to request a week-long coma right about now. Just until the storm blew over.