She tried to keep her composure, to hide her emotions, to act professionally.

She had rehearsed her presentation over and over again, but nothing could prepare her for the moment she stood in front of the boardroom. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, her palms sweating, and her voice trembling. She tried to focus on the slides, the data, the arguments she had prepared.

She finished her last sentence and clicked the remote to end the slideshow. She looked at the room, wondering if they followed her logic, her passion, her presentation.

"Thank you for your presentation. It was very interesting and well-researched. However, I'm afraid we have decided to go with another option."

She felt a wave of shock, disbelief, and anger wash over her. She had worked so hard on this presentation, she had poured her heart and soul into it. She had believed in her idea, she had thought it was innovative and original. She had expected them to be impressed, to be supportive, to be enthusiastic. She had not expected them to reject it so bluntly, so coldly, so harshly.