Chapter 119: A Test of Leadership

The morning air was thick with tension as I stepped onto the site. Even before I saw the faces of my team, I could feel the unease that had settled like a storm cloud over the project. The delay in supplies was like a festering wound, and it had spread doubt among the workers. Whispers of failure, of the impossibility of meeting the deadline, had begun to circulate, and I could see it in their eyes—fear, frustration, and a creeping sense of hopelessness.

I had always prided myself on being a leader who led by example, who inspired confidence through hard work and dedication. But today, I felt the weight of the project bearing down on me in a way I hadn't before. The stakes were higher, the pressure more intense, and for the first time, I wasn't sure if I could hold everything together.