The intern continues, "Avery cheated. She seduced Mr. Howel, trading sexual favors for his vote in the competition. I can prove it, too."
The news is like a bomb. Within seconds everyone is talking—some audience members even climb onto their chairs to shout to their friends across the room. Sophie raps her knuckles against the podium, but she can't calm the frenzy.
Avery slumps down in her chair, trying to make herself invisible. She can feel dozens of eyes on her, and she can tell that most of the audience hates her. Crystal taps her on the shoulder and makes a clicking sound with her teeth.
"Oh, Avery," Crystal says, shaking her head with mock pity. "I thought you were better than this. I can't believe you broke the most important company rule over some silly competition. You know what this means, don't you? You'll lose the contest, and you'll never work in this industry again."
