CHAPTER 308: MAKE THEM BELIEVE (1)

Georgia’s POV

The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here—the presentation that could seal the deal between Knight Fleet Maritime and Urban Paradise Farm. My palms were slightly clammy, but the adrenaline coursing through me was undeniable.

It’s only been a few days since I officially became active in Urban Paradise Farm—the company Ella and I built straight out of college.

Back then, we dreamed of transforming agriculture through innovation, but life had other plans. I had to leave the day-to-day operations to help run my father’s business, stepping back and staying on only as the biggest investor. Every cent of my inheritance, every bit of my savings, was poured into that dream.

Ella had carried the weight all these years, and I’ve never stopped being proud of her. But today, I was ready to take it back—to reclaim my part of that dream. Once the merger between Knight Fleet Maritime and Pacific Manning Services is finalized, I can finally dedicate myself fully to the farm again.

Now, I stand at the corner of the massive conference hall with Ella and Vicky, surrounded by executives, engineers, the members of the board, and investors, while everyone waits for the men of the Knight family. The lights dim slightly as the projector hums to life, and I can already feel my pulse pounding harder.

"Relax, sis. You’ve got this," Vicky said, flashing me a confident smile.

Ella nudged me gently. "Yeah, seriously, what are you even nervous about? You’ve been pitching to corporate boards for years. This is nothing new."

I exhaled shakily. "It’s different! I’m used to small meeting rooms, not this!" I hissed. My eyes darted around the large space filled with people in suits and name tags. "Nick said it would be in the boardroom. Why the hell are we in a conference hall? What is this, some kind of TED Talk?"

Both Vicky and Ella burst into laughter.

Vicky leaned closer, whispering, "Everyone here knows you’re about to become a Knight. That alone makes you the most powerful person in this room. They’re already intimidated."

I shook my head, adjusting the microphone pinned to my collar. "That’s not what I want, Vicky. I want them to say yes to our proposal because it makes sense, because they believe in what we’re doing—not because of my last name."

Ella gave my arm a squeeze. "Then make them believe it."

The lights dimmed, and the emcee’s voice echoed powerfully through the conference hall, commanding everyone’s attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Chairman of Knight Group of Companies, Mr. Benjamin Knight. CEO of Knight Port Holdings, Mr. Reagan Knight. CEO of Knight Fleet Maritime, Mr. Nicholas Knight. CEO of Knight Logistics & Freight Forwarding, Mr. Liam Knight, and lastly, CEO of Knight Marine Chandlers, Ms. Veronica Knight."

A wave of murmurs rippled across the room as the most powerful family in the maritime industry walked in—each of them exuding authority that made the air heavier. Cameras flashed, people straightened their ties, and even the board members subtly adjusted their seats.

Beside me, Vicky—now in her professional mode gave my arm one last reassuring squeeze. "That’s my cue to sit down there. Good luck! You’ve got this," she whispered with a grin before heading toward the long table reserved for the Knights right in front of the stage.

As she walked away, my heart pounded louder. The moment she sat beside Nick, I felt the weight of every pair of eyes in that room turn toward me.

The emcee spoke again, his voice smooth and steady. "And now, presenting the founders of Urban Paradise Farm, Ms. Georgia Lewis and Ms. Isabella Collins."

The spotlight hit me and Ella like a surge of energy. My pulse quickened. This was it—the moment everything I’ve worked for, everything Ella and I dreamed about, was about to unfold.

I inhaled deeply, straightened my back, and took my first step toward the stage. My heels clicked sharply against the marble floor, each sound echoing in rhythm with my heartbeat.

When I reached the podium, the screen behind me flickered to life. The first image appeared—the video of our Aeroponics System for Cargo Vessels. The crowd’s chatter hushed, and all that remained was the faint hum of the projection.

The system spun slowly on screen—white towers glistening, mist swirling around green leaves suspended in the air. It looked futuristic, alive, and beautiful.

I smiled, confidence blooming in my chest like the plants we’d grown with this very system.

"Good morning, everyone," I began, my voice ringing clear and calm through the mic, though inside, adrenaline burned through me like electricity.

"Today," I continued, my gaze sweeping across the hall, meeting faces filled with curiosity and skepticism alike, "we’re not just talking about farming. We’re talking about the future of sustainability—at sea."

Behind me, the video shifted—showing a cargo vessel slicing through waves, some of the rooms transformed into a living ecosystem of greens and herbs growing under LED lights.

"This," I said, gesturing toward the screen, "is how we bring life to the middle of the ocean."

Then Ella walked across the stage, pulling a long cart with four aerophonics towers on it, housing different kinds of vegetables that can be grown by the seafarers themselves at sea. One of the employees in the farm pulled another cart containing the seedlings of different vegetables that we had prepared just for this moment.

And at that exact moment, I caught sight of Nick in the front row. His lips curved into a proud smile, eyes gleaming with something that made my chest tighten. It wasn’t just approval—it was admiration.

And somehow, that made me stand taller. Even Benjamin and Nick’s siblings are all smiling as they watch Ella and her assistant put everything that we will show to everyone later on the stage.

I scanned the conference hall, and everyone seemed to be curious about what was happening on the stage as their eyes were visibly trying to see the system that we were presenting.

******

Thank you for the Golden Ticket!

Cel_2093

hmerai