The millionaire's smug expression evaporated instantly. The blood drained entirely from his face, leaving his skin a pale, sickly shade that clashed harshly with his crisp light blue shirt and sharp burgundy tie. His hand, still resting heavily on the $100,000, began to twitch involuntarily.
The silence that followed her flawless sentence was heavier, thicker than before. The millionaire looked frantically toward his business partner in the charcoal grey suit, his eyes wide with sudden panic. He was desperate for a translation, for a denial, for any lifeline to save him from this sudden, catastrophic public humiliation. He found none.
The Asian man in the solid black shirt nodded slowly, an undeniable gesture of deep, profound respect directed entirely at the young woman.
"Her pronunciation is flawless," he stated in perfect English, his voice carrying the final verdict across the hushed dining room. "And her message is profound."