diff --git a/src/app/p/[clientSlug]/[projectSlug]/c/[cardId]/page.tsx b/src/app/p/[clientSlug]/[projectSlug]/c/[cardId]/page.tsx
index 9a5ad43..3f6666d 100644
--- a/src/app/p/[clientSlug]/[projectSlug]/c/[cardId]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/p/[clientSlug]/[projectSlug]/c/[cardId]/page.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { AppShell } from "@/components/shell/app-shell";
 import { TopBar } from "@/components/shell/top-bar";
 import { CardHeader } from "@/components/card/card-header";
 import { CardActions } from "@/components/card/card-actions";
+import { CardBrief } from "@/components/card/card-brief";
 import { CardNarrative } from "@/components/card/card-narrative";
 import { CommitHistory } from "@/components/card/commit-history";
 import { SubtaskList } from "@/components/card/subtask-list";
@@ -66,6 +67,12 @@ export default async function CardPage({
             projectSlug={projectSlug}
           />
 
+          <CardBrief
+            brief={detail.card.brief}
+            transcript={detail.card.transcript}
+            sizeBand={detail.card.size_band ?? ""}
+          />
+
           <CardNarrative narrative={detail.card.narrative ?? ""} />
           <CommitHistory commits={detail.commits} />
 
diff --git a/src/components/card/card-brief.tsx b/src/components/card/card-brief.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5b8f1b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/card/card-brief.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,111 @@
+"use client";
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { MessageSquare } from "lucide-react";
+
+import { Pill } from "@/components/ui/pill";
+
+interface StoredBrief {
+  title?: string;
+  summary?: string;
+  subtasks?: string[];
+  openQuestions?: string[];
+}
+
+interface StoredTurn {
+  question?: string;
+  answer?: string;
+}
+
+const BAND_LABEL: Record<"small" | "medium" | "large", string> = {
+  small: "Looks small",
+  medium: "Looks medium",
+  large: "Looks large",
+};
+
+/**
+ * What the client asked for, as they asked for it.
+ *
+ * Shown to both roles. The developer needs it to build the right thing; the
+ * client needs to see their request recorded faithfully. The transcript is
+ * behind a toggle — it is the evidence, not the summary.
+ *
+ * Everything is rendered as text. This is client-authored content that passed
+ * through a model, which is the least trustworthy string in the product.
+ */
+export function CardBrief({
+  brief,
+  transcript,
+  sizeBand,
+}: {
+  brief: unknown;
+  transcript: unknown;
+  sizeBand: string;
+}) {
+  const [showTranscript, setShowTranscript] = useState(false);
+
+  const parsed = (brief ?? {}) as StoredBrief;
+  const turns = Array.isArray(transcript) ? (transcript as StoredTurn[]) : [];
+
+  const openQuestions = Array.isArray(parsed.openQuestions) ? parsed.openQuestions : [];
+
+  if (!parsed.summary && turns.length === 0) return null;
+
+  const band = BAND_LABEL[sizeBand as keyof typeof BAND_LABEL];
+
+  return (
+    <section className="space-y-3 rounded-[var(--radius-tile)] border border-border-subtle bg-surface p-4">
+      <div className="flex items-center gap-3">
+        <h2 className="text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide text-text-secondary">
+          What was asked for
+        </h2>
+        {band && <Pill tone="neutral">{band}</Pill>}
+        {turns.length > 0 && (
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            onClick={() => setShowTranscript((value) => !value)}
+            aria-pressed={showTranscript}
+            className="ml-auto inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 text-[11px] text-text-muted hover:text-text-secondary"
+          >
+            <MessageSquare size={12} strokeWidth={2} />
+            {showTranscript ? "Hide the conversation" : "Show the conversation"}
+          </button>
+        )}
+      </div>
+
+      {parsed.summary && (
+        <p className="whitespace-pre-wrap text-sm text-text-secondary">
+          {parsed.summary}
+        </p>
+      )}
+
+      {openQuestions.length > 0 && (
+        <div className="space-y-1">
+          <h3 className="text-[11px] font-medium uppercase tracking-wide text-text-muted">
+            Still to confirm
+          </h3>
+          <ul className="space-y-0.5">
+            {openQuestions.map((question, index) => (
+              <li key={index} className="text-sm text-text-muted">
+                {question}
+              </li>
+            ))}
+          </ul>
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {showTranscript && turns.length > 0 && (
+        <ol className="space-y-2.5 border-t border-border-subtle pt-3">
+          {turns.map((turn, index) => (
+            <li key={index} className="space-y-0.5">
+              <p className="text-xs text-text-muted">{turn.question}</p>
+              <p className="whitespace-pre-wrap text-sm text-text-secondary">
+                {turn.answer}
+              </p>
+            </li>
+          ))}
+        </ol>
+      )}
+    </section>
+  );
+}