“You don’t really have a choice, Corbin. Most of the other shareholders agreed, and I didn’t even need them to. Moreover, the founding CEOs agreed,” I said, gesturing at Paulo and Blanche. “And if you try to stop this, there are bylaws, regulations, I don’t have to cite them for you.” My heart still felt like it was trying to escape my ribcage, and I was hoping that these routine business dealings would cool it down.
“We know why you’re doing this,” Corbin said.
“Sound business logic. Financial calculations. Viability. Profit. To name a few,” I said. “Your investment would have been down the drain if I hadn’t bought the shares of Rendr.A.I. when it was dying. Now I found a way to save it because I believe in what these two businesses can achieve together, and I’m sure Paulo and Blanche shared their vision with you.”
“You think we don’t know why you’rereallydoing this?” Corbin said with snark.
“I’m sure you’ll tell me.” I kept my eyes on his.
“You bought the majority shares of Rendr.A.I. so you could bleed it dry and move on to another pet project.”
“Okay,” I said in a tone that conveyed thewill you move on if I agree with this bullshitI was thinking.
“Just like your father,” Corbin added.
I gritted my teeth and let that one slide. He was older but not old enough to know my father. “If I wanted to bleed a company dry, do you think I’d choosethisone? Selling it to a company with better prospects—and with, let’s not forget, a sizeable profit to you—is bleeding it dry? It’s an acquisition, a merger, not a shut down,” I reminded him.
He scoffed. “I knew your father. Did you know that? He was a shark when I was a young fish and the ocean in Silicon Valley wasn’t this red. I did my homework about you, too. You’re dressing it in nice words like saving and believing, but I knew the man, and let me tell you, Mr. Madden, you’reexactlylike him. At least he didn’t pretend to be something he wasn’t.”
He was right. Iwaslikehim. Which was why a second and a resonant thud later, Corbin was pinned against the wall by the collar of his designer shirt, his tie knot wrapped in my fist under his chin. “I think this meeting is over,” I breathed into his face, further tightening my hold and pressing him to the wall.
“Oliver, stop.” Blanche’s voice came from a distance.
The hands of the other men grabbing at my elbows and shoulders left me no choice but to release him.
He gasped and looked at me.
I took a step back. “The acquisition will go through. Now get the fuck out of here!”
I noticed Bruce’s face as he held the door, which he had probably opened after hearing the commotion inside. I then looked at the other faces. Corbin was straightening his clothes, the others were either looking at him or at me, and Paulo still had a hand on my shoulder, as if he was making sure no further outburst would follow. Blanche’s and Bruce’s faces reflected everything that I had been afraid of all these years—that the demons inside erupted.
“You will hear about this from my lawyers,” Corbin said. “You all saw what happened here.” He looked at everyone then at me, adding, “I know about your previous assault charge. At least your father could control his temper.”
If I could, I would have laughed.
The three board members marched out. Paulo followed them, signaling to Blanche he’d be in touch.
Bruce gave me a strange look right before he followed them outside.
Blanche put a hand on my shoulder, which I brushed off. “Are you okay?”
I wasn’t.Just like your father. At least your father could control his temper.I picked up my cell phone from the table. I had to get out of here.
“You know,” she said in her accent, “I would have done the same if I wasn’t afraid to ruin my hairdo. He deserved it.”
“No one deserves this,” I said and left the meeting room.
“Cancel my next one,” I told Bruce, who was waiting outside, still with that look on his face that said that the violent side of me was new to him. It wasn’ttome.
“Wait,” Blanche called, catching me by the elevator. “I’m sorry I insisted on this meeting. I had no idea—”
“Not your fault.” She couldn’t have known that I was capable of this.
“I’m still proud to be among the people you invested in, and thank you for standing up to them. Paulo and I will work to make it worthwhile. We’ll work according to the plans. And we’ll deal with Corbin.”
“I know. I believe in this and in the two of you,” I said. Though something inside me died once again, and my heart had bled itself dry, business was something I was taught to handle in every situation.
The elevator dinged open.
