Restless, I pulled out the HydroCore file, and I was halfway through reviewing the technical documents again when my phone lit up again. Not Shane this time. Richard Sterling.
Richard Sterling: Just checking that we’re still on for 9 a.m. Looking forward to finalizing our agreement.
I stared at the message for a long moment. Sterling had been surprisingly cooperative throughout the acquisition talks—too cooperative, which had set off alarm bells from the beginning.
Asher: We’re still on.
Three dots appeared immediately.
Richard Sterling: I’ve been thinking about that clause regarding key personnel retention. I’m not sure it’s necessary.
My fingers tightened around the phone. The retention clause had been non-negotiable from day one—guaranteeing positions and current salaries for the SEAS development team for at least a year post-acquisition.
Asher: The clause stays, Richard. As agreed.
The three dots appeared and disappeared several times before his response came through.
Richard Sterling: These people are replaceable, Asher. The tech is what matters. Why waste money keeping them all when you could hire fresh talent for half the cost?
Anger flared hot in my chest. This was exactly why I’d insisted on the clause in the first place. Sterling had always valued patents over people.
Asher: The team stays intact. Period. That was our agreement.
Richard Sterling: Just a suggestion. No need to be so sentimental about a few engineers. We both know business is business.
Business is business. I pictured his face as I’d last seen him ten years ago, standing over our friend’s body. Frowning, as if it were inconvenient ... as if a man’s life was just another cost on a balance sheet.
I was about to fire back a response when another message came through.
Richard Sterling: Besides, I’ve already hinted to a few of them that their positions might be “restructured” after the sale. Might help you trim the fat without looking like the bad guy.
Jesus Christ. My hands were shaking now. The manipulative bastard was already undermining the deal before the ink was dry.
Asher: You did WHAT?
Richard Sterling: Relax. Just the expendable ones. Charlie Winters and the core R&D team are staying, obviously. The SEAS tech is worthless without them.
My jaw clenched so hard I felt it in my neck. I set the cognac down before I put my fist through something.
I fired off my response without hesitation.
Asher: Move the meeting up to 8 a.m. Will discuss employee retention tomorrow.
The fuck we would.
The controlled sale we’d negotiated was off the table. Sterling had just proven, once again, that he couldn’t be trusted to honor his word.
Tomorrow wasn’t going to be a civilized handover. It was going to be a takeover.
I texted Mike about the change in start time for the next day, and that we were pivoting to a takeover. He didn’t ask questions,just shot me a thumbs up emoji back, we always had a back-up plan, and he knew me so well he probably wasn’t even surprised.
Turning my back on the view I felt restrained, stifled even, as I took in white furniture, white carpeting, white everything. Gorgeous but cold, and I was in the mood for something warmer than just an empty hotel room.
I didn’t bother to change, just headed down to the hotel bar, snifter still in hand. It wasn’t likely they would have this bottle in stock, and I didn’t settle. I’d worked too hard for that.
Being in one of the two penthouse suites meant the elevator was almost guaranteed to be empty on the way down, at least it would start out that way. It stopped on nine and an elegant older couple entered, nodding at me cordially. I responded politely with a nod of my own, and gestured for them to exit the elevator first when it stopped. The man nodded his thanks and supported the woman’s elbow as she stepped over the threshold, his gnarled hand slipping naturally down to grasp her delicate one. It was nice to see some people still sticking it out, taking care of each other.
The hotel bar was dimly lit, and while it would normally be filled with the soft murmur of conversation and clinking glasses, tonight it was hopping with the after work crowd. I scanned the room, taking in the usual mix of business travelers and tourists. Nothing remarkable. Just as I was about to claim a spot at the end of the bar, she caught my eye.
