AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“He’llbe here,”Dadrepeated.Hestudied the lobby of the well-designed yacht, searching for an excuse for the lateness.JayAmbani’sassistant informed us he was conducting business from his boat while chartering it worldwide.Thecompany’s board had also flown out to join him for the week.
Imentally scoffed.JayAmbaniwas too busy to meet us yet had the time to take an indefinite family vacation.Itwas a slap in the face.Ourcompany exceededAmbaniCorpin valuation.Theystill didn’t want to do business with us because our “breeding” was wrong.Theywere snobs, though impeccably polite about it.
“EveryoneknowsJayAmbanidoesn’t take business meetings anymore,” my uncle countered. “Ifour publicist wasn’t friends with his wife, he wouldn’t have taken this one, either.”
Mytwin,Caledon, orCadenfor short, exchanged a look with me.Publicist?Sure,UncleHenryhiredJordanBanksfor reputation management, though it was common knowledge they were romantically involved.Quitepossibly engaged, butHenrydidn’t share his personal life with us.
Arigid man with a domineering personality, skin that was one shade too tan, and dyed black hair, no one would guessUncleHenrywas in his late forties.Dadwas younger thanHenryby a few minutes but was often mistaken for the older brother.Theneglect in his health showed in his rounded body and deep-set eyes.Thismeeting was why his orbs were finally shining with the excitement of a younger man.
DadmetJayAmbanithrough various social events and arranged this meeting withJordan’shelp.Thiswas the first time he had secured one-on-one time with the elusive mogul. “Hewouldn’t have invited us toSingaporejust to stand us up.”
UncleHenrywas unconvinced. “That’sbecause he didn’t think we’d make the trip.Ambaniinvited us to humor his wife.It’sunlikely he’ll personally attend.”
Dadremained optimistic like a kid onChristmasmorning. “He'llattend.I'msure of it.”
“Whyis this so important to you?”Myuncle raked a frustrated hand through his perfectly styled hair.
“It’san opportunity to work with theAmbanis.Everyonewants to be seen with them,”Dadspoke as if the answer should be obvious.
“Andwhat’s the advantage of being seen with them?”
“Howdo you not get this?”Dadasked like a petulant child. “They’rethe real deal.Theyeven socialize with royal families fromEurope.Whodoesn’t want to be seen with royalty?”
Myuncle threw me an exasperated look, silently begging for backup.
UncleHenryandDadwere from agricultural backgrounds.Theysold their farm to start a tech company, withHenryas the brains of the operation.Farmlife hadn’t preparedDadfor the shrewdness of the business world, and when the company’s board noticed the inadequacies,HenryencouragedDadto network for opportunities outside the office.ItleftHenryunder tremendous pressure and wary about the future.Hissons rebuffed any involvement past keeping up appearances at important meetings.Mybrother might as well be a mad scientist, focused on medicine from an early age.Henryplaced all his eggs in one basket.Me.
IsharedHenry’spassion for the tech industry and created this algorithm to minimize the risk of investments by automatically weeding out opportunities likely to fail.Thepatent belonged to me, and it was ultimately my decision what to do with it.UncleHenrywanted my father to retire soIcould carry the torch as co-CEO.Accordingto him,Ipossessed the temperamentDadcould never master.
Itwasn’tDad’sfault.Mycousins, brother, andIattended the best schools in the world, with etiquette shoved down our throats.AlthoughDadpined to be included in the inner circle ofNewYork’shigh society, it was challenging.Thecrème de la crème of old money foundDadtoo crass and blunt for their taste.Mr.Ambaniwas the first to show my father kindness.Dadidolized him and became obsessed with joining his inner circle.Togain extensive face time with theAmbanis,Dadneeded to strike an involved business deal.WhileIunderstood my uncle’s position,Dadneeded a win.
“Thisdeal would benefitAmbaniCorpmore than us,"Ispoke with careful diplomacy. “It’dbe stupid forAmbanito miss out on it.”
"Exactly,"Dadagreed with enthusiasm.
"Don'tget your hopes up,"Henrytsked, tapping his foot irritably on the couch.Isuspected my uncle’s cynicism stemmed from a personal desire to use the technology for himself.Hepushed the idea of starting a hedge fund company with the technology, butIdecided to backDad’svision of integrating my algorithm withAmbaniCorp’ssystem.Iowed my father a debt that might take me a lifetime to repay.
Therewere other reasons, too.Acquiringnew clients was grueling, whereas an existing company such asAmbaniCorpretained big names on theirRolodex.Ourtechnology and their clients could make for an unstoppable duo.Jordanused the same logic to getJayAmbanito take the meeting, though him rescheduling the meeting twice wasn’t promising.
Mycreation landed us in this predicament.IwantedDadto have a win, but he was unprepared.Businesswasn’t about a product; it was about building rapport.Inpreparation for this meeting,IresearchedAmbaniCorp’sclients, the board members, their spouses, and even their children.Insteadof reviewing my notes,Dadwas concerned with presenting us as a united front.TheAmbaniswere far more interested in etiquette, old money, and social standing, thingsJoeMaxwellwasn’t known for.IworriedDadwas in over his head.
Dadturned to me. "Haveyou talked toJayAmbani’sniece yet?”
RosalineAmbaniattended my university and constantly “bumped” into me untilIrealized one day that she did it on purpose.Iwithheld this detail about my unwanted admirer.Dadwould start planning the wedding if he found out anAmbanigirl liked me.
"Onceor twice around campus.”
"Youshould try harder.She’shere with her family.Maybeyou two can go off while the adults talk."
“It’sDamon’salgorithm.Heneeds to be in the meeting.”Henryadded in a mumbled breath, “Ifthere is one.”
“I’msure it’ll be okay ifDamonskips the meeting.”
Igritted my teeth atDad’snaivety.
First, it was my software, andIgenerously allowedDadto exploit my hard work for his precious merger with theAmbanis.Dismissingme as if my presence in the meeting was optional grated on my nerves.
Second,Dadfailed to recognize he was about to enter the lion’s den.Whatwere his plans if they asked him a question about the product that onlyIcould answer?
