He didn’t know because I’d kept it quiet, using holding companies and trusted executives as the face of my operations. I’d learned early that real power came from being underestimated, from letting blowhards like William think they held all the cards.
As I pulled into my building’s garage, my phone lit up with an incoming call: Harrington CFO Martin Keating. That was faster than expected. Martin had my personal number from our previous merger discussions, where we’d exchanged contact information for urgent matters.
«Zafira, it’s Martin. I’m sorry to call so late, but we just received a notice from Cross Technologies terminating the merger agreement. There must be some mistake.»
«No mistake, Martin.»
«But… but we’re set to sign Monday. The board has already approved. Shareholders are expecting…»
«Then the board should have thought about that before their CEO publicly humiliated me at dinner tonight.»
Silence. Then, quietly: «What did William do?»
«Ask him yourself. I’m sure he’ll give you his version. Good night, Martin.»
I hung up and headed to my penthouse, pouring myself a scotch and settling onto the balcony to watch the city sleep. Somewhere out there, William Harrington was about to have his evening ruined. I wondered if he’d make the connection immediately or if it would take him a while to realize that the garbage he dismissed controlled the one thing his company needed to survive the next fiscal year.
My phone buzzed. Quinn calling. I let it go to voicemail, not trusting myself to separate my anger at his father from my love for him. He didn’t deserve to be caught in the crossfire, but some battles couldn’t be avoided.
By morning, my phone had logged 47 missed calls. William had tried reaching me six times himself, which must have been killing him. The great William Harrington was reduced to repeatedly calling someone he declared garbage.
I was reviewing quarterly reports over breakfast when Danielle called. «The financial press got wind of the terminated merger. Bloomberg wants a statement.»
«Tell them Cross Technologies has decided to explore other opportunities that better align with our values and vision for the future.»
«Vague and devastating. I love it.»
She paused. «Also, William Harrington is in the lobby.»
I nearly spit out my coffee. «He’s here?»
«Showed up 20 minutes ago. Security won’t let him up without your approval, but he’s making quite a scene. Should I have him removed?»
«No.» I set down my mug, thinking. «Send him up, but make him wait in the conference room for, let’s say, 30 minutes. I’m finishing breakfast.»
«You’re evil. I’ll prep conference room C, the one with the uncomfortable chairs.»
Forty-five minutes later, I walked into the conference room to find William Harrington looking significantly less imposing than he had the night before. His usually perfect hair was disheveled. His tailored suit was rumpled. The man who’d lorded over dinner like a king now looked like what he was: a desperate CEO watching his company’s future evaporate.
«Zafira,» he stood when I entered, and I could see how much it cost him. «Thank you for seeing me.»
I sat down without offering him a handshake. «You have five minutes.»
He swallowed his pride like broken glass. «I apologize for last night. My words were inappropriate.»
«Inappropriate?» I laughed. «You called me garbage in front of your entire social circle. You humiliated me in your own home, at your own table, while I was there as your guest and your son’s girlfriend.»
«I was drunk.»
«No,» I cut him off. «You were honest. Drunk words, sober thoughts. You thought I was beneath you from the moment Quinn introduced us. Last night, you just finally said it out loud.»
William’s jaw tightened. Even now, even desperate, he couldn’t fully hide his disdain. «What do you want? An apology? You have it. A public statement? I’ll make one. Just… the merger needs to happen. You know it does.»
«Why?»
«Excuse me?»
«Why does it need to happen? Explain to me why I should do business with someone who fundamentally disrespects me.»
William’s face flushed. «Because it’s business. It’s not personal.»
«Everything is personal when you make it personal.»
I stood up. «You researched me, right? Dug into my background, found out about the foster homes, the free lunch programs, the night shifts at warehouses to pay for textbooks.» He nodded reluctantly.
«But you stopped there. You saw where I came from and assumed that defined me. You never looked at where I was going.»
I walked to the window, gesturing at the city below. «Do you know why Cross Technologies is successful, William?»
«Because you have good products.»
«Because I remember being hungry. Because I remember being dismissed, overlooked, underestimated. Every person we hire, every deal we make, every product we develop, I ask myself if we’re creating opportunity or just protecting privilege.»
I turned back to him. «Your company represents everything I built mine to fight against. Old money protecting old ideas, keeping the door closed to anyone who didn’t inherit their seat at the table.»
«That’s not…»
«Isn’t it? Name one person on your board who didn’t go to an Ivy League school. One executive who grew up below the poverty line. One senior manager who had to work three jobs to put themselves through community college.»
His silence was answer enough.
«The merger is dead, William. Not because you insulted me, but because you showed me who you really are. And more importantly, you showed me who your company really is.»
«This will destroy us,» he said quietly. «Without this merger, Harrington Industries won’t survive the next two years.»
«Then maybe it shouldn’t.»
