My Pitch Was Interrupted by the CEO’s Daughter Saying, “We Don’t Need Your Ideas Anymore” – So I…
The Negotiation
Outside, I took my first deep breath since entering the building. The morning air felt cleansing after the suffocating tension.
I checked my phone: three missed calls from unknown numbers and a text from Zara.
“What just happened?”.
I got into my car but didn’t start it immediately. Instead, I watched the main entrance, waiting. Five minutes later, Kieran arrived with two other investors. Their expensive cars and confident strides spoke of people accustomed to being catered to. They had no idea they were walking into a disaster.
Another 10 minutes passed before my phone rang, a number I didn’t recognize. I let it go to voicemail. Thirty seconds later, it rang again, same number. This time I answered.
“Veta speaking”.
“This is Kieran Walsh.” His voice was tight, controlled. “We need to talk”.
“I’m listening”.
“Not over the phone. Where are you?”.
I looked at the glass building gleaming in the morning sun.
“Close by”.
“Ah. Meet me at the coffee shop across the street. 5 minutes”.
He hung up without waiting for my response. I smiled at my reflection in the rearview mirror. *Right on schedule*.
When I entered the coffee shop, Kieran was already seated in a corner booth as far from other customers as possible. His normally immaculate appearance showed signs of strain: tie slightly askew, a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead.
I ordered a coffee before joining him, taking my time establishing control of the interaction through unhurried movements.
“What happened in there?” he demanded when I finally sat down.
I sipped my coffee.
“You’ll have to be more specific”.
“Don’t play games, Veta. Yesterday Belle presents a revolutionary stabilization process. Today nobody can make it work and Ellis looks like he’s about to have a stroke”.
“That sounds stressful for them”.
Kieran leaned forward.
“Six investors are ready to commit $80 million in funding, but not if this is smoke and mirrors”.
I nodded thoughtfully.
“Interesting dilemma. What do you want?”.
He was direct now, recognizing negotiation when he saw it.
“We want to fix this, to make the process work like it did in all the preliminary reports we reviewed”.
“I’m not employed there anymore”.
“That can change.” He pulled out his phone, scrolling briefly. “Your salary was what, $110,000? We can triple that, plus stock options”.
I shook my head.
“You’re negotiating for the wrong company, Kieran”.
His eyes narrowed.
“What does that mean?”.
“It means I’m not interested in going back to work for Ellis”.
“Then what do you want?”.
I took another sip, letting him wait for my answer.
“You’re investing in a specific innovation, correct? A molecular stabilization process that allows for targeted delivery with minimal degradation”.
“Yes, and you’ve verified that this process works, that it’s reproducible?”.
He shifted uncomfortably.
“The preliminary data was compelling, but this morning suddenly nobody can make it work”.
“Doesn’t that concern you?”.
“It would concern me more if I didn’t think you were behind it somehow”.
“That’s quite an accusation”.
“Am I wrong? Let me ask you something, Kieran. In yesterday’s presentation, who did Belle say developed this process?”.
He frowned, thinking back.
“She presented it as the company’s innovation. Her team’s work”.
“Her team,” I nodded slowly. “Interesting”.
His expression changed as understanding dawned.
“You’re saying—”.
“I’m saying you should be very careful about where you put $80 million”.
I stood up, leaving my coffee half-finished.
“Especially when the person presenting can’t actually deliver what they’re selling”.
“Wait.” Kieran reached for my arm but stopped short of touching me. “We need to continue this conversation”.
“I agree, but not here and not now.” I handed him a business card, blank except for a phone number. “Call this number at 3 p.m. today if you’re interested in seeing what actually works”.
I left him sitting there, staring at the card in his hand.
