Chapter 10 - The Boardroom Gathering
On the seventieth floor of Vance Tower, the boardroom was a cathedral of power.
Floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows offered a dizzying view of the metropolis below. A thirty-foot conference table made of reclaimed black walnut dominated the center of the space, flanked by twenty ergonomic leather chairs.
Jonathan Miller sat on one side of the table, flanked by his father, Richard, and NexoCloud’s lead attorney, David Ross.
Jonathan was fidgeting with his silk tie, his foot tapping rhythmically against the plush carpet. He looked nervous, but his eyes carried that familiar, unbearable smugness.
"Relax, Dad," Jonathan whispered, leaning toward Richard. "We have the numbers smoothed out. Henderson from the investment committee loves our cloud architecture. All we have to do is nod, smile, and flatter this mysterious Managing Partner."
"I don't like this, Jonathan," Richard muttered, adjusting his glasses. "The security downstairs was unusual. They confiscated our phones. And why haven't they brought out the breakfast buffet?"
"It’s an intimidation tactic," Jonathan scoffed, checking his gold watch. "Wall Street games. They want us off-balance so we don't push for higher valuations. Just follow my lead."
The heavy double oak doors at the far end of the boardroom swung open.
Four executive board members from Vanguard Capital filed into the room, all dressed in dark charcoal suits, their expressions stone-cold. They took their seats across from the Miller team without offering handshakes or pleasantries.
Jonathan stood up immediately, putting on his most charming, rehearsed salesman smile.
"Good morning, gentlemen! I’m Jonathan Miller, CEO of NexoCloud. On behalf of my family and our executive team, we are thrilled to be here at Vance Tower. We are ready to finalize the future of cloud computing."
None of the board members smiled back.
Arthur Henderson, the senior partner Jonathan had spent months courting, looked at him with something bordering on pity.
"Sit down, Mr. Miller," Henderson said quietly.
Jonathan’s smile faltered slightly, but he quickly recovered. "Of course. Is the Managing Partner joining us via video link from New York? We were told—"
"The Chairwoman of Vanguard Capital is present in the building," Henderson interrupted, his voice cutting through the room like a scalpel. "She will be conducting this review personally."
Jonathan blinked. "The... the Chairwoman? I thought the primary shareholder was—"
The heavy oak doors clicked open once more.
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The sharp, deliberate click of high heels echoed against the marble threshold before transitioning onto the thick boardroom carpet.
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