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“We don’t want you to waste your time,” Steven says. “We brought you in today to give you the courtesy and respect of ending this face-to-face before our own meeting. Worcester Asset Management here has already gone with another rescue offer. Mine.”

My hands are trembling. The room suddenly becomes stifling.

“That... can’t be right. What do you mean?”

“I was able to repackage your offer. Your analysis was great, but what Auclair Capital could offer Worcester Asset Management is inadequate.”

“Inadequate?”

He doesn’t sound like the warm Steven I know. He’s colder.

“I’ve managed to step in and offer these folks an alternative bid through one of my companies. We’re going to be discussing their options after this. We simply pitched them a better proposal, Miss Auclair. Something with greater equity value. There will be no negotiation.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry, but any hope of an acquisition between Worcester Asset Management and Auclair Capital is over,” Steven says coldly before he nods at the room and stands up.

It’s like a trigger for everyone else in the boardroom to get up from their chairs, even the managing director. And then all of them shuffle out.

Is this really happening?

I don’t know what to say, but I know what this is. It’s a boardroom assassination. A humiliation.

I look desperately at Clement, but it’s not like he can do a damn thing. My brother knows exactly what’s occurred, and he knows he can’t stop it, even with all his power and intelligence and brilliance.

“I’ll challenge this,” he says. “Legally.”

Steven merely smiles as the rest of the room passes by him.

“Good luck with that. She willingly handed me her notes.”

And in moments, everyone is gone, except for Steven. He’s by the door, looking back at me.

And then it all clicks into place.

“I gave you my notes,” I stammer in shock. “I gave you everything.”

Steven shrugs.

“I hope you don’t take this personally, Jolie. It’s just business.”

I thought I knew him. I never imagined he could do something like this.

He gave me his approval...

“What have you done?” I ask him. “What is this?”

“You’re smart, but you’re not ruthless enough,” Steven replies. “I’ve known the head honchos of Worcester for years. I gave them a call the minute I left the coffee shop yesterday. I had even thought about presenting them with an offer a few months ago, but backed out when I decided their numbers weren’t there. We’re about to go into the next room and have a lovely discussion about our future together. Even you have to admit this deal was too big for me to ignore, Jolie. It’s a lot of money, and you did all the groundwork for me. No one else on Wall Street knew what kind of a gold mine Worcester Asset Management was sitting on, not even me. All those undervalued assets you unearthed? Fantastic stuff. I’ve got sufficient capital to blow anything you could propose out of the water. I should thank you.”

I glance down at my folder. The heavy thing seems like nothing now. He’s right, I did do all the groundwork for him and then handed it over. Without even an NDA.

I fucked up.

Steven is still watching.

“That’s it?” I ask.

“You played her,” Clement interjects. “Today wasn’t courtesy, it was humiliation.”