2025-11-29 22:49:41
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CHAPTER 57
The woman was striking in a way that had nothing to do with makeup or artifice. Her natural locs were pulled into a professional updo, designer glasses framing her intelligent eyes, she looked early thirties with the kind of confidence that came from competence rather than arrogance.She gestured toward Damien's dead laptop. "Seriously, I might be able to help. Data recovery is literally what I do for a living."Damien looked at her skeptically. "You just happened to be sitting next to me when my laptop crashed?""I just happen to work in this coffee shop three nights a week because my apartment is too quiet." She extended her hand. "Simone Mitchell. Owner of Mitchell Tech Solutions."Damien shook her hand, desperate enough to let a stranger touch his dying laptop. "Damien Webb. Desperate entrepreneur about to lose three hours of critical work.""May I?" Simone gestured toward th
CHAPTER 56
Damien stared at Susan Bailey across the conference table. Five million dollars for twenty-five percent equity sounded incredible. But quitting his stable job to go full-time on a startup?With Emma's medical needs and the responsibility of being a single father, the risk felt enormous. His daughter's heart condition required regular monitoring, expensive medications, and specialist visits every three months.Marcus was practically vibrating with excitement beside him. His partner was ready to say yes immediately, already mentally spending the investment capital on development teams and marketing campaigns.Damien's throat felt tight. "Can we have forty
CHAPTER 55
Damien stayed calm while Marcus spiraled into panic. Years of custody battles and courtroom pressure had taught him to think clearly when others lost control."Walk me through exactly what you found," Damien said. His voice was steady and it seemed to anchor Marcus slightly.Marcus pulled up the code on his laptop screen, his hands shaking. "The tax calculation module rounds incorrectly. When it processes multiple employees, the errors compound exponentially.""Can you fix it?""Yes, but it requires rewriting part of the core algorithm. That takes time a
CHAPTER 54
Damien took a breath before answering the investor's question. The conference room felt smaller suddenly and the bay view behind the partners seemed impossibly far away."You are right. I have been through a difficult period but that experience taught me discipline, resilience, and how to perform under extreme pressure."Susan Bailey, the lead partner, watched him with unreadable eyes."I rebuilt my life while fighting for my daughter. I never missed a deadline at work, never compromised my professional responsibilities, and managed complex legal battles simultaneously."
CHAPTER 53
Damien left the coffee shop without giving Marcus an answer. He needed time to think and he needed advice from people who would not let emotion cloud judgment.The next morning, he called Richard. "I need your legal opinion on something. Can we meet?"Richard's office still smelled like old books and leather. Damien laid out Marcus's proposal, showed him the software demo on his phone, and explained the partnership terms."You want my honest assessment?" Richard asked."That is why I am here.""Your brother has burned you repeatedly. Trusting him again is a significant risk no matter how good the software looks.""I know that. But what if he really has changed?"Richard leaned back in his chair. "Let me have Catherine's firm run background checks on Marcus's fintech company and his partners. If this is legitimate, the truth will show."Catherine's firm was thorough. They investigated Marcus's employment history, verified his Gamblers Anonymous attendance, confirmed he had paid Sergei
CHAPTER 52
Marcus arrived looking different and Damien noticed immediately. His brother's skin was healthier, eyes clear instead of bloodshot, body lean instead of bloated from stress.He wore casual professional clothes, button-down shirt and khakis, instead of the expensive suits he used to flash around. The change was startling.They met at a coffee shop downtown, a neutral place where neither man held advantage. Damien chose a table near the window where he could watch Marcus's face."Thank you for coming," Marcus said. "I know I don't deserve your time.""You have one hour. Start talking."Marcus nodded and pulled out his phone, then set it aside. "I need to apologize first. Not to manipulate you, just because it is true."Damien waited, arms crossed."I have been attending Gamblers Anonymous for eighteen months. Three meetings a week, sometimes more when I was struggling. I also work with a therapist twice a month.""Good for you.""I paid Sergei back. Every dollar. It took me fourteen mon
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