Funding Round
Valeria
She’s been working inside Aurenza Biotech for two weeks now. Hired as a temp to replace a secretary on maternity leave, she has access to calendars, meeting rooms, and hallway conversations.
She’s our eyes and ears inside the company.
And more importantly, she’s keeping an eye on Dante.
We arrive at 9:55.
The receptionist looks up from her screen and freezes when she recognizes me. Her eyes widen. She opens her mouth—
But Hugo is already sliding a document onto the desk with smooth professional efficiency.
“Hugo Perez, Perez & Associates. We have an urgent matter to discuss with Mr. Ivanov. It concerns shareholder rights.”
By the time the receptionist figures out what she’s supposed to do, we’re already inside the elevator.
The doors close in muffled silence.
“You ready?” Hugo asks.
“Yes.”
Not entirely true. But it doesn’t matter.
The elevator doors open onto the second floor. We walk down the glass corridor beneath the stunned stares of employees.
I stop in front of the double doors leading into the main conference room.
I inhale slowly.
Then push them open.
The room falls silent.
I scan the room.
Seated around the oval glass table are Aurenza’s shareholders on one side: Dante and Gaspard Peltier, representing minority investment fund Axiom Ventures, along with their attorneys.
On the other side sit three executives from Ciphera Corp, including its CEO, Hector Wald.
And at the far end of the table, standing beside a presentation screen, Bianca freezes in the middle of her presentation.
I let the silence stretch, heavy and deliberate, before speaking.
“Sorry to interrupt, but what you’re about to sign directly concerns me.”
My voice remains calm and steady despite the storm raging inside me.
Bianca is the first to recover.
“Valeria,” she says warmly. “What are you doing here?” Her tone softens further. “You should’ve told me you were coming. I would’ve made time for you.”
Her voice is perfectly calibrated: concerned, affectionate, touched with just enough reproach.
Despite myself, I glance toward Dante.
He’s watching us both, his expression unreadable.
Is he buying her performance?
But Bianca isn’t finished.
She turns toward the table with a faintly embarrassed smile, as though apologizing to the room for an interruption beyond her control.
“I’m truly sorry about this interruption,” she says smoothly. “Valeria has been away for a very long time. She doesn’t understand what’s happening here. She’s still... trying to catch up.”
Hector Wald and his associates nod with polite restraint.
Bianca turns back toward me and lowers her voice slightly—not enough to avoid being overheard, just enough to create the illusion of a private conversation.
“Listen,” she says gently, “you can see we’re in the middle of a meeting. This really isn’t the time or place. Maybe we can discuss this later?”
Without taking my eyes off Dante, I answer:
“I’m not here to reconnect, tempting as that might be.”
She blinks at the sarcasm but recovers quickly.
“Be reasonable, Valeria. You can’t just walk into a meeting you weren’t invited to after disappearing for two years. That’s not how this works. You know that better than anyone.”
“You’re right,” I say evenly. “That’s not how this works.”
She blinks again, caught off guard.
“That’s why I didn’t come alone. This is Hugo Perez, my attorney.”
“You are no longer part of this company,” Gaspard Peltier cuts in sharply. “Your shares were transferred to Mr. Ivanov following the legal declaration of your death—”
“A declaration which is now legally voidable,” Hugo interrupts calmly.
“Ms. Delorme is alive. Under Article 92 of the French Civil Code, the declaration of death is subject to automatic revocation. A petition has already been filed before the Paris Judicial Court. Pending the court’s decision, all asset transfers—including the transfer of corporate shares—are legally disputed and subject to cancellation. ”
He removes a folder from his briefcase and slides it across the table toward Dante.
“You’ll find a copy of the petition here, along with formal notice requiring all parties to suspend any sale, merger, or funding agreement involving the transfer of rights tied to Aurenza Biotech’s assets until the matter is judicially resolved.”
A tense stillness lingers in the air.
“In other words,” Hugo says as he closes his briefcase, “if you sign anything today, you do so under legal dispute. Ciphera Corp may be held jointly liable.”
I watch Wald lean toward his legal advisor and murmur something under his breath. The attorney replies quietly. Wald gives an almost imperceptible nod.
“You can’t do this,” Bianca says sharply. “This funding round has been negotiated for months. You have no—”
“Shareholders’ agreement,” I interrupt calmly.
“Article seventeen, subsection three. Any funding round involving dilution of capital or transfer of technological licensing rights requires unanimous approval from all founding partners.” I tilt my head slightly.
“You’re not part of the agreement, Bianca, but I did tell you about it once. Remember?”
Her gaze flicks toward Dante, searching for support.
But he isn’t looking at her.
His attention remains fixed on me, cold and focused, weighing every word.
I turn toward Wald and offer him a polite smile.
“Mr. Wald, I strongly recommend consulting your legal department before signing anything today. For everyone’s sake.”
He studies me for a moment, as though assessing both the risk and my determination.
Then he rises and gathers his documents.
“You’re right,” he concedes with a tight smile. “A transaction of this magnitude requires complete legal certainty.”
Then he turns toward Dante.
“I suggest we continue this discussion next week. That should give you enough time to resolve the internal situation and gain some clarity.”
He nods toward his delegation and heads for the door.
But when he reaches it, he turns back toward me.
“Ms. Delorme… don’t take too long. Our offer is exceptionally generous. Don’t let this opportunity lose value. There are dozens of companies like yours, and we’d be just as happy closing a deal elsewhere.”
“I’m sure you would,” I reply.
Peltier looks pale with fury.
I just jeopardized a funding round that would’ve made him a rich and powerful man.
Bianca is shooting murderous looks at me.
The attorneys remain silent.
And Dante watches me without speaking, like I’m a puzzle he’s trying to solve.
His expression is thoughtful. Almost analytical.
I understood his anger. This silence is far more dangerous.