Chapter 36
By a lie of omission, I’ve left out one very crucial part of that story: Declan Kruk. Okay, two crucial parts of the story. The other being the Bitcoin Declan gifted me that allowed me the funds to quit my job and become a co-founder and investor in Shirts.
“Where was your head just at?” Gideon asks, and I take a full sip of my beer.
“I’m trying to think of the fastest way to tell you that Derek’s family was cooking the business’s books the entire time.
” While I’m lying about what I was thinking about, that is the next part of the story.
“They were falsifying orders and doing a lot of really shady stuff to clean money through Shirts.”
“Really?”
“Ignorance was truly bliss when all of that was happening.”
Gideon nods.
“I should have listened to my dad when he said, ‘His family built their wealth from New York construction, that’s the Mafia. Don’t get involved in that …’ Alas, I did not.”
“That’s the problem with business partners,” Gideon says. “I decided to pursue it alone so I wouldn’t have to deal with all of the unknowns a co-founder can bring to the table.”
“Definitely the wiser choice, but you do have partners to report to … all of the capital partners. Isn’t that worse?”
“Don’t remind me. I hate that I had to take on outside money. But you can’t go from buying one property a year to having a billion-dollar real estate portfolio by reinvesting profits alone.”
“Casual.” I breathe. Gideon is the real fucking deal and a major success story. “So, Shirts is dead. Harris Ventures lost their entire investment, and the collapse derailed my life for a few months.”
“That story wasn’t so messy,” Gideon says, squeezing my hand.
That’s because I left out where I got the money to be able to have this story in the first place. Declan. I look down at my beer and then take a sip.
“Hang around enough people that have started a business, and you’ll hear plenty of stories.” Gideon’s words break me from my internal spiral.
“Following the money is where things get interesting.”
“You’ve recovered well from your first big career failure.”
With Adam’s help, I think, but don’t say.
“Are you sure you’re warm enough?” he asks, his face concerned. “Your hands are freezing.”
I nod, too proud to say that I should have worn a jacket. I take another sip, hoping to push away all thoughts of Adam, Declan, and my messy past.
He looks thoughtful for a moment, then asks, “Harris Ventures just ate the loss?”