Even Alphas Bow to Her Chapter 09
I kept my voice level. “Summit receives over two thousand funding applications a year. Fewer than five
percent make it to a face–to–face meeting. You got
pulled through because your sector aligns with our
investment focus this year. The investment team
followed standard screening procedures. I didn’t
arrange it. It wasn’t personal.”
“You know that concept was mine. That’s why I’ve always been bullish on it.”
He looked up.
“But I don’t need you to apologize for it. A concept that
stays in a notebook is nothing. At least you turned it into a company. Even if you didn’t make it work.”
His eyes went red.
Not from hurt. From the weight of being completely taken apart.
“When did you become like this?”
“You were too much. Grades, competitions, clubs-
you had to be the best at everything. I couldn’t keep up.
Lily was different. She didn’t pressure me. She made me feel needed.”
I let out a dry laugh. “So you don’t actually like gentle girls.”
……What?”
“You said you liked sweet and gentle back then. But
that was never it. You like weak. Weak makes you feel safe.”
His lips parted. He didn’t argue.
I pushed the files back across the desk.
“The investment team will have a formal evaluation
report out by the end of today. If the conclusion is a no,
I can have Charlotte send you a list of active funds in
your space. Try other channels.”
The investment team delivered the verdict to Ethan soon after.
This time, he took it clean.
His response, relayed through his assistant, was gracious.
[Received Summit’s decision. I understand. Thank you
for giving me the chance to present.]
No follow–ups. No begging.
At four in the afternoon, Lily found me.
Werewolves are sensitive to scent. And we share blood.
She tracked me down.
She was hysterical.
“Sis. You win. You’ve got money, you’ve got status.
You get to decide if we live or die. Happy?”
“You’ve competed with me over everything since we
were kids. Now you finally won. But what you won was
your own sister’s home. Ethan’s company is gone. The
Estate is going into foreclosure. And I don’t even know
how I’m paying for our daughter’s school.”
“You hate me for taking the guy you wanted. So you
destroyed us this way. You’re so impressive.”
I looked at her. She was drunk.
I pulled Ethan out of my blocked list. “Come get Lily.”
When he showed up, he was eerily calm. Like it was a
chore, he loaded her into the passenger seat.
Then he turned to me.
“I’m shutting down Apex.”
“The supplier payment schedule fell through. The
other two firms turned me down too. Cash Flow
Crunch. Can’t make payroll next month.”
His tone was flat. Like he was reading from a report.
“I thought about it for days. Everything you said was right. No product barrier. Flawed structure. Weak
team. I didn’t want to admit it at the time. But I went
through your investment team’s report this week– and every single point checked out.”
He hesitated. Then: “Don’t take it out on Lily because of me. She really does look up to you.”
“Look up
to me?” My voice dripped with disgust.
“Ethan, you never really knew her. But you’re about to
go under. I’m sure you’ll see her true colors soon enough.”
They would destroy each other.
I watched them drive off.
I sat alone for a long time.
Ten years ago, I sat next to Ethan like a piece of
furniture. He’d joke with Lily while I couldn’t get a word in.
Six years ago, I was at the airport. 4 AM. Dragging two
suitcases. No one saw me off. No one asked where I was going.
Four years ago, I signed my first client. Celebrated
with a bowl of Instant Ramen in my studio apartment.
One year ago, I stood on the NYSE stage. Confetti
everywhere. Hundreds of people cheering below.
That day, I sent a video to the Family Group Chat.
No one replied.
Now, the last message in that group is still from three days ago.
Margaret Hawthorne said: [Don’t take it too far.]
I never replied.
I probably never will.
It’s not about hate.
It’s that I finally stopped needing that group to validate
my existence.
I left the chat.
And I said goodbye to the past.