Chapter 13 - THE COMPANY DECISION
Cole Architectural Materials still needed the warehouse sale.
Mason Strategic’s independent committee reviewed it.
The original structure was rejected.
Not because of Marianne.
Because:
deferred consideration was too large,
buyer leverage was high,
and seller-note recovery risk threatened lenders.
Victor raged.
Then the committee offered alternatives.
Higher cash at closing.
Smaller seller note.
Independent appraisal confirmation.
Debt paydown.
Victor negotiated.
A revised transaction closed.
The company survived.
No hostile takeover.
No revenge foreclosure.
Eli did not attend the lender vote.
Good.
Then Victor met him afterward.
“You could’ve crushed us.”
Eli answered:
“My firm could have enforced its rights.”
“Same thing.”
“No.”
Victor looked skeptical.
Then Eli said:
“Power feels different when you’re on the receiving side.”
Victor laughed once.
“For a blind man, you enjoy irony.”
Eli looked at him.
“For a man who nearly lost his company, you still enjoy jokes.”
They both smiled slightly.
Not friendship.
Recognition.
Then Victor said:
“I was wrong about you.”
Eli answered:
“You were wrong about disability.”
May you like
Better.
Because another rich identity should not be required to make Victor reconsider blind people generally.
