The Non-Disclosure Agreement

Chapter 3 An Equal Encounter

The polyester collar scratched my neck whenever I turned my head. A ticket to the Sterling-Pierce Annual Investment Gala had cost me two weeks of earnings.

I made one glass of club soda last and stayed near the edge of the room.

Networking could wait. I needed Marcus Davies.

The logistics CEO was preparing to announce a merger that would cost his company hundreds of millions.

Before I could reach him, the guests near the entrance moved aside.

Richard Sterling entered with Chloe on his arm. Diamonds covered her throat, and she wore the modest smile Eleanor had taught her to use in public.

Chloe spotted me. Her smile sharpened for half a second before she leaned into Richard.

"Father, she's here." Her hand closed around his sleeve. "I don't feel safe."

Richard crossed the room with Chloe behind him.

"What are you doing here?" He shifted between me and the guests. "You've embarrassed us enough. Leave before anyone connects you to this family."

Over his shoulder, Davies ended his conversation and checked his watch.

I walked around Richard.

"Mr. Davies, may I have a minute? It's about your pending acquisition of Logi-Stream."

Davies glanced at my cheap suit. "I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"Aria Woods, independent analyst." I had no firm or title to give him.

"Logi-Stream projects 15% growth in Europe. That projection doesn't include the new EU carbon tariffs. With those tariffs, my model gives you a 5% loss and a four-hundred-million-dollar liability."

Davies lowered his glass. "My people ran every simulation."

"Then they used old tariff data. Ask them to rerun it with the Brussels Addendum 7.1."

He studied me for another second, then called his CFO. "Pull the Logi-Stream model. Add Brussels 7.1 and run it again. Now."

Richard had stopped a few feet away. Chloe stood beside him, watching the phone in Davies's hand.

"That took nerve. Good analysis too."

Elias Thorne, founder of Thorne Ventures, stood beside me.

Davies's raised voice carried across the room, but Elias kept his attention on me.

Richard opened his mouth. Elias glanced at him. "Your daughter is conducting business. Let her finish."

He handed me a black business card. "My firm needs analysts who catch what everyone else misses. Come to my office tomorrow at nine."

I read the embossed number before slipping the card into my pocket. "I'll be there."

Behind Elias, Richard reached for Chloe's arm and missed. Neither of them followed when I left the group.