A confused murmur rippled through the remaining investors. Leo’s triumphant smile faltered, becoming a brittle, fixed thing. For the first time all night, a flicker of genuine uncertainty appeared in his eyes. He had expected tears, or shouting, or a pathetic retreat. He had not expected a surgical strike on the very foundation of his demonstration.
He tried to recover, letting out a short, dismissive laugh. “Come on, Maya. Let’s not get into a technical debate here. The results speak for themselves.” He gestured to the crowd. “I think our partners are more interested in the business case, not old grievances.”
“Are they?” I countered, my voice still level. “I would think a B-round investor is very interested in whether the core asset they’re funding is a functional piece of technology or
