Frederick wore a look of amused provocation, like he was waiting to see how far I’d go to beg him.
I just smiled and didn’t say a word. I noticed a drink set in front of me, picked it up, took a sip, then, cleared my throat and said, “Business, at the end of the day, is always about mutual benefit. If I had to
beg you, that’d mean I had nothing valuable to offer. And if I have nothing to offer, then even begging
wouldn’t get me anywhere with you.”
“Well said.”
Frederick clapped slowly, eyes fixed on me. “So, all that was just a roundabout way of saying you’re not gonna beg me. That’s it?”
“You can take it that way.”
I smiled back. “Here’s my proposal. If it doesn’t interest you, I’ll find another route.”
I’d already thought it through–if Frederick didn’t want in, I’d have to go pitch it in the open market, maybe
hit up some angel investors. I might just be Mrs. Ford in name only, but that title still held some weight.
Using it to kickstart my own business was the smartest option I had right now.
“You’re surprisingly practical,” Frederick said, no longer playing hard to get. He casually picked up my proposal and started reading. “Honestly, when you first mentioned working together, I figured you were
just pissed at Jonathan. Didn’t expect you to actually be serious.”
As he flipped through a few pages, his expression shifted. The usual smirk faded. He was focusing now.
I watched him closely, knowing that look meant he was taking it seriously–it told me he’d actually gone
through my proposal.
“Yes,” I said, keeping my tone confident. “I know startups are tough right now, but the demand is still
there, especially locally. If we can break into this space, I’m confident we can make it work.”
Frederick didn’t immediately shut me down. After flipping through a few pages, he looked up and said, ”
Do you know how La Doghouse got started?”
“I’m listening.”
“When I opened La Doghouse, half the bars in town teamed up against me. My drinks were better and
cheaper, so they tried to run me out. I was nearly bankrupt at one point.”
He pushed the proposal back across the table. “Ever think about what’s gonna happen if you start a price
war? You undercut people’s profits, they’re gonna come for your throat. In business, there’s an unspoken
rule–live and let live You take food off someone’s table, that’s as good as going after their family. Sure, it might get you a quick foothold, but long term? You’ll crash harder.”
“I have thought about that.”
I paused, then answered honestly. “I don’t want to rely on a price war either. But right now, it’s the only way to grab attention. That’s why I’m thinking–if we form an alliance with other vendors and share the
profits, they wont see us as a threat!
Something flickered In Frederick’s eyes. That was the first time he really looked at me like a peer
“Not bad,” he said. “That’s actually how my dad did it. But have you ever thought about why he could pull It off? He’s got years of connections, deep pockets, and a ton of power. He’s also the chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, so people listen to him. But you-”
He stopped there, but the scorn in his voice was obvious.
“You’ve got a decent education, sure. But beyond that? No experience. No proven ability. You worked at Millenia Corporation just to tag along with your husband, playing the role of his forgettable little secretary. So tell me why should I trust you?”
I didn’t flinch. Instead, I pulled out a market analysis report and a breakdown of the equity split, sliding them across to him.
“You’re right. I don’t have the background. Which is exactly why I’m offering aggressive profit shares upfront–because that’s the only way I’ll ever get this off the ground.”
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Chapter 65
Chapter 65
