Page 49 of He Falls First

Leonard from legal, a man whose mustache looks lifelike enough to file its own lawsuits, snorts derisively. “And how exactly do you intend to monetize this so-called lifeline?”

“Subscription models, data analytics, targeted advertising—” I reel off the possibilities, but Leonard isn’t buying it. None of them are.

“Come on, Hendrix,” scoffs Ronald, his jowls vibrating with disdain. “It’s a money pit. You really expect us to pump cash into this- what do you call it? A digital lifeline for mom-and-pop shops?”

“Yes, I do,” I snap back, leaning forward, hands splayed on the conference table. “It’s about giving them a fighting chance in a market dominated by giants.”

“Sounds like charity work,” says another board member, Peter, his smirk as tight as his hairline. “Since when did Nexus Tech become a non-profit?”

His condescension is almost tangible, and something inside me bristles. They’re not seeing the vision, not seeing the potential. Worse still, they talk to me as if Elizabeth isn’t even at the table, let alone the co-architect of LocalLink.

My jaw tightens. I can handle the board’s skepticism, but they’ve been treating her like she’s some naïve intern rather than the co-architect of this project. My protective streak flares up.

But before I can clear the way to let Elizabeth join the conversation, she cuts in herself.

“Actually, it’s sound business.” Her tone is steady, but forceful enough to cut in. “By equipping local businesses with our platform, we create a dependency which translates to long-term profits and loyal customers. It’s more than charity. It’s strategic community engagement.”

She stands up straight as an arrow, locking eyes with the doubters one by one.

“LocalLink will utilize a tiered subscription model,” she explains. “Small businesses can start with the basics and then add services as they grow. It empowers them, keeps them agile.”

The room falls silent as the board members weigh her words. I try to hide my grin, impressed by her gutsiness.

“Agile, hm?” Leonard muses, stroking his mustache. “And what about scalability? Security?”

“Covered and covered.” Elizabeth’s tone is even, her gaze unflinching.

I try to encourage her with a smile of approval, but she doesn’t even glance my way. She’s not looking to me for backup. She’s owning it, every word, every idea, and damn, do I respect her for it.

“We’ve factored in the latest encryption protocols for security,” she continues. “As for scalability, we’re already in talks with cloud service providers to ensure that LocalLink can handle growth without compromising performance.”

Leonard leans back, eyeing Elizabeth with newfound respect. Or maybe it’s just surprise that someone so unassuming is schooling him on tech logistics. Either way, a thread of tension loosens in the room.

“Strategic community engagement,” repeats Ronald slowly. “That’s, well, that’s an interesting angle.”

“Yep!” Elizabeth continues. “And it aligns perfectly with our corporate responsibility goals. Not to mention the PR opportunities—”

“Let’s be realistic,” another man, Richard, chimes in skeptically. “We’re talking about a significant investment into an unproven concept targeting small-scale operations. How do we ensure a return on our investment?”

“Local businesses are the backbone of our communities,” Elizabeth counters without hesitation. “They need support to transition into the digital space. Our platform will be indispensable.”

“Indispensable,” I echo firmly, leaning forward. “It’s not charity work. It’s foresight. We corner the market now, and we set the stage for a loyal customer base that’ll expand as we help them grow.”

Richard shifts in his seat, clearly considering. Elizabeth doesn’t back down for a second.

“Think of it this way,” she says, her eyes sweeping across the board members. “We’re not just investing in technology. We’re investing in relationships, in community. That’s something you can’t put a price tag on.”

“Relationships, huh?” Leonard murmurs, a hint of a smile on his lips. “Give us some time to chew on this, Miss Summers.”

“We’ll consider it,” Peter confirms. “No promises.”

“Of course,” Elizabeth replies with a gracious nod, though her shoulders remain squared, defiant even in diplomacy.

She finally meets my gaze now, and I smile. The fight isn’t over, not by a long shot, but we’ve made them think. That’s a start.

“Take all the time you need,” I tell the board. “Just not too much time. The future doesn’t have a snooze button.”

With that, the meeting adjourns, and the board files out, murmurs and footfalls fading down the hallway. I catch Elizabeth’s eye from across the table. It’s exhilarating, this sense of partnership. We may be faking our engagement, but I’m glad we get the chance for genuine collaboration in moments like these.

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