Page 143 of Code of Heart
“Who wants to join me in buying Neuronix back and taking it private again?”
Silence.
Such complete silence that the crackle of the fire was the only sound in the room.
Levi shifted awkwardly.Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for.
Aurelia, always one step ahead, offered innocently, “Maybe you should explainhowthat’s possible before the shock wears off?”
Ivy blinked. “Yeah. I’m going to need a little more than ‘Hey, let’s casually buy back a multibillion-dollar company.’”
Levi chuckled and nodded, grateful for the assist. “Okay, starting from the top. Remember those 10b5-1 trading plans we set up years ago? Every time we renewed them during our annual benefits enrollment, it automatically sold our stock at peak prices if we ever left the company involuntarily.”
Isaac gave a low whistle. “Yeah, and have you seen the share price since? Between the data breach, our firing, and the utter chaos in leadership, it’s tanked. A fraction of what it was.”
“Exactly.” Levi’s grin turned sharp. “And guess who’s been buying up those discounted shares?”
Grace’s eyes narrowed. “Tyler Faulkner.”
“Ding ding ding. The snake’s now the majority shareholder.”
Aurelia interjected smoothly. “But my exceptionally bright husband forgot something very important. Neuronix doesn’t own the full rights to the intellectual property it’s built on.”
They both waited patiently as the realization settled over their friends like a slow-moving train.
Owen’s eyes lit up first. “Oh mygod. We still own the software rights.”
Isaac leaned forward, grinning. “And if we refuse to license it—”
“—The company can’t sell any products,” Owen finished with glee.
“Aterribleshame,” Aurelia said, her voice dripping with mock sorrow, “if the entire software engineering team just happened to walk out and refused to transfer the IP rights.”
Levi watched, satisfied, as their expressions shifted from shock to triumphant anticipation.Thiswas the reaction he had been waiting for.
Grace clapped her hands together. “That woulddevastatethe stock price. No team. No product. The company would collapse!”
“And we swoop in and buy the company back for pennies on the dollar,” Ivy said with a wicked grin. “I’m all in.”
Owen dropped the last fry into his mouth and wiped his hands with theatrical finality. “I’m only here for the chaos. But also—yes.”
Levi snickered but raised a hand to calm them. “We need to think strategically. We’ll need to guarantee that those engineers who walk out have financial security. If we can promise them job offers and bridge the gap in their salaries, they’ll jump ship. I’ve already spoken to Martin Strasburg and he’s ready…and so are a sizable number of the senior developers.”
Aurelia’s voice softened. “It’s what Eleanor did. She guaranteed security for her staff to ensure their loyalty before she passed.”
The room grew quiet at the impact of her words.
“This only works if we can financially sustain the fallout and secure what’s left of Neuronix,” Levi said quietly. “It’s a risk. But it’s a chance to rebuild it on our terms and better than before.”
He looked at every one of them, his friends who had built this company by his side. Friends who stood by him through everything.
“So,” he said, his voice low and even, “who’s willing to take one last gamble on Neuronix?”
No one spoke. They didn’t have to. Each one of them nodded, their grins slowly spreading like wildfire.
The Reckoninghad begun.
CHAPTER 59
