Page 6 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
Satoshi raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright!It’s just a joke!Don’t tell Eva, I’d rather not end up plastered to a wall."
I chuckled, picturing the scene.
"You’d totally deserve it."
"Speaking of which, how is she?Haven’t seen her in a while."
"Are you kidding me?Didn’t you crash our place last weekend?And if you want an update, just knock on her door.It’ll be good exercise."
Satoshi took on a dramatic expression, his voice dropping theatrically.
"Yeah, but the road is treacherous… You never know what monsters might be lurking."
I burst out laughing.
"Pretty sure Leila won’t appreciate that comparison.Anyway, what are you doing out of your bat cave?"
His expression shifted instantly, turning serious.
"Right.So, I thought of something new we could test."
I straightened up, intrigued by his sudden change in tone.
"Alright, genius.Let’s hear it."
*
Community Pilot was born from a group of friends with complementary talents.Back in college, we spent hours dreaming up an open-source collaborative platform that would allow employees around the world to work together seamlessly.
Each of us naturally fell into our roles: Eva handled the administrative side, Leila led marketing, Steve kept an eye on our finances, Satoshi built the tech, and I developed the business strategy.Over the years, our responsibilities grew, but we never really strayed from our original skill sets, except for Leila, who eventually took over as COO.
After Eva, Steve was the one I was closest to.But since he moved to London, I’d formed a real bond with Satoshi.We had a habit of grabbing lunch together, like today, eating pizza in my office.
My phone buzzed on the desk.Claire Lacombe.
Satoshi glanced at me, his enthusiasm instantly replaced by sharp curiosity.
"Pick up.Might be important."
Claire Lacombe was one of the directors at TechPartners, the investment fund[1]that had backed Community Pilot from the start.Their financial and strategic support had fueled our rapid growth, helping us dominate the collaborative solutions market.Back then, we were just a small startup with big ambitions, and TechPartners played a key role—not just with funding, but also by providing crucial connections and expertise.
Over time, other shareholders had joined us, but we had always ensured that TechPartners and the founding team retained the majority.This strategy allowed us to stay in control and prevent a hostile takeover that could compromise our vision.Claire, as a board member, kept a constant eye on the company’s health.Her deep understanding of financial markets and investment dynamics had helped us navigate complex situations more than once.
"Hello, Claire," I answered."I’ve got Satoshi here with me, I’ll put you on speaker."
They exchanged greetings before Claire got straight to the point.
"We have a problem," she said gravely."Aron Capital has quietly acquired another 8% of Community Pilot over the past few months, on top of the 13% they already held.They’re dangerously close to a blocking minority.And now, they’re pushing for a seat on the board."
She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.
Aron Capital was an investment fund that had joined us years ago during an early funding round.At the time, their stake seemed harmless, just another investor looking to ride our success.But by now, we knew better.Aron Capital played by different rules.Their goal wasn’t just to collect dividends; they wanted control.They had a track record of infiltrating boards, exploiting internal weaknesses, and maneuvering their way into decision-making power.
"They’re forcing our hand," Satoshi muttered."If they get a seat on the board, that’s a foothold."
"Exactly," Claire confirmed."Once inside, they’ll influence our strategic decisions and that could be the first step toward a full takeover."
