Chapter 108 *

Chapter 108 Chapter 108
Angelina’s POV
Derek's eyebrows rose slightly. "Go ahead."
"No one controls my freedom."
His expression didn't change. Just waited for me to continue.
"I'll work for you. I'll take your missions. I'll train at your facilities. But I come and go as I please. I'm not a prisoner. I'm not property. I'm an asset. And assets work best when they have autonomy."
"You have my word." Derek smiled.
"Your word isn't enough."
"Then what do you want? A contract?"
"I want it in writing. Signed by whoever's in charge. With very clear terms. I maintain my personal freedom. I can refuse missions if they conflict with my interests. And I can leave whenever I want."
"That's asking for a lot."
"Take it or leave it."
"You're exactly what we need." He extended his hand across the table. "Deal."
I looked at his hand. Then took it.
"I'll have the paperwork drawn up," he said. "It'll take a few days. But once it's ready, we'll get you started."
"When does training begin?"
"Soon. I'll contact you with the details."
He released my hand. Picked up his coffee again.
"You won't regret this, Aria. This is the beginning of something extraordinary."
We sat there for another few minutes. Making small talk. Nothing important.
I left the coffee shop at 2:45 PM.
My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.
Black Mercedes waiting outside. Victor sent me. - Chen
I looked up. A sleek black Mercedes was parked at the curb. The driver's window rolled down. A man in his thirties nodded at me.
I walked over and got in the back seat.
"Miss Sterling." The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Mr. Wu asked me to bring you to the Meridian building. Should take about forty minutes with traffic."
"Fine."
He pulled into traffic smoothly. I stared out the window. My mind went back to last night. David Pierce's face when I'd told him money doesn't buy class. The way he'd looked at his son with disappointment and contempt.
The driver's voice broke my thoughts. "Miss Sterling, we're almost there."
I looked up. We were in the financial district now. Tall glass buildings everywhere. People in suits rushing along the sidewalks.
The Mercedes pulled up in front of a particularly impressive building. All glass and steel. At least forty stories high.
The words "MERIDIAN CORPORATION" were etched in silver letters above the entrance.
"We're here," the driver said.
I got out. Two men in black suits were waiting near the entrance. Blackwater Cartel members. I recognized the tattoos on their necks.
The taller one stepped forward. "Miss Sterling. Mr. Wu is waiting upstairs. Conference room on the twentieth floor."
"Lead the way."
We walked through the lobby. A massive reception desk with three people working behind it.
Nobody stopped us. We took the elevator. The shorter guard pressed the button for floor twenty.
The elevator was silent except for the soft hum of machinery. I watched the numbers climb. The doors opened.
The tall guard gestured to a door at the end of the hall. "Conference room B. Mr. Wu and Mr. Pierce are already inside."
"Thank you." I walked toward the door.
Victor Wu was already seated on the far side of the table. He had two men with him. Lawyers, probably. And on the other side sat David Pierce.
He was wearing a three-piece suit. Navy blue. His briefcase sat on the floor next to his chair. A woman in her thirties sat beside him. Assistant or secretary. She had a tablet in front of her, ready to take notes.
David was mid-sentence when I walked in. Talking to Victor about something. His coffee cup was raised to his lips.
Then he saw me.
The cup froze halfway to his mouth.
His eyes went wide. Just for a second. Then he controlled his expression.
The recognition. The shock.
His brain was clearly connecting the dots. The girl from last night. The one who'd told him off in front of everyone.
That girl was walking into his business meeting.
The coffee cup trembled slightly in his hand. He set it down quickly. Some liquid sloshed over the rim onto the saucer.
Victor stood up. Professional smile on his face. "Ah, Miss Sterling. Right on time."
He gestured toward me. "Mr. Pierce, this is Aria Sterling. She heads our West Coast operations."
I walked forward. Extended my hand toward David.
"Mr. Pierce." My voice was perfectly calm. "What a coincidence."
David stood up automatically. His hand was sweating when he shook mine. I could feel it.
"Miss... Sterling." His voice was strained. "Yes. A... coincidence indeed."
We shook hands. He was nervous. Victor was watching both of us. His eyes sharp. "You two know each other?"
I released David's hand. Sat down across from him.
"We met briefly yesterday," I said. "Social occasion."
David cleared his throat. Tried to smile. It looked painful.
"Yes. Very... memorable encounter."
Victor's eyebrow raised slightly. But he didn't push. Just nodded and gestured for everyone to sit.
"Well then. Let's get down to business."
Everyone settled into their seats. I pulled one of the notepads toward me. Picked up a pen. Looked attentive and professional.
Victor leaned back in his chair. "Mr. Pierce, perhaps you'd like to start with your proposal?"
David took a deep breath. Visibly trying to pull himself together.
"Of course." He nodded to his assistant. "Sarah, if you would."
The assistant stood up. Walked to the front of the room where a projector screen was set up. She connected her laptop.
The lights dimmed slightly. The screen lit up with the Meridian Corporation logo.
David stood up. Walked to the front of the room. Now he was in presentation mode.
"Gentlemen. Miss Sterling." He nodded at each of us. "Thank you for taking this meeting."
The first slide appeared.
MERIDIAN CORPORATION OVERVIEW
David clicked to advance the slide. "Meridian is one of California's largest commercial real estate developers. We've been in business for thirty-two years. Annual revenue last year was 1.8 billion dollars."
He clicked again. Photos of buildings appeared. Shopping centers. Office complexes. Hotels.
"Our portfolio includes over three hundred properties across the West Coast. We specialize in high-traffic commercial zones. Prime locations. Premium development."
Next slide.
PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP STRUCTURE
"What we're proposing is a strategic partnership with Blackwater Cartel." David's voice was smooth now. Professional. "Meridian provides commercial properties. Blackwater leases or purchases them for entertainment venues."
He clicked again. A diagram appeared showing the partnership structure.
"Alternatively, we could establish a joint venture. Co-develop entertainment complexes together. Split costs and profits according to investment ratios."
I watched him present. He was good at this. But I could still see the tension in his shoulders. The way his eyes avoided mine.
Next slide.
BENEFITS FOR BLACKWATER CARTEL
David gestured at the screen. "The advantages for Blackwater are significant."
He counted on his fingers as he spoke. "Prime locations in high-traffic areas. Reduced overhead through volume discounts. Meridian handles all zoning issues, permits, and licensing headaches. Professional property management services. And most importantly—enhanced legitimacy through partnership with an established, respected developer."
Victor was nodding. Taking notes.
David's lawyers were watching me. Probably wondering why their boss seemed so nervous around a fifteen-year-old girl.
Next slide.
FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS
Charts and graphs filled the screen. David walked through the numbers.
"Five-year ROI projections. As you can see, even conservative estimates show twenty-three percent returns. Our rental discount packages start at fifteen percent for bulk leases. For property purchases, we offer competitive financing options through our preferred lenders."
He clicked to the final slide.
PROPOSED TIMELINE
"We've broken this into three phases. Phase one: sixty days for due diligence. Phase two: thirty days for contract negotiation. Phase three: ninety days to complete the first property acquisition or lease."
David turned to face us. "That covers the basic framework. Happy to answer any questions."
He sat back down. Picked up his water bottle. Took a long drink.
Victor looked at me. "Miss Sterling? Any questions?"
I set down my pen. Folded my hands on the table.
"Several."
David's jaw tightened.
I looked directly at him. "First question. What's the proposed legal structure? LLC? Limited partnership? And more importantly—if there's a licensing issue, zoning violation, or worse, a legal investigation into our operations, how is liability apportioned?"
David blinked. "We would establish an independent LLC. Liability would be clearly separated between—"
"Separated how?" I cut him off. "Specifically. If federal agents raid one of our venues, does that exposure extend to Meridian? If Meridian faces its own legal troubles, are our assets protected? I need details, not vague assurances."
Victor was trying not to smile. His lawyers were taking notes furiously.
David cleared his throat. "We would structure it so that each party's liability is limited to their direct ownership stake. Proper firewalls between entities."
"Good." I didn't give him time to breathe. "Second question. What's our exit strategy?"
David frowned. "Exit strategy?"
"Yes. If this partnership doesn't work out, or if market conditions change, what are the terms for termination? Are there buyout clauses? Non-compete agreements? Lock-in periods?"
David glanced at his assistant. She was frantically scrolling through documents on her tablet.
"We can include standard exit provisions," David said carefully. "Ninety-day notice. Fair market value buyout."
"Define fair market value," I said. "Who determines it? Independent appraisal? What if we disagree on valuation? Binding arbitration?"
David was starting to sweat again. "Yes. All of that can be negotiated."
"It needs to be negotiated now," I said. "Not later. These are fundamental terms."
Victor coughed to hide a laugh.
I leaned forward slightly. "Third question. You're asking us to commit significant capital. What guarantees do we have about Meridian's financial stability?"
David's face went red. "Meridian is a highly respected—"
"I'm not asking about your reputation." My voice stayed calm. "I'm asking about your balance sheet. What happens if Meridian is acquired? Goes public? Faces its own legal issues? How are our interests protected?"
The room went very quiet.