Chapter 107: That’s Where I Come In

A few days after the gala, we found ourselves inside a conference room at the Ward Impact Ventures building.

There’s no need for me to describe the way it looks to you, is there? It’s the same as every other conference room, complete with the floor to ceiling windows that all corporate buildings had.

Jenny sat across from me and beside her was Amelia, both of them wearing their power suits. Well, I was also in a suit so I had no right to say that.

But when you look at the situation, you’ll understand why we were all suited up like we were auditioning for a new Men In Black movie.

Today, we weren’t just having another business meeting. We were signing exactly what we needed after days upon days of planning and negotiations.

Of course, there were other people in the conference room to witness the whole thing.

Cameras rolled and flashed as the two women smiled excitedly at each other as they pandered to the cameras.

"This is it." Amelia said like she just discovered a new continent. "A new chapter for Apex Investments and Ward Impact Ventures. With this partnership, we would expand our reach and be able to make the kind of difference that we’ve all envisioned."

"I couldn’t agree more." Jenny nodded, her smile having a bit more joy in it. "We’ll make sure that this doesn’t just benefit Apex but benefits society as a whole. I’m happy that I’m taking a step toward changing how businesses operate in today’s world."

"Shall we make it official?" Amelia asked, passing a pen to Jenny.

Jenny took a moment to glance at the agreement before signing her name with a flourish. Then Amelia did the same.

Everyone clapped as the ink dried on the page. With this move, Jenny just appealed to both the traditional and modern board members and investors at Apex.

How? Let me explain.

We’ve just created a new division within Apex that would focus on using strategic investments to drive social impact while keeping profitability in mind.

Yes, it’s a risky move but guess what it also is. Groundbreaking. Or at least, that’s how we’ll market it.

There was one thing the traditionalists love just as much as legacy.

Noblesse oblige.

And there was one thing the modern guys love just as much as being woke.

Being pretentious. Especially when it comes to philanthropy.

If we manage to execute this move correctly, it would position Jenny as a visionary leader in Apex’s future. Basically, we’ll turn Jenny into a second Clarisse.

For all her playing by the rules and demureness, Clarisse was seen as a maverick when she first began. All we needed to do was allow people to make the same connections with Jenny.

Back to the signing, we clapped, toasted and celebrated for a few minutes before everybody went back to whatever it was they had been doing.

Left in the room were Amelia, Henny and I. Gone was the celebratory atmosphere. Now was the time for strategy.

"So, what have we got?" I asked, kickstarting the whole thing.

Amelia leaned forward, pulling up a presentation on the large screen at the head of the room.

"As you know," she began, "Ward Impact Ventures has been eyeing several companies that align with our shared vision."

"These are small to mid-sized enterprises, innovative, community focused and ripe for scaling. The challenge has always been resources. We’re not as big as we wish we were and have always lacked the funding and the operational support to move forward."

The screen displayed a list of companies. Each name was accompanied by a brief description and a projected impact analysis.

Jenny tilted her head, studying the screen. "These are impressive."

It really was impressive. On the list, Amelia had a few community driven tech startups, eco-conscious manufacturing firms and even sustainable agriculture outfits. It was basically her wishlist.

Perfect. This was exactly what I wanted her for. A legacy bridge between Jenny and Apex traditionalists.

"If we can bring these companies under this new division, they’ll not only strengthen Apex’s portfolio but also align perfectly with the messaging we need to counter Jasmine’s acquisitions."

"Exactly." Amelia nodded in response to Jenny’s words. "These companies are not just investments. They’re also statements. Each one tells a story about where Apex is headed under your leadership. And the media will eat it up. It’s a PR coup waiting to happen."

I leaned back in my chair, a smile on my face. I’d really chosen well.

Amelia had chosen companies that won’t just have a positive impact on society but would also capture the attention of the public. The perfect combination we needed.

With the right words in the right place, Jasmine’s move would be seen as aggressive acquisition for the pure purpose of profit while Jenny’s move will be seen as innovation while staying true to Apex’s core values.

Jasmine’s move wasn’t inherently bad but that was one of the things I’d brought WireFrame Solutions under my umbrella for. To make my own version of the truth into the public truth.

All these were all well and good but there was a problem.

"These are great opportunities," I said, "but I don’t see how we fund all of this with Apex’s current resources only. The money is being split between both CEOs. Even with Ward Impact Ventures involved, the scale we’re talking about requires significant capital."

Jenny turned to me, a knowing smile on her face. "Let me guess. You have a solution."

"Yep." I matched her smile, leaning forward. "This… is where I come in. Not as Imperium Holdings but as I, Nicholas Voss."

"Ah." Jenny’s eyes widened as she understood where I was going with this. "I see."

Confused about what’s going on? Lucky you, I have an explanation.

The one thing that makes Clarisse wary of me is her concerns about my influence over Apex. If it looks like I’m about to take any significant control, especially with Imperial Holdings standing behind me, the tables would turn.

She’d throw her lot behind Jasmine, someone she could control than Jenny, someone in the control of someone else.

"I’m willing to invest into this partnership but we need to be smart about how we frame this."

Amelia frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?

"If it looks like Nico is positioning himself to take over, it’ll confirm my mother’s worst fears and we can’t afford that." Jenny explained. "Who knows what she’ll do in response."

Amelia nodded as she finally understood the situation. "So, how do we structure this?"

I paused, thinking through the options. "What if we create a separate investment vehicle? Something distinct from Imperium Holdings."

I paused, gauging their reactions.

"It would be my personal investment but with safeguards to make sure I’m not perceived as seizing control."@@novelbin@@

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"I’ll establish a special-purpose entity." I explained. "This entity will be a silent partner in the new division."

"It’ll provide the capital you need to acquire these companies but it won’t hold any decision making power. All operational control stays with Apex and Ward Impact Ventures. I’ll simply be a financial backer."

"Okay," Jenny leaned forward, liking the idea. "That could work. It gives us the funds we need without giving Jasmine or the board ammunition against us."

"And," I added, "it aligns with the narrative we’re building around Jenny’s leadership. She’s securing external investment to drive Apex’s future, proving she can lead while attracting the resources needed for the company’s growth."

"With my $8 billion, we’ll be able to do enough that even Jasmine’s staunchest ally won’t be able to deny the truths we’re feeding them."

"$8 billion?" Jenny coughed.

"Woah." Amelia raised both eyebrows in surprise, asking the question that was on both their minds. "$8 billion is a lot of money, Nico. Are you sure you’re comfortable committing that much without direct control?"

"I’m not doing this for control." I smirked. "I’m doing this because it’s necessary for both Jenny and what we’re building. Besides, this isn’t charity. These companies have serious potential. I’ll see a return."

Not to mention the fact that $8 billion is a relatively small sacrifice to make in order to inherit a fortune worth more than $150 billion.

Jenny looked at me and I could see the gratitude in her eyes. She looked genuinely touched by my gesture. "Thank you, Nico." She said and it was like those little words healed something inside of me.

"You’re welcome." I smiled at her.

With the framework in place, we spent the next hour hammering out the details.

Amelia would lead the acquisition strategy, using her network and expertise to secure the best deals while Jenny would oversee the integration of these companies into Apex’s new division, hammering in the profit and philanthropy strategy.

As for me, my role was clear. Provide the financial backing and stay out of the spotlight.

Two things that I could do, anyday, anytime.

Now, all I had to do was wait. Wait for the universe to throw its next curveball.