Chapter 20 - The investment deal dies
Mitchell Development’s investment in Carter Site Systems ended too.
Not because Ethan sought revenge.
Because business trust had collapsed.
Malik was furious that a version of the restructuring had been circulated without his clear understanding.
I refused the minority conversion terms.
Ethan no longer wanted his former fiancée’s father controlling his company.
Mitchell Development withdrew.
Could Carter Site Systems survive without $750,000?
Yes.
Growth slowed.
They obtained a smaller conventional expansion line from a regional bank.
Higher cost.
More modest hiring.
No mansion-level trajectory.
Fine.
A year later they employed twenty-nine people instead of the forty-five Ethan had projected under the Mitchell deal.
Profit remained healthy.
My twelve percent remained twelve percent until a later employee-equity plan diluted everyone proportionately with transparent approval.
I signed that one.
After reading it.
Slowly.
Denise laughed.
“Progress.”
I said:
“Trauma-based corporate governance.”
She said:
May you like
“Not a term.”
“It should be.”
