Free Pulse by Rhea Wilde Page A

meeting.”
    “…Then what are you talking about?”
    “Alice, you’re the only female in the room. Do you know the last time we had a female on the board of directors?”
    “No.”
    “Never. But if you manage to live up to your expectations, you’ll be the first.”
    “I…”
    “No pressure, Alice.”
    He winked at me then started to chuckle. He stood up from the table then placed his arm upon my shoulder.
    “But I didn’t hire you just because you’re a woman. I said that before and I’m saying it again. I want to make it perfectly clear to you. You were hired because you were better than any of the other candidates.”
    “I know. Thank you.”
    “Alice…”
    “Yes?”
    He stared at me. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking. He suddenly began to laugh then lowered his hand from my shoulder.
    “It’s nothing,” he sighed. “Head down to your office and see if you can brush up on everything we just talked about. Remember. No pressure.”
    He winked at me then escorted me out of the boardroom. We stood next to one another as we waited for separate elevators. I didn’t say another word to him. I only nodded to him and headed down to my office while he headed back up to his.

Chapter 9
    The name of the company was Corve Tech. They were a small start-up company that managed to find success thanks to their founder, Jason David. Jason was a young man in his mid-twenties. After graduating from university, he used all of the resources he had from his part-time job to mess around with some of the ideas floating around in his head. Now his company was worth more than anybody could estimate because of all of the fresh and innovative inventions he was able to create.
    I learned all about Jason and Corve Tech after spending several ours alone in my new office. It was nice to have a new workplace, even if the work was more intense than anything I’d ever studied while I was in school. When I got home, I gleaned even more information about him online. Combined with all of the notes I received from Rafael and the rest of the board members, I knew more about the company we had a scheduled meeting with than anybody would about a person they’d never met before.
    The plan was to buyout Jason David. Because he was a small start-up, there was still potential for growth. Rafael emphasized getting a hold of the company before it grew even larger. Now the trick was trying to convince Jason David to sell his company. This was the growth Rafael was talking about. This was another step toward expanding his business and finding more success for Barnett industries.
     
    * * *
     
    Our meeting with Jason David was scheduled for that afternoon. I showed-up to work that morning after what was surprisingly a good night’s rest. I knew that they weren’t expecting much out of me. I wondered if I would even have any say at all. But if Rafael or any of the board members needed my input, I would be able to give them more insight.
    I sat there in the boardroom. It was a glaring fact that I was the only woman in the room. And my youth reeked of someone who didn’t have the experience of dealing with men responsible for billions of dollars. Two fellow interns alongside me wasn’t enough to deter how anxious I felt about the pending meeting.
    “All right,” Rafael said as he took his place at the front of the room. “Jason David is scheduled to speak with us soon. We’ve read all of the estimates on what most financial experts put Corve Tech at. We’ve had our own people analyze it and we’re well aware of the forecasts. It’s clear that it has a bright future. But only if it can maintain this kind of success. Our maximum offer to Jason will be three billion. No more. If he wants anything more, then we’ll just have to convince him to come down.”
    I didn’t say a single word. I was tense the entire time. Rafael continued to discuss everything with the board members and I found myself captivated by everything. At least, that’s