Chapter 46
46
~Elara’s POV
I took a deep breath, my hands still trembling a little as I followed him to the meeting room. Every step toward that room felt heavier than the last, but somewhere deep down, I knew that Darlon’s confidence in me was stronger than my own doubts, and maybe, just maybe, it was enough to carry me through this.
I stepped into the conference room, my heels clicking softly against the polished floor. My palms were sweaty, my stomach flipping like butterflies trapped in a hurricane. Darlon walked beside me, calm as always, as if this were nothing more than a regular Monday meeting.
I tried to copy his calm, but it didn’t stick.
The room was already filled with people, all seated around the long table. They looked up as we entered, their eyes polite, curious, and professional. I forced a smile, hoping it looked confident.
Darlon leaned toward me and whispered, “Just be yourself. Ask your questions. Answer honestly p>
“I… I’ll try,” I whispered back. My voice trembled, but he didn’t correct me, and that small reassurance steadied me just a little.
They all bowed to greet Darlon and he asked them to settled down.
One of the men, tall and sharply dressed, stood again and extended a hand. “Welcome, Miss Elara. I’m Mr. Collins, the CEO of Collins Automobile. It’s an honor to meet you. Alpha Darlon has told us alot about you p>
“Thank you,” I said, shaking his hand carefully. “It’s… nice to meet you too p>
“We’re excited to discuss your potential involvement with our company p>
I sat, arranging my notebook and laptop in front of me, my hands still a little shaky as I opened my files.
“So,” Mr. Collins began, “you’re interested in investing in an automobile company p>
“Yes,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I… I want to understand the company before I make any decisions. Your operations, your financials, and why you’re seeking investment p>
“Of course,” he said. “We’re expanding into electric vehicles. We’ve developed a new battery system with higher efficiency and longer life. We’ve been producing for some time, but to scale and meet demand, we need investors p>
I flipped through my notes. “And how much investment are you seeking p>
“Ten million dollars in total,” he said plainly. “Partial investments are welcome. You can decide how involved you want to be p>
My stomach sank a little. Ten million. I wasn’t sure I had ever dealt with numbers this big. I forced myself to stay composed.
“And… how will the funds be allocated?” I asked, trying to sound precise. “Production? Technology? Marketing p>
He raised an eyebrow, impressed. “You’ve clearly reviewed the materials. That’s exactly the right question p>
“I… I like to know where funds are going,” I said, giving a small, self-conscious smile.
“Very wise,” he said. “Not many investors your age ask these things p>
I felt my cheeks heat. “I… I try p>
Darlon, standing quietly beside me, spoke then. “She’s very capable. You’ll see p>
The woman next to him, short hair and glasses, leaned forward. “You are right, Your Majesty. Miss Elara, how involved would you like to be if you invest p>
I froze. I had never been in this position before. “I… I’m not sure yet,” I admitted. “I want to understand the company first, observe, and ask questions before committing to any level of involvement p>
“That’s reasonable,” she said with a nod.
“So,” Mr. Collins said, leaning forward, “if you invest, you’ll have voting rights on major decisions. You understand that, yes p>
“Yes,” I said carefully. “I would want transparency and to review each project before approving any funds p>
“Absolutely,” he said. “We value investors who are thorough p>
“I I paused, thinking carefully. “I’m also concerned about risks. Are there any debts, legal issues, or ongoing obligations I should know about p>
“Very reasonable,” the woman with glasses said. “We have some loans, nothing critical, and no pending lawsuits. All records will be available to you p>
I nodded, jotting notes. My hands were steadier now, my voice more confident.
“And the patents?” I asked. “How is your intellectual property protected p>
“The technology is fully protected,” the CEO said firmly. “Lawyers are involved. No one can use it without approval. That’s why investors are crucial, to scale safely while keeping our IP secure p>
I exhaled slightly. Darlon’s eyes met mine, calm and supportive. I felt a bit steadier.
“Would you like to visit the factory and meet our engineers?” Mr. Collins asked.
“Yes,” I said, trying to keep my voice confident. “I want to understand the production process from design to assembly p>
“Perfect,” he said. “That can be arranged next week. Today is for discussion and questions p>
I glanced at Darlon. He gave a slight, confident nod.
I drew a deep breath. “I need to consider the amount I can invest and my level of involvement. I don’t want to commit without understanding everything fully p>
“That’s wise of you,” the woman said.
“Exactly,” Darlon added. “Take your time. Don’t underestimate yourself. You know how to ask the right questions p>
I looked at my notes again. “Thank you. I… I will review everything and make a decision p>
Mr. Collins leaned back, satisfied. “We just ask that you take the time you need. We hope you’ll join us p>
“Thank you for your time,” I said quietly, “and… for being patient with me p>
Mr. Collins smiled like he genuinely meant it. The others nodded politely.
Then, almost in unison, they turned to Darlon and bowed.
After that, they collected their files and left the room one by one, murmuring to each other as the door clicked shut behind them.
The room felt a lot quieter without them. Almost too quiet.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding and glanced at Darlon… who was already looking at me like he knew exactly what was going on in my head.
His hand brushed mine as we left, just lightly, almost like he didn’t want to startle me. I think he could feel how tense I still was. Maybe he always could.
“See? You did fine,” he said quietly.
I didn’t look up at him right away. My mind was still replaying the meeting, every word I said, every tiny pause.
“I… I hope so,” I whispered, though it sounded more like I was trying to convince myself.
“You did more than hope,” he said, and there was something warm in his voice. “You stayed calm, asked the right questions, and impressed them. That’s what matters p>
I let out a soft breath I didn’t realise I’d been holding. The hallway suddenly felt longer, like the air was stretching around us.
“I… I’m still nervous,” I admitted. “I’ve never handled something this big before p>
My voice wavered a little. I hated that it did, but I couldn’t help it. My chest still felt tight from trying to stay composed for so long.
He slowed his steps a bit, matching mine without making it obvious. “You handled it,” he said, steady and sure. “You learned. You’ll keep learning. That’s enough p>
I nodded, though my thoughts were still tumbling around like loose papers in a windy room.
“It just feels like… one wrong decision and everything could fall apart,” I murmured. “Like I could mess up something important without even meaning to p>
“You won’t,” he said simply. “And even if you stumble, you’ll stand up again. You always do p>
I looked at him then. Really looked. He wasn’t smiling to make me feel better. He meant every word.
It made something inside me unclench a little.
“I don’t know,” I said softly, “I still feel like I’m learning how to breathe in rooms like that p>
“That’s okay,” he replied. “You’ll breathe easier next time. And the time after that p>