60 An Invitation Among Adversaries
The next day, Elara was reviewing a code sequence when Julian burst into her office. His expression was unusually tense.
“We’ve received an invitation,” he announced, waving his phone.
Elara looked up from her screen. “For what exactly?”
“Lunch with the Paxon brothers and Newman.”
Elara raised her eyebrows. The Paxon brothers were pioneering brain–computer interface technology. Their work would complement YodaVision’s developments perfectly.
“That’s excellent news,” she said, already mentally rearranging her schedule.
Julian grimaced. “There’s more. Damien will be there.”
Elara’s fingers froze over her keyboard. She didn’t need to ask which Damien. There was only one whose mere mention could make her pulse stutter.
“With Vivienne, I assume?” she asked, keeping her voice neutral.
Julian nodded. “Apparently the Paxons are considering multiple investment options.
.horne Industries is their primary interest, but Newman mentioned our work to
them.”
Elara turned back to her screen, trying to process this information. A meeting with her soon–to–be ex–husband and her half–sister. In public. While discussing business.
“We should decline,” Julian said. “I can meet with the Paxons separately.”
Elara stared at the lines of code on her screen, not really seeing them. The old Elara away, letting Damien
would have avoided the confrontation. She would have them. The old Elara
dominate yet another professional space.
“No,” she said firmly. “We’re going”
Julian looked surprised. “Are you sure? It will be awkward.”
“It’s a business lunch with potential p artners, Elara replied, straightening her
21:14
60 An Invitation Among Adversaries
shoulders. “My personal situation with Damien is irrelevant.”
“And Vivienne?”
Elara met his gaze. “We’ll be professional. We can behave like strangers.”
Julian studied her face, clearly concerned. “If you’re certain.”
“I am,” she said, her voice steady despite the quickening of her heartbeat. “What time is lunch?”
The restaurant was one of those exclusive establishments where tables were spaced far enough apart to ensure privacy for business discussions. Elara smoothed down her navy dress as she and Julian approached the entrance.
“You look great, Julian assured her. “Confident. Professional.”
Elara nodded, grateful for his support. They paused at the entrance, and through the glass doors, she could see them already inside.
Damien stood tall in an impeccably tailored suit, his dark hair perfectly styled. His posture exuded power and control. Beside him, Vivienne shone in a crimson dress that accentuated her curves, her hand casually resting on Damien’s arm as she laughed at something someone said.
Elara took a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”
As they entered, Elara kept her expression neutral, though she couldn’t help noticing how Vivienne’s smile faded when their eyes met. The other woman quickly whispered something to Alistair Dubois, who was also present, before turning away.
Damien looked up, his expression unchanging as he registered Elara’s presence. His eyes moved over her briefly before shifting to Julian.
Newman spotted them and waved them over enthusiastically. “Croft! Vance! Come meet the Paxons!”
Two men who must be the Paxon brothers turned to look at them with interest. Lennox stood nearby, her calculating gaze taking in Elara’s composure.
Alistair’s expression darkened slightly as they approached. He leaned toward Lennox,
90 An Invitation Among Adversaries
whispering, “I didn’t realize she would be joining”
Lennox’s lips pressed together in disapproval. “Newman must have invited them directly.”
Julian stepped forward confidently, extending his hand to the older Paxon brother. “Julian Croft, CEO of YodaVision. This is my business partner and Chief Technology Officer, Elara Vance.”
“Erik Paxon, the man replied, shaking Julian’s hand firmly before turning to Elara. “Ms. Vance, I’ve read your paper on emotional pattern recognition in AL. Brilliant work.”
“Thank you,” Elara replied, feeling a small burst of pride.
The younger Paxon brother, Marcus, joined in. “We’re excited to discuss potential synergies between our companies”
Newman gestured toward the private dining room. “Shall we head in? I’ve arranged a
wonderful menu.
As the group began moving toward the dining area, Damien finally acknowledged their presence with a curt nod. ‘Croft.”
“Thorne,” Julian replied equally tersely
Their eyes held for a moment before Damien turned away, guiding Vivienne with a hand on the small of her back
Elara felt a pang watching the familiar gesture but quickly suppressed it. This was
business, nothing more.
In the private dining room, Damien pulled out a chair for Vivienne before taking his seat beside her. Their movements were practiced, comfortable–a couple accustomed to each other’s presence.
Julian deliberately sat next to Elara, creating a buffer between her and the others. As everyone settled, waiters appeared with menus and water.
“The steak here is exceptional” Damien commented to Erik Paxon. “I recommend it
rare.”
Vivienne leaned against him slightly. “Damien always knows the best choices at every
restaurant.”“
60 An invitation Among Adversaries
Elara studied her menu intently, ignoring the familiar way Vivienne said Damien’s
name
“What looks good to you? Julian asked quietly.
“The salmon, I think,” Elara replied, grateful for the distraction.
Alistair and Lennox exchanged glances across the table, seemingly relieved by Elara’s composed demeanor.
As the waiter took their orders, the conversation turned to business. Erik Paxon described their latest breakthrough in neural interfaces, while Marcus outlined their
vision for the future.
“That’s where I see potential collaboration with both your companies,” Erik explained. “Thorne Industries has the manufacturing capabilities, while YodaVision’s emotional intelligence algorithms could revolutionize our user experience.
Damien nodded. “We’ve been following your work closely. Thorne Industries is prepared to offer significant resources to accelerate your development timeline.”
*Resources are important, Julian agreed, “but so is innovation. At YodaVision, we prioritize creative solutions over brute force approaches.”
The subtle dig wasn’t lost on Damien, whose jo tightened almost imperceptibly.
Vivienne leaned forward. “Creativity is valuable, certainly, but scale matters too. Thorne Industries call implement solutions globally.”
“Scale without refinement leads to propagating flaws,” Elara countered, speaking for the first time. All eyes turned to her. “What YodaVision offers is precision and nuance.”
Erik Paxon looked intrigued. “Could you elaborate, Ms. Vance?”
Elara met his gaze confidently. “Our adaptive algorithms can recognize ninety–seven distinct emotional states. That level of emotional intelligence would transform how users interact with your neural interfaces.
“Impressive,” Marcus murmured.
Damien’s expression remained unchanged, but Elara noticed his knuckles whiten slightly around his water glass.
60 An Invitation Among Adversaries
“Thorne Industries has its own emotional recognition technology in development, Vivienne Interjected quickly. “We’ve been making significant progress.”
“Under whose leadership?” Julian asked innocently. “I wasn’t aware Thorne had expertise in that area.”
The tension at the table thickened.
“We’ve assembled a talented team, Damien replied smoothly. “And we’re always looking to expand our capabilities through strategic partnerships.”
The first course arrived, momentarily distracting everyone. As they began eating. Newman steered the conversation toward safer topics, discussing industry trends and market projections.
Elara ate methodically, acutely aware of Damien’s presence across the table. She kept. her focus on the Paxon brothers, contributing to the conversation when appropriate but otherwise maintaining professional distance.
During a brief lull, she noticed Vivienne leaning close to whisper something to Damien. He nodded slightly, his hand briefly covering hers on the table. The casual intimacy stung more than Elara wanted to admit.
“The work you’re doing with adaptive language models is fascinating” Marcus Paxon said, drawing Elara’s attention back to business. “How do you handle ethical considerations around emotional manipulation?”
This was Elara’s wheelhouse. She launched into an explanation of YodaVision’s ethical framework, her voice growing more animated as she described the safeguards they’d implemented.
“We believe technology should enhance human connection, not replace it, she
concluded.
Erik nodded approvingly. “I appreciate that perspective. Too many companies rush into development without considering long–term implications.”
A subtle glance passed between the brothers, and Elara sensed they were genuinely impressed.
As the main course arrived, she caught Damien watching her with an unreadable expression. When their eyes met, he quickly looked away, turning to answer a question
5/7
60 An Invitation Among Adversaries
from Newman.
The lunch continued with a delicate dance of business and subtle competition. Julian- skillfully highlighted YodaVision’s strengths while Damien emphasized Thorne Industries‘ resources and global reach.
Through it all, Elara maintained her composure, neither avoiding Damien nor seeking his attention. She focused on the Paxon brothers, making her case with quiet confidence.
As dessert was served, she noticed Vivienne growing increasingly tense beside. Damien. The other woman’s smile seemed more forced, her laughter a touch too bright.
“We should set up follow–up meetings with both your teams,” Erik Paxon announced as they finished their coffee. “Your approaches are different but potentially
complementary.”
“We’d be delighted,” Julian replied.
Damien nodded. “My team will contact yours to arrange details.”
As the lunch drew to a close, Alistair approached Elara while Julian was engaged with
the Paxons.
ou’ve been very… professional today,” he observed, his tone suggesting surprise.
“Did you expect otherwise?” Elara asked coolly.
Alistair shrugged. “Given the circumstances, some might find it difficult to maintain composure.
Before Elara could respond, she noticed Vivienne leaning toward Alistair and Lennox a few steps away. Though Vivienne spoke softly, Elara could clearly hear her words.
“Don’t worry,” Vivienne whispered with a smirk. “With Damien Thorne here, she
wouldn’t dare act out.
21:14
