Page 3 of The Billionaire’s Betrayal (Billionaires of Paris #2)

TRISTAN

"Mind lending her to me?" he asked dreamily.

"Are you serious?!"

"Damn! Why does this never happen to me? With a knockout like that, I’d be in heaven every single day!"

I couldn’t help but laugh at his antics.

To be fair, Audrey was stunning—5'9", an hourglass figure highlighted by a fitted blouse, a pencil skirt, sheer stockings, and four-inch heels that made her legs seem endless. Her silky blonde hair cascaded down her back like waves of gold, and her blue eyes were the most mesmerizing I’d ever seen. Even her voice was sensual.

"Shut up, you idiot!" I shot back at him.

"Come on, don’t tell me you don’t find her smoking hot?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to stay serious.

"Shut it, unless you want to get fired for sexual harassment. And in case you forgot, I’m in a relationship."

"Oh, just because you’ve got the Mona Lisa at home doesn’t mean you can’t visit the Louvre."

"You’re such an asshole. For your information, my Mona Lisa happens to be just down the hall."

Satoshi raised his hands in surrender.

"Alright, alright! It’s just a joke! Don’t tell Eva, I’d rather not end up plastered to a wall."

I chuckled, picturing the scene.

"You’d totally deserve it."

"Speaking of which, how is she? Haven’t seen her in a while."

"Are you kidding me? Didn’t you crash our place last weekend? And if you want an update, just knock on her door. It’ll be good exercise."

Satoshi took on a dramatic expression, his voice dropping theatrically.

"Yeah, but the road is treacherous… You never know what monsters might be lurking."

I burst out laughing.

"Pretty sure Leila won’t appreciate that comparison. Anyway, what are you doing out of your bat cave?"

His expression shifted instantly, turning serious.

"Right. So, I thought of something new we could test."

I straightened up, intrigued by his sudden change in tone.

"Alright, genius. Let’s hear it."

*

Community Pilot was born from a group of friends with complementary talents. Back in college, we spent hours dreaming up an open-source collaborative platform that would allow employees around the world to work together seamlessly.

Each of us naturally fell into our roles: Eva handled the administrative side, Leila led marketing, Steve kept an eye on our finances, Satoshi built the tech, and I developed the business strategy.

Over the years, our responsibilities grew, but we never really strayed from our original skill sets, except for Leila, who eventually took over as COO.

After Eva, Steve was the one I was closest to. But since he moved to London, I’d formed a real bond with Satoshi. We had a habit of grabbing lunch together, like today, eating pizza in my office.

My phone buzzed on the desk. Claire Lacombe.

Satoshi glanced at me, his enthusiasm instantly replaced by sharp curiosity.

"Pick up. Might be important."

Claire Lacombe was one of the directors at TechPartners, the investment fund [1] that had backed Community Pilot from the start.

Their financial and strategic support had fueled our rapid growth, helping us dominate the collaborative solutions market.

Back then, we were just a small startup with big ambitions, and TechPartners played a key role—not just with funding, but also by providing crucial connections and expertise.

Over time, other shareholders had joined us, but we had always ensured that TechPartners and the founding team retained the majority.

This strategy allowed us to stay in control and prevent a hostile takeover that could compromise our vision.

Claire, as a board member, kept a constant eye on the company’s health.

Her deep understanding of financial markets and investment dynamics had helped us navigate complex situations more than once.

"Hello, Claire," I answered. "I’ve got Satoshi here with me, I’ll put you on speaker."

They exchanged greetings before Claire got straight to the point.

"We have a problem," she said gravely. "Aron Capital has quietly acquired another 8% of Community Pilot over the past few months, on top of the 13% they already held. They’re dangerously close to a blocking minority. And now, they’re pushing for a seat on the board."

She paused, letting the weight of her words sink in.

Aron Capital was an investment fund that had joined us years ago during an early funding round.

At the time, their stake seemed harmless, just another investor looking to ride our success.

But by now, we knew better. Aron Capital played by different rules.

Their goal wasn’t just to collect dividends; they wanted control.

They had a track record of infiltrating boards, exploiting internal weaknesses, and maneuvering their way into decision-making power.

"They’re forcing our hand," Satoshi muttered. "If they get a seat on the board, that’s a foothold."

"Exactly," Claire confirmed. "Once inside, they’ll influence our strategic decisions and that could be the first step toward a full takeover."

I took a moment to process. If they secured that seat, they could rally other shareholders to their cause.

"What’s our move?" I asked Claire, my tone serious.

"We have two options: either we buy back shares before they cross the critical threshold, or we bring in new strategic investors who align with our vision to inject funds and dilute their influence."

Buying shares would keep us in control but would drain significant resources, forcing us to dip into reserves or take on debt. Raising funds would secure long-term financial support but would take time.

Satoshi nodded.

"Given the cost of shares, the second option seems more realistic."

Claire chimed back in.

"I’m already in talks with a few funds that align with our values. I’ll send over their details, but we need to act fast. Aron Capital is already working to sway smaller shareholders. If we don’t move quickly, they could blindside us at the next general assembly."

We agreed on an urgent meeting with the co-founders and trusted partners. After thanking Claire, I let Satoshi head back to his office.

When Audrey returned from her lunch break, I asked her to schedule the meeting. Despite the tension brewing from Aron Capital’s aggressive play, I felt a sense of relief knowing I could count on her. If there was one thing I was sure of, it would be flawlessly executed.