Chapter 13 - The Pushback
Arthur Pendelton, the stern-faced board member who had aggressively accused Maya at the gala, leaned forward, his face flushed. "You’re proposing we gut our networking budget? Those galas bring in our biggest donors, Ms. Lin. You can't just strip away our traditions because of one bad actor."
Maya met his gaze without blinking, channeling the same immovable calm she had used on Eleanor. "Arthur, our biggest donors are currently scrubbing their names from our website to avoid being associated with grand larceny. The tradition you’re defending is exactly what enabled Eleanor’s sense of untouchability."
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She tapped her screen, pulling up her new initiative: The Sterling Tech-Bridge Grant. "The donors want a redemption story," Maya continued, her voice unwavering. "We announce a permanent pivot. We fund full-ride engineering scholarships and provide seed money for minority-led tech startups. We show the press that the old era of gatekeeping is dead, and a new era of genuine empowerment has begun."
Arthur opened his mouth to argue, but the room was silent. The older board members looked at the data, then at the empty chair at the end of the table. Slowly, Chairman Harrison nodded. "I second the motion," he said quietly.
