Daniel tapped the microphone. The room fell into an eager, expectant hush.
“I want to thank everyone for being here tonight,” Daniel proclaimed, his chest puffed out with unchecked vanity. “A lot of people in this room know that getting to this point required making some very difficult choices. Success in business—and in life—is about knowing when to cut your losses.”
He paused, offering a theatrical, knowing smirk to the crowd.
“Tonight is about leaving behind dead weight. Some people in our lives simply drain your energy, drag down your momentum, and contribute nothing to the balance sheet. And some people inspire you to build empires. To new beginnings, to Vanessa, and to winning!”
A roar of polite laughter and thunderous applause rippled through the ballroom.
Beside me in the airport lounge, Miriam shook her head in sheer disgust. “He just called you dead weight in front of every major venture capitalist in the Midwest on a live stream.”
