Hannah's Chance
Copyright© 2025 by jackmarlowe
Chapter 14
Hannah zipped her suitcase shut, the sound sharp in her quiet apartment. She was off on her travels again, something that was a feature of her life now, although this trip felt different, more speculative, more uncertain. She hadn’t even told Steiner she was coming to see him, as it might have prompted him to start discussions or negotiations beforehand, and communicating by phone or email wasn’t her plan. She intended to keep her powder dry until they were face-to-face and then use her powers of personal persuasion to try and get what she wanted.
As she was about to leave her apartment, her phone buzzed. It was her sister, proposing a get-together at the weekend. “I’m just leaving for Zurich,” said Hannah. “Even if I’m back by Saturday, I’ll be jet lagged. I’ll call you next week and we can arrange something then.”
“Zurich? Didn’t you just come back from there?”
“That was six weeks ago,” said Hannah. “Now I’ve got another matter to attend to. I’ll call you next week, I promise.”
“Make sure you do. You can’t spend your whole life globe-trotting and staring at spreadsheets.”
Hannah smiled, her sister’s call a comforting tether to a world that wasn’t all equities, patents, and boardroom tactics. She would contact her next week, as promised, but now she had an airport to get to and a flight to catch. She was focused on her mission and full of resolve.
She couldn’t help thinking that the rights transfer to Luxembourg had been a step too far, a capitulation rather than a strategic business decision, but it was no doubt reflective of Eridios’s desperation at the time. Thinking further, she didn’t see Vermeil’s rejection of the equity conversion - demanding ten percent plus a board seat - as a negotiation tactic. It was a demand, plain and simple, a signature Steiner move. Dominance. Exploitation of his asset. But she was sure that Shirley would’ve seen this not as a blockade, but as an invitation.
Hannah had chosen the same hotel she’d stayed at during her previous visit to Zurich. It was late when she checked in, but she still had work on her mind. It occurred to her that she hadn’t heard anything on Bolivia recently and emailed Rossi asking if there were any further progress.
His reply came early the following day. He informed her that matters were proceeding as planned. The DLE supplier had been chosen and the contract with that company agreed. Every effort was being made to fast track the pilot installation and he would keep her posted.
Satisfied with that news, she turned her attention to the matter at hand. She called Steiner’s bank and asked to speak to him, but was told he was in a meeting. “This concerns Vermeil Holdings in Luxembourg,” she said. “Tell him Hannah Hartwell would like to arrange a meeting to discuss that company.” She left her number, confident that he would see her soon.
Her phone buzzed an hour later, the same person calling her back. She was told that Steiner would see her at the bank late that afternoon. That suited her perfectly, knowing that the bank would be closed then and she would have his undivided attention.
When she arrived, Steiner led her along a corridor and up some stairs to the conference room she remembered from her last visit. At that time of year it was quite dark already, which limited the view of Lake Zurich, despite it filling the room’s panoramic window.
“I must say I’m surprised to see you, Hannah.” Steiner closed the door behind them. “Your clever little proposal was presented. Alessandro’s work no doubt. But Vermeil declined your offer. It’s an open and shut case. Why come?” He produced two bottles of wine.
Hannah stepped forward, across the room’s plush carpet. Her gaze swept the room - gleaming steel sculptures, floor to ceiling glass, the lake’s expanse beyond. Power distilled into space. “Because Vermeil’s rejection wasn’t an end,” she said calmly. “It was an invitation.” She placed her briefcase on his desk but didn’t open it. “Shirley Lewisohn taught me that.”
Steiner’s eyes were cold and assessing. They scanned her - the tailored suit, the unflinching posture, the calm demeanor. “Shirley understood leverage,” he acknowledged. “She knew when to trade.” He gestured toward the bottles of wine. “Red or white?”
“Red.”
Steiner put the bottle of white wine away and poured them both a glass of red. He gestured toward a chair in front of Hannah. “Sit down.”
Hannah remained standing. “Luxembourg isn’t just a patent transfer. It’s a trapdoor beneath Eridios. Vermeil holds exclusive Asian rights - rights that Thornberry isn’t in a position to exploit now anyway, but should be able to at some point in the future.” She paused for effect. “But although Vermeil has ownership, it doesn’t really need or want ownership. It wants profit.” She opened her briefcase, withdrawing a single sheet. “Here’s your exit. Sell the rights back to Eridios - not for cash, but for five percent equity. You sit back and take the dividends.”
“This is the same offer we’ve already declined,” said Steiner dismissively. “You’re just repeating yourself.” He pulled out the chair in front of him. “I’m sitting down, even if you aren’t.”
Hannah took a seat too, tapping the paper she’d placed on the table. “If the company grows, unfettered by not holding the Asian rights, a five percent stake is likely to prove more valuable in the long term than any price you could possibly muster for those rights. Vermeil gets liquidity without lifting a finger. Eridios reclaims its future. And you...” She met his eyes. “ ... secure proof that your Luxembourg maneuver was genius, not greed.”
“I don’t see it that way,” Steiner replied. “Vermeil has a tangible asset here - partial patent rights. A conversion into equity would reduce that to a promise.”
“Profit from selling the rights is also a promise,” said Hannah. “At the moment, there’s no value creation, only speculation. The rights aren’t worth a great deal at this point in time.”
“You might be surprised,” he said. “Vermeil can potentially sell to Tanaka, a company where I have great influence, as you know.”
“I don’t doubt that you could sell to Tanaka, bearing in mind that you’re a director of Tanaka. But my point is that there’s no quick profit to be had. It will take time for the Asian rights to become valuable. Five percent equity is a better bet. And if you don’t want to stick around to take the longer term benefits, you can always offload that stake if you want to. Offloading that stake is likely to have many more potential buyers than the Asian patent rights alone.”
“That’s the first thing you’ve said that I agree with,” said Steiner. “Offloading equity would be much easier than finding a buyer for the Asian rights. But I would still want ten percent equity. That’s what I regard as a good deal. After all, if I heard correctly, certain people just acquired a twenty percent stake in Eridios for a paltry million euros.”
“That’s not true,” said Hannah firmly. “The million euros is just the first tranche of investment. Other tranches follow when specific milestones are reached.”
“Milestones?”
“Performance targets.”
Steiner got up and circled the desk, his polished oxfords silent on the plush carpet. “You bargain like a Medici banker, but due to the high regard in which I hold you, I’m prepared to compromise,” he said smoothly. “Let’s split the difference and call it an equity of seven point five.”
“Five,” Hannah countered, holding her ground. “Five is more than generous.” She picked up the proposal from the table and held it out. “Fair exchange is no robbery.”
Steiner stopped his circling, halting inches away. His gaze traced Hannah’s face - the resolute look, the unhurried demeanor, the defiant lift of her chin. “Shirley,” he mused softly, “knew the price of such fair exchanges.” His hand brushed hers as he took the document, his touch deliberate. Hannah didn’t flinch. Instead, she unbuttoned her blazer, letting it fall open. A silent echo of Shirley’s lexicon - transactions sealed in flesh, not ink.
Steiner scanned the proposal, his expression unreadable. “Five percent equity...” He trailed off, eyes flicking to her exposed collarbone. “It’s not an acceptable offer. It’s not something I could even consider.” He stepped closer, the heat of his body palpable. “Unless,” he murmured, “I get an option agreement too.” His finger traced the line of her jaw. “On any new share issues.”
Hannah tilted her head, exposing her neck. “What agreement exactly?” Her voice remained steady as his hand slid to her waist. “You mean the right to buy five percent of any future Eridios share issue?” His hand remained on her waist and now toyed with the zipper of her skirt. She stood, pushing her chair back, and unzipped it for him, the skirt pooling at her feet. “Shirley understood - real leverage requires sacrifice.”
Steiner’s gaze intensified as she stepped out of the fabric. “Sacrifice?” He slipped her open blazer off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. Hannah didn’t blink, her breath shallow but controlled. “Or strategy?” Despite the darkness, the lake shimmered in the window behind him.
“You tell me,” she replied. “Shirley traded compliance for contracts. I trade transformation.” Without her suit now, his eyes ranged over her and his palms slid up her body, meeting the outline of her breasts. “If we’re agreed on five percent, I can get you the option agreement.”
“It’s not just the right to buy five percent of any new share issues.” His hands still traced the outline of her breasts. “It’s the right to buy at no more than the price of the initial shares. The price of the shares when I agree to take the initial five percent equity. Are we clear on that?”
“Yes I understand,” said Hannah, his hands on her breasts not clouding her thinking at all. “The price of the shares when you take the five percent stake is the strike price. In the event of any further share issue, you have the option to take five percent of the additional issue, and you pay the price at which those shares are issued or the strike price, whichever is lower.”
“Perfect,” he said. “I’m impressed. You know a great deal for someone who’s only been an investment consultant for six months.”
“Perhaps Shirley taught me more than you realize,” Hannah replied evenly. She noted the predatory curve of Steiner’s smile as his hands moved from her breasts to the buttons of her blouse. She remained motionless as he undid them. She knew the drill - no hesitancy, no flinching. Steiner’s expression as he worked his way down was appraising rather than desiring. This was a power audit, not passion.
“We have a deal then,” she said, as he slipped the blouse from her shoulders.
Steiner didn’t answer immediately, his fingers finding the clasp of her bra and unhooking it. “Yes, we have a deal,” he replied. “But subject to you paying the price for such a deal.”
Hannah stood perfectly still as he slid the bra away from her body and stepped back. She knew what came next. This was Shirley’s currency - compliance measured in stillness, in endurance. He took another step back, eyes on her bare breasts. “Kneel,” he ordered.
She lowered herself slowly onto the carpet, her knees pressed together. Steiner watched her silently, the only sound in the room the hum of the air conditioning. Hannah fixed her gaze on the window, where Lake Zurich was now a dark expanse punctuated by distant lights.
He began to circle her, very slowly. She remained unmoved, knowing this was an audit of submission, testing resilience, measuring control. He began a second circle, this time stopping behind her. He leaned down, his breath hot against her ear. “The option agreement must be irrevocable. Time unlimited. Non-negotiable.” His fingers traced the ridge of her spine. “Do you consent?”
Her voice didn’t waver. “I do.”
Steiner straightened. “Good.” He resumed circling her. After completing a third circle, he came to a halt in front of her. “Stand up,” he commanded. Hannah rose and his next command was immediate. “Get naked.” She promptly peeled her tights down her legs and her panties soon followed.
Steiner remained motionless as she kicked the garments aside. Hannah stood before him, naked and still. Steiner circled her again, this time touching her, his fingers feather-light against her skin, tracing her collarbone, brushing her nipple, skimming her hip. Hannah remained impassive, her breathing shallow. His touch was clinical, assessing, an inspection.
He stopped in front of her. “Kneel,” he ordered. She obeyed, lowering herself to the carpet again. Steiner circled her slowly, his oxfords silent. “The option agreement,” he said flatly. “It must apply to all share issues, of whatever kind, for full anti-dilution protection. Standard clauses. Full ratchet. I’ll have the agreement drafted tomorrow, to ensure that it’s word perfect.”
Hannah remained motionless. “Agreed,” she said softly. “I’m glad we’ve got everything settled, down to the last detail.” The air felt thick, charged with the scent of the wool carpet and Steiner’s cedar cologne. Her knees pressed against the dense pile, its texture rough against her skin.
“Yes,” said Steiner. “Everything’s settled now - except the exact price you’re going to pay for this deal. I still haven’t decided what I’m going to do with you. What I require from you.” He paused. “I know one thing for sure though. You have to give me more than Shirley ever did.”
“Haven’t I always given you more than Shirley?”
Steiner paused mid-circle, his shadow looming over her. “Yes, I’ll give you that,” he replied thoughtfully. “Shirley was cooperative, but she had her limits. You, on the other hand, have a fire burning within you that can’t be extinguished. It makes your performances flawless.”
Hannah held her gaze steady on the distant lights shimmering across Lake Zurich. Steiner stopped behind her again, his shadow falling over her bare shoulders. The silence stretched, thick with anticipation, broken only by the hum of the climate control. Finally he spoke again. “Shirley knew her place, that was her great strength. She knew her lexicon, her strategies. You’re different to her. Your strength is your resolve, your backbone.” He leaned down and his fingers traced the upper part of her spine. “Stand,” he ordered.
Hannah rose smoothly, quite happy to leave her kneeling position. He hand found the ridge of her spine again and traced its full length, down and then up. Then his hands reached around her body, finding the swell of her breasts, cupping them, playing with the nipples. He then turned his attention to the cheeks of her backside, appreciating their curves and their softness.
“Shirley,” he mused, his hands back on Hannah’s breasts again, “was ... efficient. Predictable. She knew her role.” His hands left her breasts and slid lower, returning to the firmness of her buttocks. “But you ... you possess something far more potent. Ambition. Ruthlessness.” He paused, his hands stilling. “And that makes you dangerous ... and irresistible.” He turned her around to face him, his gaze locking onto hers. “Bend over the table,” he commanded.
Hannah obeyed without hesitation, the polished mahogany cool against her bare skin as she leaned forward. She felt the weight of Steiner’s stare - not lustful, but calculating - as he circled the table. He came to a halt behind her and his fingertips trailed up her spine once more, then down her thigh. “The deal is sealed,” he said softly, “but trust requires ... reinforcement.”
A drawer slid open. Then there was a sound of something hitting something else. Hannah tensed but didn’t turn. Then something brushed against her posterior. Then a heavier contact, something dragged slowly across. “Shirley used tears when cornered. You?” Something now rested against her, right across her buttocks. “You hold your breath.” The object was pressed against her harder, and was being moved up and down. “How far will you go for Eridios?”
“Far enough,” she said, keeping her voice even.
Steiner chuckled, moving the object away, so that it was no longer in contact with her. “Good. I was hoping you’d say something like that. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Let’s see if you’re as good as your word.”