Victor’s team began requesting “technical diligence” directly from Mara, bypassing Ethan. They asked for architecture diagrams, source folders, and “anything that explains your secret sauce.” The language sounded friendly, but Mara saw through the ruse.
Mara replied that they could review materials in a controlled data room after legal steps were signed in writing. Within an hour, Victor’s assistant called, sweetly impatient. “We’re on a tight timeline,” she said. “Delays make investors nervous, you know.”