Founder Removal

Ethan looked around the room. Screens. Compute maps. Burn-rate dashboards. A billion-dollar company balanced on trust, fear, and servers. Priya had money, credentials, investors, a team. Ethan had tomorrow. "Fifty thousand," he said. "And one basis point of advisor equity if the current term sheet closes above a billion." Priya stared at him, then laughed for real. It transformed her face and vanished just as quickly. "You were late to being poor. You are very quick at being expensive." "I am learning from the environment." "Thirty-five. No equity." "Forty. Equity only if I am right about tomorrow." "Ten seconds ago you had no leverage." "Nine seconds ago you believed me."