I finished the analysis at 9:47 AM. I'd cross referenced every data point, validated every assumption, compared company analysis, risk adjusted scenarios accounting for customer concentration and market volatility.
I emailed it to Asher, then walked to his office with a printed copy. He was on a call when I entered, but he gestured for me to sit. I placed the document on his desk and waited while he finished his conversation. But his eyes were already scanning the cover page I'd placed on his desk.
"Send me the revised terms by noon." He said, then hung up.
He picked up my analysis and began reading.
I sat in silence, watching his eyes move across the pages. He had a blank expression on his face. After ten minutes, he finally set down the document and looked at me.
"This is excellent work. Thorough, well reasoned . Exactly what we need."
The praise was professional but coming from Asher Wang, it was huge.
"Thank you." I replied.
"I'm bringing you into the strategy meeting. The senior team needs to see this analysis before we face Shanghai Zenith, and you should present it. You did the work. You should defend it."
The senior team meant Director Liu, the CFO, VP of Strategy, and the other executives who'd been working on this deal for months. Walking in and presenting analysis that contradicted their original valuation would be challenging.
"Are you sure that's okay?" I asked. "They might respond better hearing it from you."
"They need to hear it from you. That's how you build credibility that lasts beyond being the CEO's wife."
He was right. But that didn't make it less terrifying.
The conference room was full when we entered at 10 AM. Director Liu sat at the head of the table opposite where Asher would sit, with CFO, James Chen, occupied the middle seat with the VP of Strategy, Katherine Wu, beside him. Two other executives I recognized but didn't know well were also there. All eyes turned to us as we entered.
"Good morning." Asher said, moving to his seat at the head of the table. He gestured for me to take the seat to his right.
"We have ninety minutes before Shanghai Zenith arrives. Let's make them count." He looked at me. "Rysa will present the revised valuation defense strategy. I want everyone's feedback and potential objections so we can refine our approach before the negotiation."
I stood, connected my laptop to the screen, and opened my presentation. My heart was beating fast, but I forced myself to remain calm.
"As you know, we identified a significant error in the original valuation…" I started.
For the next twenty minutes, I explained everything I've worked on. Most of the team listened attentively, taking notes. The CFO asked sharp questions that I'd anticipated and answered. But Director Liu sat back with arms crossed. When I finished, he didn't wait for Asher to say something.
"This analysis assumes significant risk factors that may be overstated." His tone was dismissive. "Your analysis doesn't account for the synergies we can create through Wang Corporation's distribution network. We're not buying Shanghai Zenith as a standalone entity we're integrating it into our operations."
"Those integration synergies are already included in the model." I replied. "What I'm telling is the risk if those key customers leave before we can diversify…"
"If they leave." He interrupted. "We're building strategy around speculation and worst case scenarios. That's not how you value an acquisition."
I thought about a little, opened my mouth to respond but Katherine Wu jumped in.
"Director Liu has a point." She said, though her tone was more diplomatic than his. "The growth projections we originally used were based on Shanghai Zenith's demonstrated track record."
"Mrs. Wang, with respect, valuation is an art as much as a science. It requires experience and judgment, not just…" Liu said.
"Ms. Lin's point is valid." Asher interrupted.
He hadn't looked at me. He hadn't even turned his head from his tablet but his words silenced Liu.
"Her analysis has proven sharper than most in this room." Asher continued, still not looking up. "She identified an error that would have cost us nearly 400 million yuan. She's built a defense strategy that anticipates every argument Shanghai Zenith will make. Her concerns about customer concentration are supported by precedent and data." He finally looked up.
"Proceed with her suggestion. If Shanghai Zenith is confident in those relationships, they'll accept the terms. If they leave, it validates Ms. Lin's risk assessment."
The room fell absolutely silent. No one argued.
Asher's words weren't just professional validation, it was a public declaration that questioning me meant questioning him.
"Ms. Lin." He said, finally looking at me. "Continue your presentation. I want to hear the rest of your risk mitigation strategies."
"Thank you, Sir." I said formally.
I continued through the rest of my presentation, and this time no one interrupted. Liu sat in complete silence. The others asked questions, but they were genuine inquiries.
When I finished, Asher nodded.
"Excellent work. Katherine, I want you and Ms. Lin to coordinate on integrating these risk provisions into the deal terms. James, make sure legal has appropriate customer retention language drafted by the time Shanghai Zenith arrives."
Then the meeting ended and people started leaving. I gathered my materials while Asher remained seated, still working on his tablet.
I was walking to my office, mentally preparing for the Shanghai Zenith negotiation, when Asher's voice stopped me.
"Rysa."
Not "Ms. Lin" this time.
I turned. He stood several feet behind me. The hallway was empty.
"Yes?" I kept my voice professional.
He came closer to me.
"You hesitated. In the meeting. When Liu dismissed your point about customer concentration. You opened your mouth to respond, then stopped. Why?"
I blinked, surprised he'd noticed that pause. But of course he had. Asher noticed everything.
"I was choosing my words carefully." I replied. "Liu is senior to me. I didn't want to…"
"You didn't want to appear confrontational." He interrupted. "You didn't want to overstep."
"Yes." I admitted.
"You knew you were right. You had the data, the precedent, the analysis to back up your position. But you hesitated because of hierarchy."
"I was being strategic. Picking battles, maintaining professional relationships…"
"You were doubting yourself." He looked directly in my eyes. "For a second, you wondered if maybe Liu was right. If maybe your concern was overstated."
"I recovered." I said quietly. "I was about to defend my analysis when Katherine jumped in…"
"You shouldn't have needed to recover." His voice was low. "In my world, hesitation is a luxury you cannot afford. The moment you doubt yourself, you give others permission to doubt you."
"I'll keep that in mind from now on." I replied.
"Good." He said and started to walk away, then he suddenly paused, and glanced back.
"And Rysa? What I said in the meeting wasn't favoritism or nepotism. Your analysis has proven sharper than most in this building. I meant every word."
Then he was gone, leaving me standing alone in the hallway. I walked to my office, opened my analysis one more time, and started reading it with more confidence now.
Because in few minutes, I'd be sitting beside Asher Wang, facing executives who would try to undermine everything I'd built. And I refused to hesitate because knew I was right. And it was time to stop letting anyone including myself make me doubt that.
The Shanghai Zenith negotiation had gone exactly as Asher predicted. Their executives had pushed back hard on the revised valuation. They'd questioned my analysis, dismissed my concerns as overly conservative, and tried repeatedly to steer the conversation back to their original asking price.
But I didn't hesitate. I'd presented my findings with confidence, and stood firm when they'd tried to intimidate me.
Asher had said nothing during my defense, just sat beside me. But when Shanghai Zenith's CEO had finally agreed to our terms, Asher had given me a nod.
The rest of the day passed in the meetings, contract revisions, and congratulations from team members.
By 7 PM, I was exhausted, mentally drained from maintaining confidence for hours. When I arrived home at 8:00, expecting to sleep early, I saw our housekeeper, Mrs. Chen walking towards me.
"Mr. Wang has requested dinner to be served in the formal dining room this evening."
The formal dining room. We'd eaten there maybe three times in two years of marriage, always when hosting important guests, never just the two of us.
"Did he say why?" I asked.
"No, Mrs. Wang." She said and left.
When I entered the formal dining room, I stopped at the door stunned. The long table had been set for two, and there were candles.
Someone had lit candles. It wasn't overwhelming, not overly romantic. But it was intimate. It was different from our usual silent meals.
Asher stood by the windows, looking out still in his suit though he'd removed his jacket and tie. He turned when I entered.
"You want a formal dinner. Should I have changed my clothes before coming in?" I asked gesturing towards my work clothes.
"You're perfect." He moved to pull out my chair. "Sit."