I keep my face neutral.
“It didn’t work out,” I say evenly.
I decided long before I walked into this room not to let them know that I did manage to make it to the gala late, and that they weren’t there.
It would only open the floor up to more questions. And I wasn’t willing to give up any answers.
Malcolm gives a sympathetic tilt of his head. “It happens. Next time.”
“And we appreciate you being flexible,” Malcolm adds, then folds his hands. “All right. Let’s start with the Chicago meeting.”
Chicago. The reason I came in late last night. Everyone else drove into Atlantic City from New York, but I was in Chicago, in another meeting with another company looking to acquire Northstar.
David’s pen is already in his hand. “Yes. Let’s.”
Eleanor leans back slightly, posture relaxed but watchful. “I’m curious what your read was.”
Malcolm’s gaze stays on me, direct. “Walk us through it.”
I tap my tablet awake, not because I need it, but because I like having something to anchor my hands.
“Bellandi Operations,” I say.
“Yes, what did you think of them?” David asks.
I keep my tone factual. “They were prepared. They had done their research. They asked the right questions about governance, compliance, client retention, and operational risk.”
David makes a small sound of approval. Malcolm’s gaze narrows slightly, as if he’s bracing for the part he won’t like.
“And?” Malcolm prompts again, because he knows I don’t give conclusions away for free.
“And,” I continue, “they are not sentimental. They are not looking at Northstar as a ‘partner’ or a ‘legacy brand.’ They are looking at it as a mechanism.”
David’s pen pauses. “A mechanism for what?”
I meet his eyes. “Expansion.”
Eleanor’s fingers tap once on her folder. “Into where?”
“The Northeast,” I say. “They were explicit. Their current footprint is strong in Chicago and the surrounding market. They see an opportunity to move into the Northeast corridor and position themselves as a broader, national player. Northstar gives them the infrastructure and the credibility to do that faster.”
Malcolm leans forward a fraction. “So it’s not about hospitality management for them. It’s about access.”
“Yes,” I say. “They want the compliance narrative. They want the client list. They want the operational protocols. They want the ability to walk into Northeast rooms and not be treated like outsiders.”
David’s eyes narrow. “Why Northstar specifically? There are other firms.”
“They gave me an explanation about the client list, and what they were looking for in it,” I say.
“But you didn’t buy it.” Eleanor’s gaze stays pinned on me.
“No, it was a practiced response,” I answer. “The real reason is that it’s a shortcut. They’re looking for the quickest way to gain the most reputation and a foothold in our sector.”
“How did they present themselves?” David asks.
I choose my words carefully. “Polished. They tried the charm angle, but they were careful to frame everything in terms of business opportunity and growth. They emphasized ‘alignment’ and ‘resources.’ They spoke a lot about scaling.”
Malcolm watches my face. “And what did you think?”