Patrick turned to him.

“If your board withdraws, my investors will panic.”

“Your pitch will be assessed independently,” Gavin replied.

“It isn’t a substitute for answering the court.”

Then he disclosed something that made Patrick stop adjusting his jacket: an investment entity he controlled had acquired a substantial part of the firm’s primary commercial debt that morning.

It did not mean he owned the whole venture firm, every loan Patrick had ever signed, or Patrick’s personal life.

It meant the assigned financing rights could be exercised according to their terms.