Chapter 13

Sarah's POV

The sleek glass tower housing Carla Ruiz’s offices gleamed under the midday sun three days later. I stepped out of the town car Adrian had insisted on providing, smoothing down my tailored beige dress. It was professional, modest, Eleanor-approved.

My heart beat faster than it should for a simple business meeting.

Carla’s assistant greeted me in the sleek lobby and escorted me to the twentieth-floor conference room. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a sweeping view of the river, with sunlight dancing on the water.

Carla rose from the head of the long table, her navy pantsuit sharp and confident, dark hair in its signature sleek bun. Her smile was warm.

“Sarah. Right on time. I’m glad you could make it.” She gestured to a chair beside her, where coffee and a light spread of fruit and pastries waited.

I managed a small smile, settling in. “Thank you for meeting me again.”

“You're welcome,” Carla replied, with a polished smile. “Shall we get straight to it?”

“Absolutely,” I replied, trying to match her professional tone.

We settled into chairs across from each other. I opened my leather portfolio and laid out the refined sketches and proposal documents I had prepared. Carla poured coffee for both of us before flipping open her tablet.

She slid a copy across the table to me. “As we discussed briefly after the gala, I’ve been exploring social impact opportunities within my fund’s portfolio. After reviewing your gallery background and the passion you showed for creative healing initiatives, I decided to develop a formal proposal. I’d like to propose a partnership on a structured art therapy pilot program focused on grief and personal reinvention.”

I nodded attentively, scanning the polished proposal. Carla continued with clear, executive precision.

“The program would be called ‘Canvas Renewal.’ It targets individuals and families processing significant loss through guided creative expression, primarily watercolor, mixed media, and reflective journaling. We would run small cohorts of eight to twelve participants over twelve-week cycles, co-led by licensed grief therapists and professional artists. The pilot would launch in two community centers with strong local networks, with the goal of expanding to five sites within eighteen months if metrics perform well.”

She paused to let me review the executive summary. I appreciated the thoroughness, detailed session frameworks, participant selection criteria, and clear timelines.

“This is well-structured,” I said. “What role do you envision for the Moretti Foundation and Adrian’s new cultural investment arm?”

Carla leaned forward, tapping a section on partnerships. “That’s where this becomes mutually beneficial. Your foundation would provide institutional credibility and access to high-net-worth networks for sponsorships. Adrian’s planned private equity arm, focused on cultural and wellness investments, would be an ideal anchor investor. My hedge fund would commit initial seed capital of $1.2 million for the first six months, with performance-based tranches for expansion. In return, we co-brand the program and gain shared data rights for impact reporting.”

The conversation turned technical and collaborative. Carla outlined governance, an independent advisory board with representatives from each party, strict confidentiality protocols, and quarterly performance reviews. I asked targeted questions about scalability, risk mitigation, and branding guidelines to ensure alignment with Moretti standards.

“On branding,” I noted, “we would require co-approval on all public materials to maintain consistency with the family’s legacy and philanthropic image.”

“Understood and agreed,” Carla replied smoothly. “I’ve included sample co-branding mockups in the appendix. Your input on the artistic direction would be valuable, given your curation experience. We see you as the ideal creative consultant for session frameworks and artist partnerships.”

We spent the next fifty minutes dissecting the financial model. Carla presented conservative yet optimistic projections, expected participant outcomes using validated grief scales, projected sponsorship revenue, and long-term ROI through associated wellness funds. I cross-referenced the numbers with the notes I had prepared and suggested minor adjustments to the launch timeline to better coordinate with Adrian’s quarterly goals.

“This positions the Moretti name at the forefront of measurable social impact,” I said. “Adrian will appreciate the synergy with his cultural investment strategy. Carla Ruiz as a partner brings immediate credibility in the impact investing space.”

Carla smiled, clearly satisfied with the alignment. “Precisely. Your speech at the gala highlighted the need for innovative approaches to healing. This pilot delivers on that without compromising professional standards. We can structure it so the Moretti Foundation appears as the primary community face, while my fund handles backend capital and analytics.”

The discussion remained focused and efficient. We reviewed legal considerations, intellectual property for program materials, and potential media rollout strategies. Carla proposed a soft launch event tied to an upcoming wellness summit, which I noted would require Eleanor’s approval for messaging but offered strong networking opportunities.

By late afternoon, the river outside had taken on a deeper golden hue. Carla leaned back, tapping her pen once.

“I believe we have a strong framework. Pending final reviews from both legal teams, I’m prepared to move forward with a term sheet by the end of next week. Are you comfortable recommending this to Adrian and the foundation board?”

“Yes,” I answered clearly. “This proposal is comprehensive and strategically sound. It aligns well with our current priorities. I’ll prepare a detailed briefing for this evening.”

We shook hands firmly across the table. Carla walked me toward the elevator.

“Send any immediate revisions by Thursday,” she said. “I look forward to building something meaningful together, Sarah.”

“Thank you, Carla. I’ll follow up promptly with the team.”

The town car ride back to the mansion gave me time to organize my notes into a clean summary.

A notification from Adrian popped up.

Adrian: Any progress with Ruiz?

I replied: Proposal received. Details at dinner.

My phone rang, and when I checked the caller ID, I was someone I didn't expect.

Dad.