This is very strange that you're asking HN how to handle the situation. Who are the "We" that is running your company? Of course, if you're just posting something to generate some chat on HN that's fine, but if you actually need to ask the opinion of the HN community about what to do in this situation, then you have bigger problems.
A debut novel that's not published is not necessarily a wasted effort. It can be adapted into a screenplay, which can be submitted to a variety of outlets, and the novel might be published later if successful.
The manner in which a legal decision is interpreted by the masses is often more important than the decision itself because it influences decision making and how people communicate.