Chapter 240 The Will
"We'll kill the lights, light some candles, and crack open the windows. Then your father should be able to come home."
"For real?"
Juniper nodded, "Yeah."
In some flicks, you saw scenes where souls came back home. A lot of folks thought souls stuck around after someone died, but Juniper had only heard about it and couldn't say for sure if it was true.
It was all about what you believed. If you thought it was real, then it was. If not, then it wasn't.
Jenny turned off all the lights, while Juniper brought out a bunch of white candles and lit them one by one. Soon, the first floor of the villa was glowing with candlelight.
The windows were wide open.
Juniper held Jenny on the couch, just waiting.
A night breeze blew in.
Jenny snuggled closer to Juniper, biting her little hand, "Mom, I'm kinda scared. Will Dad turn into a ghost?"
Juniper softly replied, "Even if Dad turns into a ghost, he won't hurt you."
Jenny didn't really get death and separation, and wouldn't feel the gut-wrenching pain of losing someone forever like adults do.
Jenny nestled in Juniper's arms, asking, "When will Dad come? Can I talk to him? Last time, I lied to him about my midterm English exam. I told him I got a perfect score, but I actually came in last. Now that Dad's in heaven, I should confess to him when I see him. Otherwise, he won't be at peace in heaven."
Juniper was amused but then started crying while laughing.
She hugged the little one tightly, "I don't know when he will come. If you're sleepy, you can take a nap."
It was already past eleven at night.
Jenny, feeling sleepy, clung to Juniper and soon fell asleep.
Juniper looked at the open window.
She wished so much that ghosts really existed in this world. What she once feared, she now desperately longed for.
The ghosts that others feared were the ones some people longed for day and night. How could they be afraid?
She gently patted the little one in her arms and waited all night.
Until all the candles in the house burned out, and soon after, dawn broke.
She waited for nothing.
Now, even seeing him once more was impossible.
As the sky outside brightened and the sun rose, Juniper finally carried Jenny back to the bedroom.
Jenny was still asleep.
Robert called her early in the morning, "The shareholders' meeting is at ten this morning. Are you ready?"
Juniper responded calmly, "Yes."
"The shareholders and executives might be tough to deal with. Be prepared."
"Okay."
After hanging up, Juniper went to the bathroom to take a shower.
She changed into a white suit, put on light makeup, applied bright red lipstick, styled her long hair into a formal low bun, and wore nude high heels. She looked elegant and commanding.
At 10 AM, Juniper walked into the meeting room in SY holding Jenny's hand. The major shareholders and executives exchanged glances.
Robert said, "Everyone, you should recognize this child. Her name is Jenny, the only daughter of Mr. Blackwood. With Mr. Blackwood's passing, all his shares should be inherited by Jenny."
As soon as he finished speaking, the major shareholders expressed their dissatisfaction.
One of the shareholders piped up, "Mr. Blackwood's kid is way too young. He holds 40% of SY Group's shares. If all that goes to this kid, are we supposed to take orders from a child at future meetings?"
Another shareholder jumped in, "Yeah, this doesn't fly with the company's rules! If she were an adult, fine. But she's just a little girl. Who's gonna make the big calls for the company?"
The first shareholder kept going, "We want the company to thrive. We still don't know whether Mr. Blackwood is alive or dead; entrusting his shares to a child is far too reckless. If this happens, I'm selling all my shares and bailing on SY!"
"Mr. Brown, I suggest we major shareholders buy Mr. Blackwood's shares. If we can't buy them all, we can sell some externally. This way, we secure the company's future and give Mr. Blackwood's kid a big chunk of cash. They can live the high life, which is a win-win."
"And this kid is a girl. Even if we ignore her age, if we need to train an heir, it should be a decisive man like Mr. Blackwood, right? How can such a big company be handed over to a woman in the future? How can she command respect?" The shareholders were buzzing.
Juniper held Jenny's hand and stayed quiet.
Until she heard that, she smirked and shot back, "So, you're saying Mr. Blackwood's daughter can't inherit his shares, but if it were a son, he could?"
"Ms. Beaumont, don't twist my words, I..."
Juniper cut him off, "Jenny is Magnus's only kid. She is the sole heir. She's a girl, yes, but I believe if Magnus were here, he'd be thrilled to train Jenny to become SY's heir. Of course, you all have the right to oppose. Let's vote."
Her voice was icy and firm, each word hitting hard.
Jenny looked up at Juniper, thinking her mom was so cool today!
Even though she didn't get what they were saying, she still thought her mom was amazing.
The shareholders exchanged glances, each with their own agenda but a common goal.
They wanted to split Magnus's shares. They might not have figured out how to divide them or who'd become president, but today they were united in wanting to buy the 40% shares and change SY's ownership.
The voting result was no shocker, with most votes against.
A shareholder said, "Mr. Brown, here's the result. Most of us believe Mr. Blackwood's shares should be sold, not inherited by Jenny."
Robert suddenly raised a document and said to everyone, "Here's a will that Mr. Blackwood made before his accident. I've been holding onto it, and it hasn't been opened. Now, I think it's time to read it in front of everyone."
Juniper's eyes widened.
Magnus had made a will before heading to the high seas?
So he was ready to sacrifice himself?
Or did he never plan to come back alive?
How many things had he kept from her?
Juniper's throat tightened. She swallowed and sat down, trying to stay calm as she listened to Robert read the will.
In his will, Magnus declared, "I leave all my shares to my daughter, Jenny. Given her youth, these shares shall be managed and held in trust by her mother, Juniper. Upon my death, Juniper will be entitled to a position at SY Group and will oversee all matters until Jenny comes of age to assume control."
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