Chapter 346 The Choice is Yours
Chelsea looked at Jessica and said, "You seem pretty chill, but I hope you can keep that vibe when you hear what I gotta say."
Jessica's grip tightened.
Chelsea went on, "Mr. Xavier Walton ran the group with a steady hand, so the Walton Group didn't blow up in the past few years, but it was rock solid."
"But Gabriel, he's young and hungry. He took on Mr. Xavier Walton's old dreams and ran with them. Plus, he nailed a few big projects after taking over, so the group blew up fast."
"In the last two years, the Walton Group has tackled several $2 billion, even $20 billion projects. But with the recent stuff going down, the group's cash flow is in deep trouble."
"You know me as the heiress of the Haugen Group, but you probably don't know what our family's main gig is."
Listening to Chelsea and seeing that determined look in her eyes, Jessica had a hunch.
"That's right, it's banking," Chelsea added.
Just as Jessica suspected. "So, Gabriel brought you in to score a loan from the bank, right?" she asked.
"Yeah, but it's not chump change. I can't swing it alone; the final call is up to my grandpa."
"My grandpa's a tough nut. Even though my dad and Gabriel's dad had some ties, my dad's been gone for years, so my grandpa wouldn't shell out big bucks for just an old buddy."
Feeling a bit bitter, Jessica took a deep breath to keep her cool and kept asking. "So, Ms. Haugen, what's your deal? Marry Gabriel? Make him part of the Haugen family, giving your grandpa a reason to help him, right?"
Chelsea smiled, looking at Jessica with satisfaction. "You're sharp."
"I don't like beating around the bush, so I've already laid out my and my grandpa's intentions to Gabriel. But he shot me down without a second thought."
"He said the one he loves is you, and he's already popped the question. You two are getting hitched soon."
Chelsea dropped the final bomb. "Ms. Morgan, from what I know, your mom once saved Mr. Xavier Walton's life. Over the years, Mr. Xavier Walton has always treated you like his own granddaughter. The Walton Group was built from the ground up by Mr. and Mrs. Walton with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Can you really stand to see it go under, or end up in the hands of the Walton family's illegitimate kid?"
Jessica had to admit, Chelsea had some serious negotiation chops and had definitely done her homework on her.
If all the previous hurdles were something Jessica could jump over, those last words hit her right in the feels. The legacy of Xavier's hard work and the future of Walton Group were at stake. The Walton family's group was Xavier's life's work. How could she just let it go?
"As long as you're around, Gabriel won't go for my proposal. But if you step aside, everything changes. I won't play dirty or use any tricks. The ball's in your court." With those final words, Chelsea turned and left.
On the way home, Jessica sat quietly in the car, the scenery outside the window zipping by. All she could think about were the memories with her grandpa.
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Gabriel.
"Jessica, how have you been? Why aren't you home yet? Is there a traffic jam?" Gabriel asked, sounding worried.
"I suddenly felt like shopping, so I hit up the mall next to your office," Jessica explained. The excuse seemed legit, so Gabriel didn't think twice about it.
When she got home, Jessica had no plans to take a nap. She headed straight upstairs to her grandfather's room.
Even though her grandpa had been gone for a while, Timothy made sure to clean the room every day. It was spotless, with everything in the room was just like it was when her grandpa was still around.
On the cabinet by the entrance was a big photo. It was of her, her grandpa, and Gabriel. Her grandpa stood in the middle, his hair already gray, but his smile was as bright as ever.
Further inside was a recliner. She remembered when her grandpa was really sick, he spent almost half his days on that chair. But as soon as she got home, he'd always sit up, pour a cup of tea, and sip it slowly, just to show her he was doing fine and not to worry her.
And then there was the bed. Jessica burst into tears when she sat on it. In his last moments, her grandpa gave her advice, shared his worries, and quietly prepared for her future. Since bringing her back home, he had shown her immense care and love.
Her grandpa gave her so much. But what about her? Looking back, it seemed she had done nothing for her grandpa. Now, she finally had a chance. But this chance came at the cost of her happiness.
Jessica looked up, feeling lost and with a deep ache in her heart. She didn't understand the company's operations and management, but she knew she had to find out the details. What if Chelsea was just trying to scare her?
Talking to Gabriel and her mother-in-law was useless; they wouldn't tell her the truth because they wanted to keep her from worrying and ensure she could rest well. But there was one person who would—Jack.
After some hesitation, Jessica called him. Surprisingly, he answered quickly.
"I didn't expect you to call me. Don't you hate me?" came his surprised voice.
"Yeah, of course, I hate you." Jessica's voice was firm. "But I have something to ask you, and I think you'll tell me the answer."
"What is it?"
"I want to know the real situation of the group now."
"Aren't you afraid I'll lie to you?"
"No," Jessica answered confidently. "Patricia wants you to take back the Walton family's property and have everything of the Walton family, so she wouldn't just watch the group fall. Otherwise, you would have nothing."
"You're pretty sharp now. Fine, I'll tell you. The group's situation is really bad. Several major projects haven't been paid for, and we have dozens of big projects needing funds. Cash flow is tight. Without new money, we won't last long."
Jessica sounded concerned, "How could this be? Hasn't the Walton Group been doing great over the years?"
"The business world is like a battlefield, and things change fast. The fall of an empire can happen in an instant. Because it developed so well, it crushed many other companies. Now that it's in a crisis, many are waiting for its downfall."
"What if there's new funding? Does it have to be from the Haugen family?" Jessica asked.
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