Chapter 108 Catherine's Injury
The secretary flashed a smile at Rachel. "Ms. Williams, Mr. Roberts wants you in the conference room for the meeting."
Rachel's eyes widened a bit. She thought, 'Frank is back! When did this happen?' She quickly glanced at Lily, who was standing quietly beside her. Lily looked just as surprised and shook her head, signaling she had no clue about Frank's return either.
Rachel pressed her lips together, feeling a bit heavy-hearted, but managed a faint smile. "Got it. Let Mr. Roberts know I'll be there in a sec."
"Okay," the secretary said before heading out.
John walked in, sensing the weird vibe in the office. Noticing Rachel's troubled look, he couldn't help but ask, "Rachel, what's up?" His concern was clear.
Lily lowered her eyes, trying to hide her disappointment and sound casual. "Mr. Roberts is back."
"When did he get back? Why didn't we hear anything?" John asked, squinting in confusion.
Rachel pressed her lips together. "He probably kept it on the down-low, worried we'd try to stop him."
If there was anyone at Skyline Corporation who didn't want Rachel around, it was Frank. He was one of Henry's earliest followers, and after Henry passed away, Skyline Corporation fell into his hands.
If Frank hadn't been on a business trip last month, Rachel wouldn't have been able to take control of Skyline Corporation's management, even as the largest shareholder. Frank must have been worried she'd block his return to power, so he snuck back in.
John rolled his eyes. "Is he paranoid or what?"
Rachel exhaled and stood up. "Alright, let's head to the conference room." John nodded and walked with her to the conference room.
As they got closer, Rachel's phone rang. It was Michael. Surprised, she quickly hung up, not wanting to deal with him. She'd made it clear she didn't want any more drama with him. No need to answer.
"Who was that?" John asked.
Rachel avoided his gaze, not wanting to answer, and her phone rang again. Michael's text read: [Grandma is sick and wants to see you.]
Rachel's expression changed, filled with worry. Her previous resolve crumbled, and she immediately called back. "What's wrong with Grandma Catherine?" she asked anxiously.
Michael, hearing her worry, replied in a deep voice, "She fell while getting up last night."
"What?" Rachel's voice rose, gripping her phone tightly. "Is she seriously hurt?" Falls could be serious for elderly people.
"Don't worry, Grandma just has a leg fracture, nothing else," Michael reassured, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Rachel sighed in relief. "That's good. Is she in the hospital now?"
Michael nodded slightly. "Yeah."
Rachel said, "Got it. I'll go see her this afternoon."
Michael offered, "I'll come pick you up."
"No need." Rachel's face was cold. "Just tell me the address." With that, she hung up.
Michael stared at his phone's black screen, his lips tightly pressed. He used to be the one to hang up first. Now, after the divorce, it was her. Being coldly hung up on felt pretty awful.
"Was that Michael?" John glanced at Rachel's phone, sounding jealous.
Rachel nodded slightly. "Grandma Catherine fell. I'll go visit her this afternoon."
John pouted. "She's Michael's grandma. You two are divorced. Why bother?"
Rachel put away her phone and replied gently, "She treated me very well. Now she's hurt; how could I not go see her? Alright, let's go. Don't keep Mr. Roberts waiting." John shrugged.
They pushed open the door to the conference room, which was already packed. Dozens of eyes turned to them, all belonging to Skyline Corporation's shareholders and executives.
Rachel scanned the room, her eyes locking onto the head of the long table. That used to be her spot, but now, Frank was sitting there.
"Mr. Roberts, welcome back," Rachel greeted with a smile.
Frank twirled a pen and gave a knowing smile. "I thought you were avoiding the meeting because you weren't happy about my return."
Rachel's eyes darkened for a moment, but she kept her smile. "Not at all. I was just running a bit late. You're a senior; surely you wouldn't hold a grudge against me, right?"
Frank squinted, finally taking her seriously. He had planned to use her lateness as an excuse to put her in her place, reminding her that even though she was the largest shareholder, he still held the reins.
But Rachel flipped the script, positioning herself as the junior, forcing him to back off. Otherwise, it would look like he was bullying her. Her quick thinking showed he had underestimated her.
"Of course not. I'm not that petty," Frank replied.
"Thank you, Mr. Roberts." Rachel's smile was bright.
John whispered, "Rachel, you're so smart."
"Cut it out." Rachel rolled her eyes at him.
Frank noticed their exchange, and his face darkened. "Alright, everyone's here. Let's start the meeting." Everyone straightened up, ready for business.
Frank began detailing his overseas business trip. When he finished, he turned his attention to Rachel. "While I was away, I kept tabs on everything happening here. Rachel, you managed things well in my absence. You've really worked hard."
Rachel's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but she quickly masked it with a smile. "Mr. Roberts, you're too kind. As the largest shareholder and vice president, it's my duty to manage the group. Hard work comes with the territory."
Frank's mouth twitched, feeling a mix of emotions. Rachel was indeed a tough nut to crack. He knew she understood his intention to reclaim control, and she wasn't going to let it slide.
"Is that so? You're very sensible. But now that I'm back, you don't have to work so hard anymore," Frank said, his eyes filled with meaning, his smile not reaching his eyes.
Rachel smiled back, not backing down. "It's fine. I'm still young and eager to take on challenges. No need to worry about me, Mr. Roberts."
Frank's face darkened, and the room fell silent. The executives and shareholders all lowered their heads, not daring to speak. They hadn't expected Rachel to confront Frank so directly. They wondered if this was confidence or overestimation.
John was also shocked by Rachel's boldness. He thought it was unwise to compete with Frank right now, but his deep affection for her meant he would support her no matter what. "Rachel, go for it," John whispered, cheering her on.
Rachel couldn't help but laugh. "Be quiet." John chuckled and shut his mouth.
Seeing Rachel still had the mood to joke, Frank fumed, "Rachel, are you serious?"
Rachel smiled lightly. "Absolutely. As the largest shareholder and vice president, it wouldn't make sense if I had no management rights at all. So, I demand half of the management rights!"
She knew she couldn't fully compete with Frank, as he had managed the group for years and had most of the executives and shareholders on his side. But she wasn't willing to give up completely. If she couldn't get all the management rights, she'd at least get half.
Frank smirked. "Young people these days are so ambitious. How did I not notice your great aspirations before?"
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