Chapter 236 Phantom Capital Ventures - Crisis
In the bustling heart of the city, the Howard Group stood tall, dominating the industry for years. Right now, Edward was in the middle of an emergency meeting with his team in the conference room.
Aria, with her tall and slender figure, always had a mischievous glint in her eyes that made her hard to read. Beneath her seemingly harmless exterior lay an ambitious heart. She knew that to bring Edward down, she had to strike at the heart of the Howard Group—its finances and projects.
Aria teamed up with Phantom Capital Ventures, a supposedly powerful and mysterious international investment company. They offered the Howard Group a joint venture to explore emerging overseas markets, all under a meticulously crafted image.
"Edward, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Aria said with a smile, though a barely noticeable glint of malice flashed in her eyes. During the meeting, she casually mentioned to Edward, "Think about it, the emerging overseas market is like a fertile land waiting to be cultivated. If we seize this chance, the Howard Group's scale could multiply several times over. Plus, Phantom Capital Ventures has promised to invest in our company and support us fully whenever we need it. This is the best opportunity for us to grow."
Albert saw Edward's interest and quickly reminded him, "Mr. Howard, we should proceed with caution. Although Phantom Capital Ventures appears formidable, we can't find any past investment records. It's like their name suggests—they're a phantom."
"Aria, there's no rush," Edward said slowly, his eyes still on the documents in front of him.
Aria's heart tightened, but she maintained her calm demeanor and walked over to Edward with a smile. She said, "Edward, we don't need to rush. After all, Phantom Capital Ventures isn't the only investment company out there. But investments require us to seize the moment. The bigger the risk, the greater the reward. The business world is like a battlefield. If other companies get ahead of us, it will be hard for us to break through."
"Aria's right. If we hesitate and let others take the lead, we'll regret it later," another executive chimed in.
"Exactly. Even a beggar can succeed if they seize the right opportunity. And we're already strong, so we can definitely succeed," another added.
Strategic discussions within the Howard Group strongly advocated for expansion into new markets.
"I've done a lot of digging. Although Phantom Capital Ventures is new to the domestic market, they have numerous successful cases overseas and an excellent reputation," Aria added at the right moment.
Besieged by pressure, Edward finally yielded to the promise of immense wealth. Without thorough investigation and careful evaluation, he hastily signed a series of seemingly rigorous and foolproof contracts with Phantom Capital Ventures.
Albert watched Edward with a sigh of resignation.
According to the contract, the Howard Group invested a massive amount of startup capital, amounting to billions of dollars, for the initial project preparations.
When Edward committed to the overseas project, the whole Howard Group sprang into action, eager to make it a success. Edward watched with anticipation as everyone pulled together, completely unaware that he was walking right into Aria's trap.
Days turned into weeks, and the so-called partners from Phantom Capital Ventures vanished like ghosts after getting the money. At first, Edward and the department heads didn't think much of the delays, chalking it up to normal project hiccups. But as the company's investment grew and Phantom Capital Ventures' funding remained unseen, Edward started to worry.
"Albert, get in here," Edward called, and Albert showed up right away.
"Look into Phantom Capital Ventures. Find out what's going on," Edward ordered.
Albert handed over a file folder cautiously. "Mr. Howard, this is the information I just gathered before coming in."
Edward glanced at Albert. "You seem to know what to do," he said, flipping through the folder. The findings shocked him.
The supposedly powerful international investment company was a complete sham, with fabricated information and a non-existent registered address.
Edward stared at the gaping financial holes in the Howard Group's accounts, feeling like he had plunged into an icy abyss.
"Mr. Howard, what should we do next?" Albert asked, standing straight but with a trembling voice.
The Howard Group's cash flow had dried up, plunging the company into an unprecedented crisis.
Bad news traveled fast, and suppliers soon caught wind of the situation, swarming the Howard Group's office building.
"Mr. Howard, we had an agreement. Payment upon delivery. How long has it been? Why haven't we been paid?" one supplier demanded, clutching Edward's sleeve, his face full of anxiety and anger.
"Yeah, Mr. Howard, the Howard Group never delayed payments before. If you don't settle our accounts today, we'll cut all ties with the Howard Group!" another supplier threatened.
"Let's not waste time here. Let's sue and let the law handle this!" others shouted, creating a chaotic scene.
Edward considered taking out a bank loan to cover the financial gap, but the banks had already sensed the Howard Group's precarious situation. Not only did they refuse to lend, but they also began liquidating the Howard Group's assets.
Someone within the Howard Group had leaked the news, and the entire company was in turmoil, with employees panicking.
"Did you hear? The company got scammed, and the cash flow was cut off. Many projects are halted."
"Wasn't it Aria's doing? She brought in this project."
"What about our salaries? Will we still get paid? I rely on this job to support my family."
"I don't think there's any point in staying. We should start looking for other jobs!"
Distrust spread among the employees, and the once-efficient departments became sluggish and ineffective.
News of the Howard Group's impending bankruptcy spread quickly in the business community, causing the company's stock price to plummet and pushing the entire group to the brink of collapse.
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