Chapter 425 Stalemate
"Mr. Grant, I've asked Mr. Howard to whip up a detailed emergency plan ASAP. It'll cover personnel reinforcement and project adjustments. This way, you'll see exactly how we plan to tackle this crisis and keep the company's growth on track. We're serious about this and want to show you we can handle the risks."
I shot Harvey a confident smile.
He didn't say anything, but his expression softened a bit.
Harvey raised an eyebrow and gave me a sharp look. "Diana, I know you're capable, but given your company's current situation, can an emergency plan really turn things around that quickly? My time is valuable, and I don't want to waste it on uncertain ventures."
Meeting his gaze, I responded calmly, "Mr. Grant, I get your concerns. But trust me, our team thrives under pressure. We've pulled off miracles in past projects. This time, Mr. Howard and I are all in. The emergency plan isn't just theory; it's based on our deep understanding of the business and our strong execution skills. Every detail will be put into action, and you'll see real changes. I'm sorry for the inconvenience today. I know you're busy, so I won't take up more of your time. Once Mr. Howard handles the urgent matters here, we'll present the plan to you right away."
Harvey stood up, straightening his suit slowly. His eyes lingered on me briefly before scanning the office, as if making a final assessment.
After a moment, he nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "Alright, I'll wait for your plan."
With that, he walked steadily towards the door.
I followed closely, stepping forward to gently open the office door for him, gesturing for him to proceed.
As Harvey passed by me, he glanced at me again, his eyes showing a hint of expectation.
He stepped out of the office, paused at the door, and checked his watch, seemingly calculating his next schedule.
Then, he straightened his back and walked down the hallway.
I watched Harvey's figure disappear at the end of the corridor, took a deep breath, and turned to sprint towards the open office area.
Edward was stopping a few employees who were about to leave, earnestly saying, "Please don't rush off. Let's sit down and talk about any issues. The company is in a tough spot right now, and each of you has been here since the beginning. Are you really willing to leave at this difficult time?"
One of the key tech staff hesitated, lowering his head slightly and said reluctantly, "Mr. Howard, it's not that we want to leave. But we've heard the company's financial issues are severe, and the future is uncertain. We have to consider our lives and our families."
I quickly stepped forward to add, "We're working hard to resolve the financial issues. An investor has shown strong interest in investing. If we all work together, we can get through this tough period."
At that moment, another key staff member sneered and questioned Edward, "Mr. Howard, Ms. Cooper, stop sugarcoating things. We've heard the financial issues are because of your poor management and even embezzlement. Is that true? There's a lot of talk going around, and we don't want to stay with a company and a boss whose credibility is in doubt."
Hearing this, Edward and I stood frozen, our minds blank.
Clearly, this was another malicious move by Fiona, spreading rumors to destroy the company's reputation and crush the employees' confidence.
Edward angrily slammed his fist on the desk, causing everyone around to look at each other in shock.
He roared, "This is complete slander! I've never done anything to harm the company's interests. Don't be misled by these rumors."
However, no matter how much we tried to explain, those employees were determined to leave, turning and walking out the company door without looking back.
Watching the core employees leave, Edward seemed to lose all his strength, slowly sinking into his chair, his eyes filled with deep defeat.
"Don't lose hope, Edward. There's always a way out. We'll find a solution."
I forced a smile, trying to comfort him with a firm tone while quickly thinking of a countermeasure.
Soon, I had an idea and said, "The most urgent thing now is to clear up the rumors and stabilize the remaining employees. We need to contact the PR team immediately to issue a statement and strongly refute these rumors."
Just as I was about to make the call, Edward's phone rang abruptly.
He glanced at the caller ID, his face darkening further. "It's the media, probably asking about the rumors."
He took a deep breath and mustered the courage to answer the call. "Hello..."
While Edward struggled with the media, I urgently contacted the company's PR team. I explained the severe situation in detail, emphasizing the urgency and instructing them to draft a statement immediately.
The statement needed to be released through official channels and major media platforms, clearly denying the rumors and stating that the company would pursue legal action against the rumor spreaders to protect its reputation.
After handling these urgent tasks, Edward quickly organized a company-wide meeting.
At the meeting, Edward and I exchanged a determined look, and we honestly explained the company's current difficulties and challenges, emphasizing that the rumors were baseless and maliciously fabricated.
We detailed our determination and specific measures to tackle the crisis, earnestly encouraging everyone to unite and overcome the challenges together, hoping to reignite their hope for the company's future.
However, the rumors spread faster than we anticipated. Despite the PR team's swift release of the statement, negative comments about Edward's company continued to flood the internet.
Many uninformed netizens blindly followed the accusations, severely damaging the company's brand image.
Worse still, Harvey, who had shown interest in investing, called to say he needed to reassess the cooperation.
This sudden change was like a heavy blow, plunging our financing plan, which had just seen a glimmer of hope, back into uncertainty, casting a dark shadow over the company's future.
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