Chapter 508 Mark's Tactics!
Don't let these big-shot execs fool you. They might strut around like they own the place on a normal day, but when it comes to their cushy positions and fat paychecks? They'll sell their souls to keep them!
Dignity? That goes out the window real quick!
So when Ryder dropped that question and they saw Milton's sorry state, they didn't waste a second.
One after another, they spilled their guts, tears streaming down their faces, confessing every shady thing they'd pulled at Maple Group over the years.
Backed into a corner with no time to prepare, they had no choice but to fold!
Ryder's sudden visit and Milton's exposed misdeals left them with no room to gamble.
Losing wasn't an option; it'd be game over! Better to fess up now than risk everything!
On top of that, their so-called "wrongdoings" were small-time—skimming a couple mil or slipping a few relatives into cushy jobs. Compared to Milton's full-blown scandal, it was chump change.
Out of the dozen top execs, seven stepped up to cop to their slip-ups.
Ryder scanned the room.
The confessions lined up perfectly with Ryan's investigation—no surprises there.
As for the rest, led by Francis, they'd kept their noses clean for years, never stepping out of line.
Ryder faced the execs with a smirk. "Starting today, you're all getting a 20% bump in salary and perks as a bonus. Oh, and I'm throwing in 30% of my company shares as an internal reward system. Top performers—both employees and leaders—will get their cut of the equity dividends. So, let's see who's worth their weight, huh?"
Hearing this, Francis and the crew were stoked and couldn't stop thanking Ryder!
A 20% raise? That's already killer!
But the real kicker was the future stock options!
Maple Group, one of the big dogs in Texas, hadn't gone public yet, and Ryder held all the shares. Everyone else was just on salary!
Still, it was obvious Maple Group was gearing up for an IPO. With their clout, it was only a matter of time!
Right now, Maple Group's sitting at a $10 billion valuation. Once they hit the market and investors jump on board, that could easily double—maybe even go 10x!
Think about it—even 1% of that would be a life-changing payday!
Who wouldn't be all over that?!
Then, Ryder turned to the other execs who'd screwed up. "As for you, clean up your mess—whether it's the money you pocketed or the shady hires—within three days. You're all getting demoted on one level, and no promotions or bonuses for a year. Any complaints?"
These execs were already freaking out!
The fact that Ryder wasn't taking them to court was a huge break!
They were nodding like crazy, saying they could handle it, practically ready to kiss Ryder's feet!
As for Milton, Ryder didn't even need to spell it out.
The company's legal guy on the scene knew exactly what to do to keep Ryder happy.
At 10 PM, Ryder, Ryan, and Rex left the villa area in Scott's Rolls-Royce.
Scott handed a property contract to Ryder. "Mr. Clark, this is the title deed for a villa near the company. It's not as fancy as Villa No. 1 in Platan Height, but it's still pretty nice. By early next year, when the largest villa area in New York City is completed, you can choose to move there."
Ryder casually put the contract aside. He never had any special requirements for food, clothing, housing, or transportation.
Ryder suddenly said, "Scott, you probably anticipated today's outcome, didn't you? Or more accurately, was this a test you specifically left for me?"
Scott smiled warmly. "You're really sharp; nothing gets past you."
When Ryder got the various intelligence reports on Maple Group's top executives from Ryan, something felt off. Knowing Scott, he's not the type to let corruption run wild at the top. So if these guys were still around, there had to be a reason. And it wasn't rocket science to figure out they were left for Ryder to deal with.
There were two reasons for this. First, these execs had been with Maple Group for years. While Scott could've easily booted them, it might've come off as the company being cold-hearted, which would've hurt morale. Second, and more importantly, letting Ryder handle it was the quickest way for him to assert his authority. Whether they messed up or got rewarded, all the top brass would respect Ryder. That way, the power shift would go down smoothly.
At this moment, Scott suddenly thought of something and continued, "Oh, one more thing. Kyle tied the knot with the Moores today—basically, he's their lapdog now. Word is he's still got a chip on his shoulder about you, so watch your back. He's probably gunning for revenge."
"Kyle got married?" This news indeed surprised Ryder. Kyle and Karen were used as leverage on the day Ryder gambled with Mark at the casino. Since then, there had been no news of them, to the point where Ryder even suspected that Mark had already sent someone to kill them.
Scott said, "From what I know, they made it to NYC thanks to Mark bankrolling them—he dropped $100K just for their living expenses. Not long after they hit the city, Kyle got cozy with Lisa and knocked her up! So, yeah, they had to rush the wedding."
"I see," Ryder squinted slightly. As for why Mark gave them $100,000, Ryder could pretty much figure it out. Mark knew they hated Ryder's guts. The enemy of my enemy, right? So before his own downfall, Mark made sure to back them. It didn't matter how much damage they could actually do—as long as they stirred up trouble for Ryder, it was worth it. No wonder Mark had a rep for being a sly fox in Houston. Dude always had something brewing.
Ryder continued to ask Scott, "Scott, what's the deal with the Moores?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
