Chapter 404 Countermeasures
"Mr. Harris, the mayor's secretary called. Mayor Ward will arrive at the Harris Manor in about twenty minutes!"
Another man rushed in, his expression solemn.
"Mr. Ward is coming!" Isaac's eyelid twitched at the news.
Carl Ward was the mayor of Silverlight City—the highest authority with immense power. His arrival meant the government was stepping in. The sweatshop scandal had provoked public outrage, and officials could no longer ignore it.
"Tell Mr. Ward's secretary that I'll prepare to receive him," Isaac ordered. "And immediately locate Noah and Bodhi!"
Isaac headed to the cloakroom to change into more appropriate attire. "Nathaniel, Otto—plan how to handle our family's current predicament!"
"Understood!" they replied in unison.
Meanwhile, at Silverlight City Hospital, Bodhi slowly opened his eyes to find Noah sitting beside his bed.
"Noah." Bodhi forced a smile and tried to sit up, wincing as the movement pulled at his wounds.
"Stay lying down. The doctor says your injuries are severe—you'll need at least two weeks of rest before moving around," Noah said gently.
"Alright." Bodhi sank back into the bed.
"Tell me what happened last night," Noah said.
"Hawk and his men stormed into the nightclub," Bodhi recalled. "His men were armed. They killed several security guards and captured me immediately."
"Hawk wanted me to sign a share transfer agreement. When I refused, his men roughed me up. Then they brought Lyric in and beat her too. We both lost consciousness after that. I don't remember much else."
Bodhi's eyes flashed with concern. "Did I sign the contract? And what about Lyric?"
"You probably signed it. As for your wife, don't worry—she's also here. The doctor says she only suffered minor injuries," Noah replied reassuringly.
"That's good." Bodhi nodded, then his expression darkened. "I signed the contract! That means the Harris family has regained those factory shares!"
"That's true, but the news about the Harris family has already broken. I imagine they're not having an easy time," Noah said calmly. "As for those shares—Hawk forced you to sign under duress and beat you severely. That contract has no legal validity."
"But the Harris family has powerful connections, and the contract is already signed..." Bodhi protested.
"I'll handle it," Noah cut him off.
"Alright." Bodhi finally nodded, though reluctantly.
He felt regretful—if not for the contract, the media storm alone would have been enough to damage the Harris family.
Noah's eyes flickered thoughtfully. He knew that while public opinion could severely wound the Harris family, bringing down a century-old dynasty was practically impossible.
'I'll need to think of other approaches,' Noah thought to himself.
At ten in the morning, Isaac entered the great hall at Harris Manor, his face still showing signs of fatigue.
"How did the meeting with Mayor Ward go?" Nathaniel immediately asked. The atmosphere remained tense and heavy.
"Mayor Ward acknowledged our billions in tax revenue and the many Harris family members working in city government. He assured me they won't allow our family to collapse," Isaac explained, his gaze steady, even showing hints of excitement—the thrill of facing a worthy opponent.
He continued, "We've developed several countermeasures in broad strokes. These are what Mayor Ward and I proposed, and he's agreed to help implement them."
As a patriarch who had weathered countless storms, he had moved past his initial anger and was now thinking clearly.
"For years, no one has dared challenge the Harris family like this," Isaac smiled, radiating authority. "Our first countermeasure: Mayor Ward has agreed to have the government instruct media outlets to stop spreading news about our factories."
"All online news, posts, videos, and comments about the Harris family will be deleted and blocked! Even search results will be suppressed!"
"Second countermeasure: Our family has significant investments in Silverlight City's real estate, finance, and oil sectors. If we face problems, these industries will be affected, potentially triggering an economic crisis that could drag down the entire East Eagleland economy!"
Isaac sipped his coffee confidently. "Mayor Ward won't let this happen during his term. He's ambitious—at just forty-five, he's already mayor with high chances of rising further. Silverlight City is the cradle of officials! He won't allow an economic crisis to tarnish his record."
"So what is Mayor Ward proposing?" Nathaniel asked, eyes flashing.
"He's instructed Silverlight City's major banks to provide a loan of 500 billion dollars in cash to handle this matter!"
"500 billion dollars! That's enormous!" Nathaniel's expression changed. Hawk, Rhett, and the others stared in shock, mouths agape.
The Harris family's industries were worth trillions, but their liquid assets amounted to only about 100 billion. Five hundred billion was more than enough to resolve this crisis.
"That's what the city government can do for us. Now, our family needs additional countermeasures," Isaac turned to Nathaniel. "Have you developed any strategies overnight?"
"I have!" Nathaniel nodded confidently. In terms of ability and strategic thinking, he was not inferior to Isaac. Having navigated the business world for years, he wouldn't panic at the first sign of trouble.
"The public outcry focuses on the sweatshop factories—an issue with concrete evidence. Rather than denying it, we should openly acknowledge it," Nathaniel explained.
"I propose we hold a press conference immediately. I'll represent the family in apologizing to the public and announce that within two weeks, we'll address the sweatshop issues and establish a comprehensive, legal working system!"
"Additionally, the striking workers are ultimately concerned about money. I'll offer each of them a $100,000 subsidy to appease them and get them back to work!"
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