Chapter 269 Shares
Marvin claimed that a few dozen minutes would pass quickly, but Isabella, waiting outside for merely three minutes, already felt each second dragging on for an eternity.
Laura pushed the door open and came in with some snacks pastries, but she had no appetite.
"Mr. Landon isn't ready yet?" Laura asked with concern.
Isabella shook her head, her face full of worry.
Laura offered a few comforting words, then moved aside to chat with Jack about work.
Just then, Isabella's phone rang.
It was Zaire calling.
Isabella answered, "Hello."
"Isabella, do you have time right now? I just got word that a shareholder of the Landon Group wants to sell their shares. I'm heading over there now," Zaire said.
Last time, Isabella learned from Zaire that Charles was secretly buying up shares of the Landon Group. She had told Zaire to inform her if it happened again.
She didn't expect it to happen so soon.
"I have time." Isabella asked for the address, hung up the phone, and then asked Jack for the car keys.
Jack's phone buzzed twice, and he glanced at it before asking, "Where are you headed? I was just about to step out. If it's on my way, I can give you a lift."
Isabella pressed her lips and replied, "Blue Horizon Cafe."
Jack raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're going to Blue Horizon Cafe too?"
"Yep." Isabella had already pieced most of it together, so she decided to just ask directly. "Is it about selling shares?"
Jack looked taken aback. "How did you know?"
Realizing that Isabella had received a call earlier, Jack seemed to put two and two together. "Was it Mr. Jose who called you?"
"Yeah." Isabella grabbed her coat and put it on. "We shouldn't waste any time. Let's go."
Jack hesitated, unsure whether to inform Seb about this.
Understanding his hesitation, Isabella said, "It's best not to mention this to him right now. I don't want him distracted. Jack, if you trust me, then let's go together. If not, I can just take a cab."
Jack was speechless.
He thought, 'Indeed, Seb ha`s recently been pushing Isabella to learn more about the company's affairs, and with Zaire overseeing things, there shouldn't be any major issues.'
At the Blue Horizon Cafe, by the time Isabella and Jack arrived, Zaire had already intercepted the shareholders.
As they entered the private room, they saw the two shareholders involved in the sale of shares. Upon seeing Jack and Isabella, they looked like mice caught in the open, nervously averting their gazes.
Jack stepped forward. "Mr. Lawson, Mr. Vaughn, I never imagined that despite your apparent wealth and comfort, you'd be so strapped for cash that you're forced to sell off company shares."
Being just Seb's assistant, Jack's words didn't carry much weight. Liam Lawson glanced at him and said, "Mr. Brown, do you really think it's so easy to judge? We're not broke, but with Seb running things this way, the Landon Group is on a fast track to collapse."
Vincent Vaughn chimed in, "We don't want to be dragged down by Seb's fight with Charles. If he wants to battle it out with Charles, he shouldn't pull us into it."
"Exactly. We're shareholders, not some lowly assistant. What gives you the right to lecture us?"
Isabella, unable to hold back any longer, spoke up, "Both of you are long-standing members of this company. You must have witnessed how Mr. Landon built the Landon Group from scratch. His capabilities are undeniable. The battle hasn't even really begun yet, so why are the shareholders pulling out already?"
The two men exchanged a look but remained silent.
Zaire gave Isabella a nod of encouragement, urging her to continue.
Bolstered by the support, Isabella pressed on. "I understand that many shareholders have been tempted to sell their shares under pressure. But have you considered that Charles is a crafty fox? If the Landon Group were truly on the brink of collapse as he claims, would he really be buying back shares at such high prices? You two are seasoned business veterans—does Charles strike you as the kind of guy who would make a losing investment?
"To put it bluntly, this is just a business battle. Charles is not only trying to undermine Mr. Landon but is also working behind the scenes to tarnish the Landon Group's reputation, all to acquire your shares. When the Landon Group changes hands and Mr. Landon is ousted, Charles will walk away with a fortune. Tell me, what do you have left in this game?
"Even if Charles has promised you something, do you honestly believe he'll keep his word? From what I know, Charles is extremely self-serving and detests betrayal. Selling shares behind Mr. Landon's back is an act of betrayal. If Charles has any conscience left, maybe he'll throw you a bone. But as anyone in business knows, conscience is a slippery thing."
Liam and Vincent exchanged glances, their expressions softening as they considered her arguments. They were well aware of Charles' reputation.
Their main concern had been avoiding Charles' wrath and not getting blacklisted from the industry. However, if Seb managed to turn things around, they'd be left in a difficult spot regardless.
After a moment of silent communication, Vincent spoke up, "If Mr. Landon is behind this, we can hold off on selling the shares. But tell us, does Mr. Landon really have a chance of making a comeback?"
"He does!" Isabella replied firmly. "He absolutely does!"
Liam chuckled. "Words alone won't sway us. If you want us to stand with Mr. Landon, you need to show some genuine commitment, right?"
Isabella considered this and said, "What do you want? Just let us know. We can agree to most things as long as they're reasonable."
Liam assessed her with a scrutinizing gaze. "But I'm curious—does Ms. Miller have the authority to make such promises?"
At this moment, Zaire spoke up calmly, "How about my endorsement?"
Given Zaire's connection with Seb and the considerable influence of the Jose Group, Liam and Vincent had no grounds to argue. With Zaire's assurance, they had no choice but to accept.
"Alright. With Mr. Jose and Ms. Miller backing this, we're committed to not selling out Mr. Landon."
Isabella let out a sigh of relief.
As Liam and Vincent prepared to leave, Isabella had a sudden thought and asked, "One more thing—do you know if any other shareholders are planning to sell? If so, could you try to persuade them or at least give us a heads-up?"
Vincent hesitated.
Liam finally said, "Since we've decided to stick with the Landon Group, we're in this together. If we can prevent further shares from being sold, it's an added advantage. We'll do our best to persuade any dissenters and let you know if we can't change their minds."
Hearing this, Vincent added, "I've heard that Mr. Nelson might be considering selling his shares as well."
Jack's expression changed abruptly. "Mr. Nelson?"
