Chapter 380 Recognition
Roy was thoroughly impressed with Fiona. She had dominated at the seminar, won over his tough aunt in less than ten minutes, and even tackled some longstanding issues within RH Company.
After thinking about her words for a moment, Roy made up his mind. "Truth be told, I've always been aware that my family... my father and grandfather were unfair to my aunt. She should've taken over after my grandfather passed, and even after my dad, she would've been a better choice than me."
Roy knew he had the social touch.
But in terms of management, his aunt was superior.
He understood all this.
Still, Roy held onto a certain resentment as he had grown up with an aunt who seemed to look down on him and thought he wasn’t bright, so he’d stubbornly taken the reins even though he knew she would do better.
Through the years, despite the tumult, RH Company hadn't ended up like other legacy brands that had either collapsed or been bought out by foreigners.
"Roy, don't underestimate yourself. Without you, RH Company wouldn't have made it this far," Fiona said genuinely. "You complement Miss Susan perfectly. She's impulsive and can be outmaneuvered, while you're insightful and can see through any trickery. That's why I believe a partnership between you two would be the best thing for RH Company."
Roy let out a hearty laugh. "Alright, I'll task you with it, Miss Rhoads!"
After that dinner...
With a sense of urgency, Jacob picked up Aunt Susan's favorite snacks and drove out to her suburban home.
Despite uprooting James and his control over the company, the last few days had drained Susan of her vitality. She couldn't eat or sleep. Although she was in her seventies, she had always appeared to be much younger, perhaps in her fifties. But in two days, she seemed to have aged drastically.
She didn’t have the energy to engage with Roy. She had spent a lot of time reflecting on her vulnerability as a widow, the target of those with ill intentions, especially with her wealth and shares in RH Company. Her confusion was setting in, and she had almost jeopardized the company because of that newcomer James. She feared that her judgment would further deteriorate as she got older,
There wouldn’t be someone like Chelsea to pull her back from the brink every time.
After much deliberation, she made a decision. "You're here for my shares, aren't you? Well, don't bother. I've already spoken to my lawyer. Get your finances ready. I'm selling them to you."
Roy was taken aback. "Aunt Susan, what are you talking about? I've never been interested in your shares. I came here today to discuss the company's restructuring."
"Why did you come to me? You should be speaking to Chelsea," Susan retorted, unconvinced that Roy wasn't after her Pshares. What else could people possibly want from her?
"Actually, Chelsea sent me. She wants you to be part of RH's transformation. Chelsea believes my perspectives are limited, but your expertise could fill in the gaps. Aunt Susan, I might not be much help, but the company needs you back to guide me..."
Susan turned to look at Roy. "You want me back at the company to be part of the restructuring plan?"
"Exactly," Roy nodded, recalling Chelsea's words.
"I've reviewed RH's ups and downs over the past fifty years. Every time there's been a crucial turning point, you’ve been involved. It won't be complete without you."
Roy mimicked Chelsea's sentiment to Susan, who had worked by her father's side since she was young. No matter her success, her father's criticism was relentless.
"Don't get cocky just because you've accomplished something. Stay humble!"
"Susan, you're a woman. All this will belong to your brother in the end. Tamp down your ambition. It's pointless."
"No matter how well you do, the family business will go to your brother!"
"Don't overshadow your brother. It's embarrassing for our family when people think the daughter outshines the son."
She never received her father’s approval, even until his death.
People around her thought it was shameful and utterly scandalous for a woman not to settle down, marry, raise children, and to spend her days conducting business among men, managing a company.
She had waited for so many, many years. All she had ever wanted was recognition.
"Did that wannabe teach you to talk fancy like that?" Susan knew her nephew well. Those weren't the kind of words he'd normally use.
Roy chuckled, "Well, I'm just passing along the compliments, right? Who am I to disagree?"
"You’ve really brought in some interesting reinforcements," Susan mused, recalling all the gossip she had heard about Chelsea. She didn't need to delve into her private life. Their brief confrontation had been enough for Susan to glimpse her character.
"Aunt, how about you put in another decade or so of hard work, and then we can think about retirement?" Roy patted the back of Susan's hand.
Susan yearned to get back in the game and make waves at the company, but...
"I just nearly caused a major disaster..." Susan lowered her gaze. "Roy, your great-aunt's getting old, my mind isn't what it used to be..."
"You just trusted James too much, Aunt. What mother wouldn't trust her seemingly sweet and obedient son? That was just a lapse in judgment. It had nothing to do with your mind. Who doesn't make mistakes?"
As he spoke, something seemed to strike Roy. He slapped his thigh. "Take the recent decision for the planning team, for example. You must have heard that even Solomon joined the fray!"
Susan's interest was piqued, and she looked up at him.
Roy smiled wryly. "The one who showed up was Lilian, who was previously involved in a scandal with Darwin. I remember thinking that the Rhoads family couldn't match up to the Solomons or the Darwins, despite really wanting Monsoon Investment on board. I played it cool and sucked up to Darwin just to get in Robbins' good graces. And look where we are now. Darwin’s married Chelsea! Lilian got fired and scampered back to her ex..."
He presented the story with all the flair of a stand-up comic. Susan found herself laughing, a rare occurrence these days.
Seeing her mirth, Roy continued, "We're not fortune-tellers. It's normal to make a wrong call here and there. It doesn't mean you've lost your touch. Relax. I'm giving you a day off to pamper yourself tomorrow. Splurge on an haute couture dress, get your hair done, beauty treatments, manicures, you name it. The day after is the shareholders' meeting and you... as the young folks say, you've got to show up looking fierce and fabulous."
"You little rascal. You’re making fun of your aunt, huh?" Susan tried to hold back her laughter and glared at Roy playfully, then her gaze softened, "Don't worry. If I go back and mess up, I won't come after you. I'll step aside on my own."
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