Chapter 453 The Future is What Matters Most
Darwin was protective of Fiona. His disgust was evident as he regarded the man at their feet, weeping bitterly. Had the man come to play on the sympathies of Darwin's wife, hoping for leniency?
"What on earth are you blabbering about, sir?" Fiona gently pushed Darwin's arm away and signaled for the bodyguard to step aside. She made her way, step by deliberate step, towards the sobbing man in her sleek high heels.
The man struggled to look up at her from where he was pinned to the ground. Despite the angle, Fiona looked impeccable—a beauty unmarred by the situation.
"You don't want your shares, and you don't want to leave the company. That's fine. Reject the offer. But crying out loud here as if someone is forcing you is pathetic," she stated coolly.
The man was stunned. He looked at Fiona incredulously, her smile gentle but her eyes unforgiving. A chill ran down his spine, enveloping his heart in an icy grip. He began to tremble uncontrollably.
No, this was all wrong. Chelsea wasn't the person they portrayed her to be. She was even more terrifying than Janna!
"In the world of adults, every choice matters. Crying like an infant won't solve anything. How about you grow up a bit?" Fiona's words were a sobering slap of reality.
With that, Fiona stepped past the man, continuing onwards. Darwin followed closely behind her.
After the couple had departed, the Rhoads family exchanged uneasy glances.
"Why do I suddenly feel like I've narrowly escaped a disaster?" mumbled one of the employees. "Miss Rhoads was still so gentle, and even her words were laced with a smile. Why was I so frightened?"
"Same here."
"What's scarier? Did you notice the look on Darwin's face?" a female employee whispered, lowering her voice.
"I was too focused on the beauty; who has eyes for the loser?"
The employee who mentioned Darwin was visibly embarrassed, but she promptly added, "Never mind that. When Miss Rhoads approached that guy, Darwin looked like he was about to devour someone. But after she spoke, he actually smiled!"
The woman curled her lips into a sly grin.
"His expression barely changed, but you could feel his mood lift instantly!"
"Wait a minute, wasn't it said that Miss Rhoads is the one fawning over Darwin? But the way you tell it, it sounds like Darwin is the one fawning over her..."
The group buzzed with chatter.
The shareholders who had considered approaching Fiona for mercy abandoned all hope after witnessing their colleague's fate.
Janna was known for her decisive and swift actions, and the contracts for the sale of the shares had been prepared days ago.
That afternoon, some shareholders, resigned to their fate and holding minimal shares, signed the stock repurchase agreement without protest to avoid further trouble for themselves and their families.
The uncooperative ones eventually sold off their shares over the following six months. As time passed, the buyback price offered by the Rhoads family steadily decreased.
But that was a story for another time.
On that day, Janna spent the entire day at the office and stayed until it was time to clock out. In addition to managing some contracts, she also signed a handful of new appointment letters.
"The sales department's had a complete overhaul?" Fiona remarked upon arrival to pick up Janna, having overheard some secretaries discussing it.
When they spotted Fiona, they immediately greeted her with smiles, "Hey Chelsea, just you today? Where's Mr. Darwin?"
"He's home, helping the kids with their homework. I'm here to pick up grandma," Fiona said and then pushed the door open to go inside.
The secretaries looked bewildered for a moment before it dawned on them.
Hadn't there been a buzz about some twins recently?
"Is Mr. Solomon the one tutoring the kids?" one secretary asked in shock. "My husband is always saying he's too busy to look after the kids. Can he be busier than Darwin?"
"Definitely not!"
"Right!"
They continued gossiping without any concern for the scope of the affair.
When Fiona entered the office, she found someone was still there.
"You're here," Janna beamed, waving her over. "Come, let me introduce you to the Rhoads family's new Director of Sales."
The person at the desk turned around.
Fiona was momentarily stunned by the familiar yet somewhat estranged face.
It was Miss Ford.
Miss Ford's expression was also one of shock when she saw Fiona.
Indeed, the resemblance was uncanny.
"It’s an honor to meet you," Fiona approached with a smile, extending her hand.
Miss Ford quickly composed herself, returning the gesture with a smile, and shook Fiona's hand, "The honor is all mine..."
She stopped mid-sentence, her gaze falling.
The scar on Fiona's left hand had faded but was still visible.
"You..."
Miss Ford looked up at Fiona; the corporate prowess she had shown before was now gone.
Fiona's smile widened, "It's been a long time, Miss Ford."
After a brief moment of shock, Miss Ford managed a wry smile, "I knew it. Even though I had made quite the impression at Solomon's, it wouldn't warrant Chelsea's attention."
Following a significant falling out with Lilian, Miss Ford had left her position at Solomon's. It wasn't long before she received two job offers, one from Solomon Energy, likely an olive branch extended by Darwin, and another that took Miss Ford by total surprise.
On the one hand, Miss Ford had long grown tired of Darwin as a person.
On the other hand, she was curious as to why the Rhoads family had extended an olive branch to her.
So, she decided to meet with the Rhoads' representatives.
The answer she got was that aside from the family's admiration for her professional prowess, the next in line for the Rhoads' legacy, the Wall Street starlet Chelsea, held her abilities in high regard. It was Chelsea who had championed her to the group.
During that time, Miss Ford was on cloud nine.
Feeling exceptionally skilled and having joined the Rhoads family with zeal, she tackled a tough project in two weeks that the department had yet to crack in six months.
She made a name for that herself at the Rhoads family's Armie Country headquarters.
Little did she know that Chelsea... was an old friend.
"Why can't I be surprised?" Fiona asked with a smile, "The reason I recommended you to the group—no, actually, I notified the Rhoads' HR right after you left Solomon. If we delayed, another company would snatch you up."
Miss Ford, of course, knew better.
That possibility didn't exist.
Lilian would not allow it.
It was either Solomon Energy or becoming a stray dog.
"Since you're speaking so highly of me, I would feel embarrassed if I didn't double the Rhoads family's profits," Miss Ford said without revealing her hand.
They both knew what the score was.
The past was nonsense.
The future was what mattered most.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
