Chapter 523 A Mysterious Call
Patricia regarded Max with a half-smile, fully aware of the trap he was setting. Taking on the company without any prior experience in running it, she knew the challenge ahead was formidable. However, refusing the task meant jeopardizing her position as CEO. Even with the title, respect had to be earned.
Seeing Patricia's hesitation, Max raised an eyebrow and asked, "What's the matter? Are you afraid to take on the challenge? Owning a majority share doesn't automatically grant you the presidency, nor does Martin's single will. Real leadership requires strength. Our company is facing dire circumstances, and if you have what it takes to navigate us through this crisis, then naturally, we'll cease our opposition."
Patricia exchanged glances with Sebastian, who subtly nodded in encouragement. Alan, too, conveyed his support with a nod.
With a newfound determination, Patricia stated, "Alright. Max, I trust you'll uphold your word. If I succeed in resolving this crisis, then the company's affairs will be under my jurisdiction."
Max, convinced she would fall short, affirmed, "My word is my bond. I won't renege on my promise. Everyone here can attest to that."
"Very well. Then, await the good news."
After the meeting concluded, the shareholders departed, leaving Patricia with Alan to accompany her to the CEO's office. Stepping into the space once occupied by Martin, Patricia felt the weight of his absence. Every corner of the room bore traces of his presence, invoking memories that stirred her emotions.
Patricia ran her fingers over the desk Martin had used and the row of cabinets along the left wall. As she moved through the room, images of Martin standing there came unbidden to her mind, and her eyes reddened with emotion.
Sebastian offered a comforting pat on her shoulder, remarking, "You handled it admirably."
His words jolted Patricia from her reverie, and she sank into the sofa, overwhelmed with relief. "That was a close call. I didn't think the idea would actually work.
Sebastian settled beside her. "But it did. Brandishing Martin's will might have been blunt, but it effectively severed Martha and her son's hopes while securing the shares for yourself."
Patricia sighed. "I was worried the forgery would be exposed during signature analysis."
Sebastian chuckled. "We owe Charles a debt of gratitude. His skill ensured there were no traces of falsification."
"Yeah. Charles continues to surprise even me."
Charles had also mentioned that, given a few more days, he could figure out a way to tackle the current crisis. Who knows what that little guy is up to?
With the immediate battle won, Patricia felt drained. Rubbing her temples, she exclaimed, "Now what? How do I tackle the current crisis?"
As Alan reached for the blue folders on Martin's desk, his cell phone rang. The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.
He answered and held it to his ear. After a simple "Hello," he froze. His eyes widened gradually
His demeanor quickly shifted to a mix of emotions—joy and sorrow intertwined, reflected in his reddened eyes and trembling hand.
Noticing his distress, Patricia quickly approached and asked with concern, "Alan, what's wrong? Who's on the phone?"
Alan covered the mouthpiece, gave Patricia a look that told her to wait, and then stepped out of the CEO's office with his phone.
Sebastian frowned. "Something's off with Alan?"
"You noticed too? His reaction seemed over the top! We've known each other for quite some time; he's usually as stoic as Martin. It's rare to see him so visibly emotional."
Sebastian suggested, "It must be someone important to him on the other end of the line."
Patricia agreed. Otherwise, why would Alan react like that? But still, she couldn't shake this odd feeling, unable to pinpoint exactly what was so strange. It took quite a while before Alan returned to the office. His eyes were still red as if he'd just cried.
"Is something wrong? Can I help in any way?" Patricia asked.
Alan shook his head, taking a deep breath before saying, "It's nothing. I appreciate your concern, Mrs. Watson."
He walked over to his desk and pointed at a large stack of blue folders, "These are the files I've organized regarding the companies we've cut ties with. Through my research, I've found that only two of them were long-term partners. The others just started working with us last year. Our company primarily operates on the Internet and has a broad range of business areas, including software design and development, game development, systems integration, network engineering, business digitalization, website design and development, web page creation, e-commerce, and so on. Given the limited time, I won't go into detail right now.
Company A approached us for website design and maintenance. Group B partnered with us for technical support, among other things."
Alan laid out the details to Patricia, thoroughly going over the current situation and analyzing it for her. Knowing that Patricia had no experience in this field, he thoroughly explained each point and repeatedly confirmed if she understood before moving on to the next thing.
Several hours had passed by the time all the information was understood. Only then did Patricia realize how difficult Martin's job typically was. These tasks, while seeming straightforward, were incredibly mentally taxing and physically draining.
Alan continued, "The termination of our collaborations with these smaller companies doesn't significantly affect us. They were working with a division of the Langley Group, which doesn't really impact the headquarters. The Langley Group's headquarters mainly focuses on the development and distribution of microchips. As long as we secure our relationships with Cosmos Electronics Corp. and the Robinson Group, we'll be fine! Cosmos Electronics Corp. deals with phones, computers, and tablets. The Robinson Group mainly handles drones and robotics. Whether it's computers, phones, tablets, drones, or robots, the core technology is microchips, and the demand is huge. We must find a way to keep them on board."
Patricia, confused, asked, "So, collaborations with groups like A and B, are you saying they're really not our concern?"
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
