Chapter 34: Victory!
"Alex! Please, don't do this!" one of them cried out, his tone desperate.
"If it's the shares you want, I'll sell them! I'll sell them right now!"
"Me too! I'm willing to sell my shares as well!" another chimed in hurriedly.
Just a minute ago, they had been rallying together to resist Alex's dominance. Now, they were tripping over one another in their rush to sell their shares.
Alex smirked, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes as he watched them scramble. His gaze was sharp, looking at each shareholder's reaction with a mix of delight and disdain.
"Now that's the spirit," he said, pulling out a stack of transfer agreements from his leather briefcase. His tone was light, almost mocking, as if he were enjoying a game where he held all the cards.
"If you'd been this cooperative from the start, I wouldn't have had to waste time playing hardball." His voice echoed slightly in the large boardroom, filled with tension and the scent of fear.
He handed the agreements to the panicked shareholders one by one. The papers rustled as they passed from hand to hand, each shareholder's face a mask of confusion and dread.
But as they skimmed through the documents, their expressions turned to shock and outrage. The room filled with murmurs of disbelief.
"Alex, I don't mind selling my shares, but this price… this can't be right!" one of them stammered, holding up the document with trembling hands. His voice cracked under the weight of his indignation.
"Exactly! Based on market value, our shares are worth at least more than 100 million dollars and even more. Why are you only offering only so little?!" Another shareholder joined in, his voice rising in pitch as panic set in.
"That's a daylight robbery Alex! How is this fair?!" Their voices grew louder as they protested, but Alex's expression remained calm, almost serene in the storm of their discontent.
"There's no mistake," Alex replied coolly, his eyes looking at the shareholders.
"Don't rush. Take a look at the rest of the document before you say another word." His tone suggested he was in full control, and perhaps he had been all along.
Though they were suspicious, the shareholders flipped to the next page, their hands shaking. The moment their eyes landed on the contents, their faces drained of color, turning ashen.
Every wrong transaction they had ever made using the company's resources was laid out in excruciating detail. Small schemes, large profits—everything was meticulously documented in black and white.
Some of the shareholders could barely even remember some of these deals until now. It was as if Alex had been standing behind them, silently watching their every move for years.
"Has he been monitoring us this whole time?" one of them whispered, his voice trembling with fear. He looked around, half expecting to find hidden cameras or microphones.
"Does this mean he's known everything we've done all these years?" Another shareholder's whisper was laced with terror, their confidence shattered by the revelations on the paper.
The thought sent a chill through their spines. Sweat began to bead on their foreheads as they realized just how deep Alex's control truly ran. The air in the room felt colder, and suddenly even heavier with the contents of their secrets were now that exposed.
Alex's voice broke through their rising panic. "So, do any of you still have complaints about the price in share value?" His question was calm, but the icy undertone made it clear he already knew the answer.
"No, no! Not at all!" one shareholder quickly responded, his voice devoid of the earlier defiance.
"I think the price is more than fair!" Another added, the tremor in his voice betraying his fear. They didn't dare show a shred of resistance, their previous confidence replaced by a palpable dread.
"Good. Then sign the papers," Alex said, his tone suddenly turning ice-cold. His sharp gaze swept over the group like a blade, cutting through their pretenses.
His words were not just a command but a threat veiled in calm. As he added, "Or are you waiting for me to hand all this evidence over to the authorities?" the room seemed to shrink, the walls closing in with the weight of his words.
"No, no! Please don't!" one shareholder pleaded, his voice cracking with fear.
"No… No Alex, we'll sign immediately!" another chimed in, desperation clear in his tone.
Panic spread like wildfire among the remaining shareholders. Without another word of hesitation, they each grabbed their contracts, their pens moving frantically as they signed their names and pressed their seals.
The sound of pens scratching paper was the only noise in the otherwise silent room, save for the heavy breathing of those signing their fates away.
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As the scene unfolded, the onlookers employees in the room were utterly stunned. Whispers began to circulate among the observers.
"Weren't these shareholders so determined just a moment ago?" someone muttered under their breath, their voice tinged with disbelief.
"Yeah, they were all about standing together. What happened? Now they're scrambling to sign!" another onlooker whispered, shaking their head in amazement.
"Look at them! They're signing as if they can't wait to get it over with," a third chimed in, eyes wide as they watched the once-proud shareholders fall from grace.
The whispers grew louder as the crowd exchanged bewildered glances, the atmosphere charged with the shock of the turnaround.
Hearing the murmurs around them, the shareholders kept their heads low, their faces flushed with embarrassment.
None of them dared to meet anyone's gaze. They slinked out of the room one by one, their postures hunched as if they were trying to disappear entirely.
They knew all too well that Alex had been merciful. If he had chosen to report their wrongdoings to the authorities, they wouldn't just lose their shares.
They'd likely end up in rotten prison, facing years behind bars, with nothing left but shame. The mere thought of it sent shivers down their spines, their future suddenly dark and uncertain.
Alex handed the thick folder of documents to Woolie, his trusted aide standing behind him, a silent witness to the power play.
With deliberate slowness, he lifted his head to gaze at the towering headquarters of Reid Industries, its glass façade glinting under the sun, reaching toward the clouds like a monument to his newfound dominion.
He took a long drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling around him, adding to the air of mystery and control.
Exhaling a plume of smoke into the crisp air, he murmured, his voice low but firm, "From now on, the Reid Industries will run under my command alone."
The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, and for a brief moment, the world seemed to fall silent, acknowledging his victory.
'How good it feels… when everything goes according to your plan!' Alex thought as he relished the moment of victory.
Just then, the sharp ringtone of his phone broke the stillness, cutting through the silence like a blade.
Chapter 35: Lily!
'How good it feels… when everything goes according to your plan!' Alex thought as he relished the moment of victory.
Just then, the sharp ringtone of his phone broke the stillness, cutting through the silence like a blade.
Alex reached into his pocket, fishing out his phone. As he glanced at the screen, his brows furrowed slightly, a hint of surprise disrupting his otherwise composed face.
"Lily?" he muttered, the name catching him off guard. His voice was a mix of curiosity and irritation.
"What's she calling me for all of a sudden?" he thought aloud. Curiosity flickered in his eyes as he swiped to answer the call.
Lily was Alex's half-sister, sharing the same father but born to different mothers. Growing up, the two barely had any interaction.
Their relationship was distant at best, and their personalities were worlds apart. Of course, these minor details weren't the main issue. The real problem lay in the original storyline.
The protagonist of the novel, who was deeply family-oriented, had an unwavering sense of responsibility for his loved ones.
This extended to his sister, whom he doted on excessively. Despite her unreasonable demands, he always indulged her without hesitation.
However, Lily, being the villain's sister, ended up entangled in the battle between Alex and the protagonist.
Rather than supporting her brother, she inexplicably fell for the protagonist. Not only did she become hopelessly infatuated with him, but she also betrayed Alex.
In the critical moments of the story, she provided crucial intelligence about Alex's plans to the protagonist, effectively sabotaging her own brother.
Her actions pushed Alex closer and closer to the edge, leaving him with no way out.
Given this backstory, Alex had no fondness for his sister in this life. Normally, he wouldn't even consider answering her call.
But since the timeline hadn't yet reached the point of their fallout, Alex decided to pick up. He needed to maintain his current knowledge of the plot and ensure nothing interfered with his plans.
With a sigh, he pressed the answer button.
"Alex! What are you doing?" Lily's irritated voice came through as soon as the call connected. Her tone was sharp, filled with impatience.
"Why did it take you so long to answer my call?" She demanded, her voice echoing slightly in the airport's vast space.
"Do you need something?" Alex's voice was cold, devoid of emotion. He didn't bother to hide his irritation.
"I'm back from the abroad!" Lily announced with excitement. "Come pick me up at the airport! Hurry up—"
*Beep, beep, beep!*
Before she could finish, Alex hung up on her. He rolled his eyes, muttering to himself, "Seriously? All that fuss for something like this? Can't she just call a cab back from the airport? Did her legs stop working?"
Mr. Waters, his butler, who stood nearby, asked hesitantly, "Sir, do you need me to arrange for someone to pick up Miss Lily?"
"Pick her up? Why bother?" Alex scoffed. "She can do whatever the hell she wants. She can come back on her own. Let's get back to work." With that, Alex strode into the company building, leaving the matter behind without a second thought.
….
Meanwhile, on the other end of the line, Lily was fuming. She glared at her phone as the busy tone echoed in her ears.
"Alex, how dare you hang up on me!" she exclaimed, her face twisting with anger. "Just you wait! When I get there, I'll make you pay for this!"
Her rant was interrupted by the sudden ringing of her phone. Seeing the name on the screen, her fiery demeanor immediately softened.
"Ethan?" she cooed, her voice turning sweet and delicate. "Why are you calling me, Ethan?" Lily asked, her voice calm but curious.
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"You're worried about Rose?" she repeated, pausing for a moment. A flicker of unease crossed her face before she steadied her tone. "I understand. Leave it to me—I'll make sure she's alright."
"She's still at Alex's villa?" Her brows knitted in thought. "Alright, I'll head there immediately."
"Ethan, there's no need for thanks." Her voice softened, though a trace of bitterness lingered. "As long as I can support you in any way, that's all that matters to me."
Once the call ended, Lily's expression hardened, her previous composure giving way to frustration.
"Rose is important to him," she murmured. "Alex, you've crossed a line. Whatever grudge you hold, it's not Rose's burden to bear. This can't go unaddressed."
With quiet determination, Lily grabbed her bag and signaled for a cab. There was no time to waste.
Making up her mind, Lily didn't even bother waiting for Alex to come to the airport, not like he was going to come. Instead, she stopped a cab and headed straight for Alex's villa.
….
Back at the company, Alex remained aware of Lily's intentions. After finishing his work, he returned home.
As he drove past the villa gate, he noticed Rose still kneeling there. Without sparing her a single glance, he passed by as if she didn't exist.
Once inside the estate, he addressed his butler.
"Waters, how much time until 5 p.m.?" Alex asked.
"Ten minutes, sir," Mr. Waters replied promptly.
"Good." Alex's tone was as cold as ever. "If Rose hasn't returned the Two Hundred Million by then, call the authorities. I want her arrested and thrown in a rotten place."
"Yes, sir," Mr. Waters nodded, his expression respectful but firm.
….
On the other side of town, having received a direct call for help from Ethan, Lily rode in haste to the gates of Alex's villa.
As she arrived, her eyes immediately locked onto Rose, who was still kneeling at the entrance. Her clothes were dusted with dirt, her delicate figure trembling slightly in the cold wind. The pitiful sight struck a nerve in Lily, and her expression darkened with anger.
"Alex, you've gone too far this time!" She muttered under her breath, her tone seething with frustration.
In just a few quick strides, Lily reached Rose's side and bent down to help her up.