A Nobody to a Trillionaire: The $100 Trillion Vault Changed Everything
Chapter 39: The Chairman?

Chapter 39: The Chairman?

It was chaotic at the Jack & Sons Enterprise.

Without even considering whatever the shareholders having a meeting might be up to inside, what laid around the opulent towering glass structure was enough. Enough testament to the uproar at the company.

Protesters stood on the front lines, raising boards that screamed, "... Pay our pension before appointing a new CEO!", "... Justice for the staff!"

Why they would say justice for the staff was that, it was a general knowing that once a new CEO ascends a company, the staff yet to receive their salary will suffer from it because their business wasn’t the new CEO’s.

Instead, it was their recent boss’s, who at the same time might be facing financial issues for having just lost their income source.

Thus, these staff will either receive their salary late or the worst case, get a cut-down amount.

The reporters trying hard to get answers from the business men rushing across the blue carpet, also argued the same thing. And most importantly, why they all sold their shares to Mr Holland if that meant betraying Mrs Jackson.

Despite the fact that this company was a public type, someone can’t just make a hostile takeover if the present shareholders aren’t ready to sell their shares.

But once they do, and he manages to get 70% shares, even if the present CEO owns the remaining 30%, she must sell them, as stated under the law. That was called a squeeze-out.

Inside the meeting room was a much greater chaos. Files flew in the air, people stood against each other with yells and slammed their hands on the table. Mrs Jackson was silent amidst all this, yet her chest ached. She mumbled *Kieran Holland* over and over again as though she might be able to kill him that way.

So, this is how he wishes to play the game?

’I underestimated you,’ the woman thought, clenching her fist.

One of the shareholders suddenly yelled at another, who knew better than to stay silent either, "... Screw your loyalty to the company! If none of you had sold your shares to anyone, then nothing would have gone wrong. See what you have caused now!"

"Watch your mouth there, Francis!" the man yelled back — in his 40s, clad in a thick brown coat. "You have no idea what it means to win a lottery, do you? Talk about being a minority shareholder forced to squeeze out his petty shares because his decision doesn’t matter..."

"At least, I’m not greedy for money."

"I was offered thrice the market value of my shares, bastard!" The man groaned back. "You would have done the same!"

And so, the uproar went on, just like Mrs Jackson’s endless wave of worry and anxiety as she took in the implications of all this.

She had been preparing the company for her two sons to one day manage, possibly growing it into an empire... But now, the three of them had not only lost their stand in this company, but also a potential bright future. And of course she knew — building another company from scratch and growing it isn’t something that happens overnight.

She breathed in sharply. ’I know what to do.’

***

In the hospital ward, Kieran was seated before a tripod camera, which was set in place and operated by Jaxon’s four new crew members. He had complained he needed some hands in working as his private reporter, and so he had got them.

The curtains had been drawn close, with a spotlight now cast on Kieran as they were about to start the broadcasting.

In a moment, Jaxon moved closer to him and whispered with concern, "People will worry about your bandaged palm when we start the broadcast. Maybe, we do this some other time...?"

Kieran held his shoulder with a firm smile. "I can’t make any public appearance at the moment because of the same injury, so at least, I should let people on considering my next movement."

"You’re not the type to want to satisfy people though," Jaxon declared, trying more to convince Kieran.

Kieran shook his head. "Absolutely not; this isn’t to satisfy anybody. But to inform someone else I don’t mind..." he turned his sight towards the camera, "...coming with full force." Then he tapped Jaxon’s arm again and again to hasten him to get the thing running already, "Come on, man... We are running out of time."

Jaxon sighed. Anyways, he put that aside and asked quickly, "Any news about those high school girls?"

Kieran leaned back in his seat. "Well... they’re probably safe for now. I mean, everyone that might be out to abduct them are now in the police custody. And Mrs Jackson has got enough to worry about at the moment..."

Jaxon cut in, "But are they fine on their own?" His tone was sharp and surprisingly frank.

Kieran creased his brows in confusion as he glanced at him. Why was he so serious about this?

"Don’t you see what they’re going through? Especially the one who stabbed you — I am sure she’s self-blaming herself so much now and we know what that might lead to. At the end of frustrating herself," Jaxon declared, and with the look on Kieran’s face, he also seemed to have got the message. Jaxon drew closer and whispered, "Listen, Kieran...

We can’t let what happened back then repeat itself on someone else. I can’t. Because I understand what it means to blame yourself, telling yourself over and over again you could have done better and that would have saved everyone the trouble. I mean, she must think her friend died because of what she did, and that’s same as my—"

"Can we get on with the broadcasting already?" Kieran cut in, his tone tight, and a mask of displeasure spreading on his face.

Jaxon wanted to convince him better not to take the matter with levity hand, but if he says he should stop, then he should. Because, on one hand, Kieran acted this way for Jaxon’s own sake. To not let him dwell on the painful memory of the past.

Yes, from day one, Kieran had also thought the girls’ cases was same as Jaxon’s own that happened ten years ago. At high school, too. But that doesn’t mean he should sympathise too much with them that he starts to think helping them was his responsibility. He really had to stop.

"Alright, I will get the cameras rolling. Try to hide your injured palm in your pocket though," Jaxon whispered as he stepped away.

An undeniable sourness danced in his eyes.

Just outside the ward was Amanda, sitting on a steel chair and browsing the email folder. There was a bunch of them. She had just spoken with the secretary from the main office — where all calls from reporters concerning the boss always goes — and had told them not to disclose much yet.

That the boss himself would soon make a public announcement.

Meanwhile, the workers at that main office were those Amanda always refers to as Mr Gregory’s team.

... Her phone suddenly chimed up. Coincidentally, it was the same man calling — Mr. Gregory. She immediately picked it up, and greeted,

"Good afternoon, Mr Gregory. Amanda Williams here."

The man responded in a casual tone, "Ah, Amanda... Good to hear from you again. Are you with Mr Holland now?"

"No, sir."

"Excellent," Gregory mumbled. "Make some time to have a talk with Robert in a moment. He wants to ask you some things concerning his son..."

"Do you mean... the Chairman?!" Amanda exclaimed, her eyes wide and voice echoing down the passageway. She immediately turned away and stomped down. She stammered, her chest racing, "I can come meet him in person..."

"Yes, that’s a better choice, but you know the kind of a person he is. He just wants his thing his way," Gregory remarked. "Just be yourself when you talk to him. No mistakes. And keep it a secret from your boss — Robert got in town yesterday but wants to make it confidential. Okay?"

"Y-yes, sir."

"Alright, then."

--+

A/N: Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to check the author’s note!