When Magnus finished speaking, he arrogantly surveyed the room. No matter the occasion, he was always the reigning king, powerful and in control.
Lucius had initially stirred up the shareholders to withdraw their shares. Now, seeing Magnus return to his usual health, showing no signs of fatigue, they were confident that the rumors of Magnus being poisoned were a fabrication by Lucius. With this in mind, how could they possibly abandon Andersen Corporation, their golden goose? They all voiced their support.
“Mr. Andersen, with you at the helm, what have we to fear? We choose to stay, to rise or fall with the company!”
“That's right, Mr. Andersen, no matter what difficulties the company faces, we will stand by you, as we always have.”
“Yes, we believe the company will soon turn around under your leadership. We have absolute confidence in you.”
The shareholders made their stance clear. Only a fool would pull out when Magnus was stepping up. Even a failing company could be turned around with Magnus at the helm.
Magnus watched the proceedings with a cold eye. The business world was a battlefield, where sentiments and obligations were worthless.
If you were capable, you were a predator as strong as a tiger. If you were not, you were just a prey! This was why Lucius was ousted despite seizing the position of CEO.
Magnus briefly calmed the shareholders and quickly formulated a plan to handle the crisis, launching an aggressive PR campaign.
The king had returned!
Would he bleed Melfort dry? Everyone was watching Magnus.
Under Magnus' series of measures, Andersen Corporation's stock price skyrocketed within two days and had even surpassed its previous peak. Magnus had been expecting this. He possessed extraordinary business acumen and determination, and no crisis was a problem for him.
What was troubling him now was Natalia's disappearance once again. It had been five days. James and Dr. Frankie had turned Melfort upside down and checked all flight routes, but they hadn't been able to find Natalia.
She seemed to have vanished into thin air, moving further away from Magnus' world.
Magnus' heart was heavy again. He sat desolately in his spacious office, leaning back in his leather chair, deep in thought. He summoned James, "Since we can't find Natalia, I think it's time we settle the score. Let's deal with Simmons Group in the next few days."
"Yes, we can't let that cunning woman off the hook, Mr. Magnus. If not for your sharp eyes, spotting her suspicious behavior in the surveillance footage, we wouldn't have guessed that Belle was Isabella after plastic surgery," James said wistfully.
Ever since stabilizing the company's stock price, Magnus had been repeatedly watching the video footage from his hospital room. He couldn't understand when he had offended Belle. Even if it was out of love turned to hate, she wouldn't go to such extreme lengths!
As Michael flipped through the stack, he was shocked to find the post-surgery photos of his daughter, Isabella. “Mr. Andersen, this...”
"The child you raised, she's a real piece of work, isn't she? She disappeared for five years, only to resurface after extensive plastic surgery to poison me, leading to the downfall of my family! And you think I'm just going to let her walk away, and let the Simmons Corporation off the hook?" Magnus coldly announced the death sentence of the Simmons Corporation.
"I know that none of this is on you, but she's hiding out somewhere. Where else am I supposed to vent my anger? Sorry, but you happen to be her father, and the only way to make her come out of hiding is to bankrupt the Simmons Corporation!"
Michael's face turned a pasty white, and he fell to his knees. "Mr. Andersen, please, give us a chance. Show some mercy. I've long since cut ties with that ungrateful daughter of mine. I had no idea she was capable of such a thing."
Magnus didn't spare Michael a glance. He picked up his phone and dialed the front desk. "Send security up here, please escort Mr. Simmons out."
Michael became desperate, he crawled forward, pleading repeatedly, "Mr. Andersen, please, spare the Simmons Corporation just this once! It's all that ungrateful girl's fault. If I see her, I promise, I'll bring her to you and make her apologize!"
Magnus gave Michael a cold look. "Mr. Simmons, that's your business. For the sake of peace, it would be best if you didn't cause a scene in my office."
"Mr. Andersen, please, have mercy!" Michael's face was streaked with tears. His life's work was about to crumble to dust. His heart ached with every beat.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)