A Nobody to a Trillionaire: The $100 Trillion Vault Changed Everything-Chapter 26: A Transparent Attempt

Amanda handled everything quickly and to the best of her abilities. It was for no other reason than that Kieran had more schedules after this meeting.

During her presentation, she announced the empire's market cap had increased by twenty-five percent. Now, the market capital was 2.5 trillion dollars. That was a huge surprise to the shareholders, but they all knew who was behind this sudden rise in the empire's total market value.

Mrs Jackson.

Rumours had it that her family and the Hollands used to be partners. As a matter of fact, they started the empire together. But for some reason, Mrs Jackson withdrew her shares some years ago after working there for fifty years. By that, the empire's market capitalisation dropped to around 1.7 trillion dollars. But through the years, they got back on their feet and made it to two trillion today, because who else but the Hollands had such resilience?

But, it wasn't yet the same as when Mrs Jackson used to be there. She had almost equal shares as the CEO back then - Kieran's dad - and the time she withdrew them was when the empire first faced bankruptcy.

Now, she was back again. Buying some stocks and pushing the value to that level... Kieran felt as though he had finally met someone as wealthy as he was and for some reason, felt like she was really here for his throat.

But Amanda made something clear, pointing at the pie chart on the lit wall, "... In the industry, a sudden spike in market cap is a good thing... and also bad. If we have a look at it from a consumer's point of view, they would think the capital increasing suddenly means a significant rise in price. Assumptions, right? Absolutely, but assumptions are what we all live with and are dangerous. So, we won't want to lose more customers all in the name of pushing the empire forward."

A man wearing spectacles, a blue suit, and his beard kempt, asked from the right row,

"Are you now suggesting we scale down some shares?"

Amanda replied, "In sales terms, yes. But it's all shareholders' choices if they want to risk this when their shares and profits are in the way..."

A woman cut in, her tone strong, "I get what this is all about. You don't want Mrs Jackson owning that many shares, do you?"

Amanda breathed out and tried to calm them down, "That's not..."

"Yes, it is," Kieran suddenly cut in, his tone bold and final. Everyone turned their eyes to him, and most importantly, Mrs Jackson too.

She shifted in her chair, looking at him with an intrigued smile.

Kieran then rose from his seat, walked closer to Amanda and patted her shoulder. "I remember everything you told me to say," he whispered. "I will handle it from here."

Amanda looked at him worriedly before bowing and stepping back. Now, Kieran was close to the holographic wall, all eyes on him.

Before he could say anything, Mrs Stamps raised her hand. She said, "Excuse me. I know I'm in no place, as one who got here for free, to say this, but I still want to help..."

"Please go on," Amanda encouraged her, gesturing.

Mrs Stamps began, "It's commercially understandable we don't want a sudden rise in market cap so as not to make consumers and minor investors think too much of us, therefore assuming right away that the price will go up too.

If nothing else, we will at least lose 10% of them in total. But... from what Mr Holland declared just now, it seems that really isn't the case. If I get this right, it's to prevent a shareholder acquisition, isn't it?"

Kieran hadn't replied before another shareholder added, "Well, I'm sorry to say this, but withdrawing someone's shares because they might later have the power to take over the empire is not quite wise. This isn't a monopolistic thing, so a decision can't be made to favour just one person. I mean, we all want profits too."

"Mrs Jackson is literally more experienced than anyone else, so it won't be bad for Mr Holland to step down to second largest. That would be when her number of shares gets higher... I mean..."

Kieran opened his mouth to talk, but no words came out. He definitely knew what to say because Amanda had discussed it with him yesterday and they had rehearsed it all. But for some reason, he couldn't muster his courage as he had done back then. Because the thoughts kept roaming his mind...

What if he makes another rash decision concerning business and ends up rage-baiting another shareholder like Mr Stamps? What if that other person ends up dead too?

Kieran kept on thinking about this, that the voices of everyone else felt distant, like he was far away in a chaotic world and their shouts were raised to nothing else but demonic whispers. Kieran felt scared. His chest pounded. He staggered here and there... his eyes were closing... and the voices were almost inaudible.

'What's going on?'

As he looked forward to locking eyes with Mrs Jackson, her face had morphed into something like split organs. Disgusting and too real, even though Kieran knew he was hallucinating it. Like, she was having fun watching him lose his way...

"KIERAN!"

The familiar masculine voice suddenly hollered in his ears, the same moment palms gripped his arms. Kieran looked up and Jaxon's worried pair stared back.

Kieran exhaled sharply.

"Are you all right?" Jaxon asked.

Kieran replied weakly, looking all over the meeting room, "Yes, yes..."

"No, this is no good," Jaxon mumbled as he grabbed his phone. At that moment, Alan Martinez stepped closer to Kieran and asked the same thing.

Soon, the bodyguards Jaxon called arrived, and they escorted Kieran back into his car, even though he said he was fine.

Amanda called the meeting off with a quick apology, promising she would reschedule another one soon.

The police outside and the crowd were surprised at why he had left in a rush.

***

Back inside the conference room...

The room had gone vacant and silent, but the clobbering of Alan's shoes as he passed by Mrs Jackson made a faint noise. Before he reached the door, the woman said, turning in the swivel chair,

"You're still here."

Alan stopped walking and turned.

"I thought you would have left after fifty years of partnership," Mrs Jackson interjected, "but beats me you're even working with the son now."

The man didn't reply immediately – there was something neutral in his eyes which the woman seemed to know about as well. Because she kept on giggling, as though mocking his feelings, till she walked closer to him.

She said, "I know you're here for a reason too... Or, maybe I am now getting in your way. Who knows?"

Alan Martinez chuckled. "What a mindless assumption. Staying out of business for so long must have made your thinking so sour." Pausing for a few seconds, he continued, "We all can see through your actions that you're here for a hostile takeover, trying to buy shares little by little till you exceed Mr Holland's.

Then, go around declaring that to the public and also to other shareholders so they would support you. I know that, Mrs Jackson."

Sighing out loud, he advised:

"But I will tell you not to act without thinking. That boy might be even more clever than Robert, together with that personal assistant of his. They're already trying to freeze your shares on your first try... Imagine what would happen if you tried more."

With that, he slowly turned and reached for the door. Mrs Jackson's expression was heavy until Alan was just about to grab the knob. She asked him straight away,

"Then what is it you want? Why act like a nice person and stay loyal to a little boy?" freewebnσvel.cѳm

Alan stopped.

Mrs Jackson smirked. "I even heard you played golf with him."

The man straightened his back, and without looking back, warned, "... Don't be too assumptive. And, stop calling me out for a discussion like we're friends. I know about your dirty game and even the exact reason you're here. Taking over the empire... and sort, is to get back at Robert, isn't it?"

Mrs Jackson clenched her fist right away, a frown she couldn't hide spreading across her face.

Alan smirked. "Who knows if you're even trying to bring his son down too? Just for revenge? Eh... how unthoughtful." Then, with that, he stepped out of the room.

The woman stood still, gritting her teeth and releasing them at the same time. Could it be... this man already knew about what she had been up to? Like, what happened on the New Village Road a month ago?

'No... He can't possibly know I ordered that.'

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