Chapter 286-1
Kenneth was certain Reese was out of her depth as far as he was concerned, if she had any real talent, Malcolm wouldn’t have placed her as a mere employee at the Flynn Group.
With a quick scan of the room, her brilliant eyes finally rested on Kenneth’s chair–the chairman’s seat.
Kenneth too caught the implication in her gaze, an idea that seemed incomprehensible to him.
“Do you really think you can take this seat?‘
Just who did she think she was? How capable did she imagine herself to be, bold enough to eye the chairman’s seat?
Yet Reese displayed not a hint of timidity. She radiated confidence, a dazzling aura that commanded attention.
“As long as I can secure this project for us, what’s the harm in Colin stepping aside a bit? You wouldn’t really expect me to stand while discussing this with you, now would you?”
Kenneth clenched his jaw, his complexion turning noticeably sour.
“I could have my assistant bring you an extra chair.”
“This simply won’t suffice. If I’m not positioned at the center, my voice may be drowned out by the shareholders, Reese declared, pushing Kenneth’s patience to its brink. She was sharp–tongued and quick–witted, a mirror image of her mother.
Kenneth couldn’t definitively say whether she possessed the necessary skills, but her mental agility and swift reflexes were undeniable. His words were barely out of his mouth before she had a retort at the ready.
Kenneth was reluctant to cause a scene, but Reese was like a tempest–unpredictable and untamable. Her next words were anyone’s guess.
”
“Very well, since you’re so self–assured, I hope you can live up to the privilege of that seat,” Kenneth conceded.
He had no choice but to rise and begrudgingly cede his spot, silently vowing that there would be ample opportunities to deal with her once she officially joined the company.
Reese might have thought she ruled the roost, but Kenneth was confident he would find ways to undermine her.
Seizing the moment, Reese gracefully slid into Kenneth’s vacated seat. With a charming smile, she thanked him, “I appreciate you giving me this opportunity, Colin.”
Kenneth’s face paled, nearly turning a shade of steel blue. However, he couldn’t afford to show his displeasure in front of everyone and was forced to muster a smile.
“It’s fine. If it’s for the good of the company, I don’t mind. It’s just a seat, after all. If you prove yourself capable someday, you’re welcome to take it.”
“Sure thing,” Reese replied, her confidence radiating, without a hint of false modesty. She knew all too well how easy it would be to claim Kenneth’s chair for herself.
Kenneth’s lips twitched at her response, thinking to himself, what an inflated opinion she must have of her abilities, taking on better suited to those with the appropriate skills.
AS
Reese picked up the dossier, exuding the confidence of a leading shareholder–or perhaps even a
potential chairman.
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“Let’s begin by dissecting the pros and cons of this project and see there’s anything amiss with the current proposal, Reese proposed, her words laced with impeccable professionalism and complex jargon that even the shareholders struggled to comprehend: Her thought process and insights were unique, and the previously bustling conference room fell silent once she finished speaking.
I’ve outlined the general direction,” Reese continued, her voice edged with confidence. “The original proposal for this project was flawed from the start. If we want to win this contract, we’ll need to start from scratch. And as for the profits, I believe they’re too low. Considering the capabilities of Brooks Corporation and my own expertise, we could realistically aim for a twenty percent increase.”
The room was filled with incredulous glances at Reese’s bold declaration.
Has this girl lost her mind, or does she simply not understand the complexity of this project?
Before anyone else could respond, Kenneth could no longer contain Himself. From beside her, he rebuked her heatedly, “You must be ignorant of the fact that we’ve already pitched this project once. The client found problems with the proposal and their demands were beyond our reach. They’ve made it clear they won’t accept a price increase–in fact, they want to lower it. And here you are, without even a new proposal, talking about raising the profits. That’s a joke.”
It all seemed like a pipe dream.
Chapter 286-2
Kenneth had been impressed by Reese’s professional analysis moments before, thinking his daughter from Backwoods had some serious chops. But now it appeared she was nothing more than a prey face, probably prepped well by Malcolm before arriving at Brooks Corporation.
Otherwise, with her level of education and expertise, she’d be lost with even the project proposal, let alone touching the actual project itself.
The shareholders too thought it was impossible.
“Miss Reese, I’ll concede that your analysis earlier had merit,” one of them spoke up. “And I can understand, even agree with the need to revise our approach. But raising the price of the project? The client would have our heads.”
“This project was hard enough to secure as it was,” another added. We were practically begging for it. Now you propose we turn the tables and hike up our asking price? Miss Reese, do you even comprehend what this twenty percent profit margin translates to in
dollars?”
Heads shook around the table.
“We thought we were getting an expert who’d make things happen,” one muttered. “Turns out she’s just eye candy without substance.”
“Let’s just give it up,” a resigned voice suggested. “Colin has botched it up already–what more is there to discuss? Besides, our shares have been transferred; there’s no getting them back now.”
“No doubt about that,” someone else agreed. “Whether or not the project succeeds, our stakes are gone for good.”
Kenneth could hardly suppress a smirk upon hearing the unfolding scene. His goal was playing out just as he wanted; to undermine Reese’s credibility with the shareholders. If she lost their confidence, they’d likely turn a deaf ear to her in future meetings, tuning in to his guidance instead.
In due time, Reese would be sidelined entirely. That was the outcome Kenneth coveted.
He rose to his feet, adopting a tone filled with feigned concern. “Reese, sweetheart, your dad knows you’ve been working hard, but this project isn’t something you can just solve on paper. Let’s call it day.”
But Reese wasn’t one to fold easily. Once she set her mind to something, she wouldn’t stop short of achieving it.
Besides, she had to secure her position within Brooks Corporation to one day take control. It was her undeniable right.
Reese ran her own operation on the side, but it was under the radar It wouldn’t do good to have it too public, as it could stir up trouble. If Malcolm caught wind, the game would be over.
Brooks Corporation, however, could provide the perfect cover for her activities – especially since Malcolm practically handed her the keys to the kingdom. The future seemed to align perfectly with her plans, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense.
As the shareholders began stirring in their seats, ready to exit the boardroom, Reese’s voice suddenly rang out with increased
volume.
Are you all just going to walk away from potential profits?” she challenged.
The shareholders paused, pondering her stubbornness. It seemed like a lost cause, yet she was determined to fight on.
A few well–meaning shareholders attempted to caution her. “Miss Reese, maybe it’s best to let this one go. We get that you want to
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secure this deal for the company, but if your father couldn’t do it, what makes you think you difference? Perhaps if your husband were to step in, there might be
chance.”
a bright young lady could make a
Reese laughed off the suggestion with disdain. “This project? I doubt we’ll need my husband’s involvement. You know what? I won’t even ask for your approval anymore. I’ll go ahead and have my team work on my proposal. If we land the deal, I’ll let you all know, alright?”
With this, the shareholders couldn’t agree fast enough. They had nothing to lose: no effort required, no thinking on their part. If Reese failed, they’d bear no damage. But if she succeeded, they’d read the benefits without lifting a finger.
“I think that’s a fair approach,” one shareholder conceded.
“Alright then,” another agreed.
Reese nodded. “Please reconvene here this afternoon for a follow–up meeting.”
Kenneth, overhearing the exchange, was struck by a wave of confusion.
Reese smirked, “And what if I manage to get that contract by this afternoon, Colin? Would you consider stepping down from your chairman throne?”
