Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 Chapter Eighty Six


    Silence descended the room, wrapping everywhere like a cloak of thick nket. People exchanged


    looks before they settled their gaze on Lucas.


    I looked at Lucas‘ unfathomable expression and I wondered why he was doing all of these? What


    was the need for this power he was seeking to gain? Why did he have to take revenge after he had


    forgiven them? Had he been waiting all these while for Doris to be out of the picture before he made


    his move?


    I sighed. I couldn’t quite fmdrag my gaze from this man addressing everyone, his eyes willing


    everyone to raise their hands and vote to support him. He seemed too unfamiliar, too cruel. Where


    was my softhearted Lucas? The one who shrugged and said, “it’s all in the past now.” A hand


    slowly raised in the air and all heads turned to the man that raised his hand. Almost a secondter,


    another person raised their hand, voting their support and in mere minutes, several hands of the


    shareholders that supported Laucas were up in the air.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    As they continued to raise their hands, my heart sank further down. I could already see Mark losing


    his position and I imagined Lucas cruelly kicking him out of thepany. It was funny. how I was


    able to easily conjure up Lucas doing something so insensitive. I guess it was all lingering


    underneath the surface all these while.


    Mark would lose his position in GT Group and there would be nothing I would be able to do about


    it.


    I thought about speaking to Lucas. Perhaps I could talk him out of this whole fiasco. He imed. he


    loves me right? So he’d listen to me, I tried to convince myself but one look at Lucas standing there,


    the firm set of his jaw, his eyes glinting with satisfaction and greed, I knew better than to be


    delusioned. There was no talking him out of this one.


    The door to the conference room suddenly burst open and all heads turned to see Mark leisurely


    and confidently stride in, his chin in the air and his assistant in tow. When he was well into the room,


    he nced at everyone with that indifferent set of facial expression.


    He tutted nastily, “A shareholder meeting was going to be held and no one informed me?” He raised


    a mocking brow, “You think that would make removing me from my position any easy?“. He scoffed


    and settled his biting stare on Lucas, “How desperate are you?”


    Maybe it was his hypocrisy or the assured way he spoke but slowly, most of the shareholders


    retracted their hands.


    Lucas gaze darkened but he continued to coerce the shareholders, “You do not have anything to


    worry about. This man here is all talk and that’s all. He has only forty six percent of the Group’s


    shares. If you all cooperate with me, together, we’d have forty nine percent of the shares. As long


    as we unite, we can redistribute the speaking rights of the board of directors”


    Lucas‘ words hung in the air as everyone processed them. They discreetly looked between


    themselves. Quite alright, Lucas‘ offer sounded more inviting and m*uth watering even though he


    was new amongst us.


    When Mark was in charge as the CEO of GT Group, he was autocratic and had absolute speaking


    rights. He never bothered to seek anyone’s opinion, though he made decisions that prospered” the


    company, a lot of the shareholders were dissatisfied with this.


    Once again, hands started to fill the air.


    Mark cast an indifferent gaze at Lucas. And I could see that he hadn’t changed a bit. If I hadn’t


    known that he lost his memory,I would have ever believed that he did. He was handling his memory


    loss quite alright. I wanted to go up there and give him a pat on the shoulder and afterward tell him


    that I am proud of him.


    We all watched as she made his way to the podium, literally snatched the microphone from its stand


    and spoke into it. I think there is still one shareholder in this room who has not chosen to collude


    with you.” My heart rammed in my ch*st as his gaze fell on me. “Sydney,” he said firmly, “please,


    make your choice.”


    Chapter 86 Chapter Eighty Six


    I nervously looked around and found everyone looking at me, waiting for me to make a choice. I bit


    my l*p. I should have listened to Grace and gone back home to rest. Or maybe it would have been


    better if I had remained unconscious until the damn meeting was over.


    But I didn’t listen to Grace and I am not on the hospital bed oblivious to what was happening around


    me. I am here in this conference room and I have to make a choice now.


    My gaze slid to Lucs who was looking at me, encouraging me with his eyes that I didn’t need to


    make any choice. I could easily announce that I didn’t want to merge my shares with anyone’s but


    that would still mean I was indirectly supporting Lucas..


    My eyes traveled from Lucas to Mark. As usual, Mark’s gaze was unfathomable or maybe it was but


    all it said was, “You don’t matter. Your measly shares don’t matter so no matter who you choose to


    side with, I don’t care and I will still remain the CEO.


    That unabashed confidence in himself. That was one of his personalities that I had once fallen in


    love with.


    I got on my feet. I wondered what will be of my rtionship with Mark after I have announced


    my decision. Right now, my five percent will determine the fate of GT Group; it will determine who


    will hold the reins.


    response


    I didn’t realize I was already standing and everyone was expecting my until I was shaken out of my


    transfix.


    “Miss Sydney, are you choosing to abstain? Time’s not on our side, we need your response,” the


    host said pensively.


    I exhaled deeply. Then I tipped my chin and held the host’s gaze. “I choose Mark.”


    There was a deafening silence. There was a triumphant and arrogant smile on Mark’s face. I felt the


    probing stare on my temple. I took the dare and turned my gaze to Lucas. His face had twisted in an


    ugly way and I couldn’t recall ever seeing Lucas this mad.


    I will speak to himter, I assured myself. He would understand that I had promised Mark and I


    couldn’t pick sides with him.


    “Very well, in that case, I will announce that I will continue to serve as the CEO of Z Group.” Mark


    said in a you–all–are–worth–nothing tone. “And I will be even more autocratic in the future. I will


    solely take decisions that will move the firm forward. All shareholders must understand that the


    ability to lead the group to a higher position, to double your dividends, is determined. by individual


    ability, not by mere blood rtionships or conspirations.”


    I didn’t think Lucas‘ facial expression could turn uglier at Mark’s words. The shareholders who


    chose to unite with Lucas and make him the leader looked shocked by his words.


    With the look in their eyes, you could tell that they were reevaluating their choices. Yes, Mark


    indeed was autocratic and overbearing but it was undeniable that he led the group to


    unprecedented achievements and heights. He did have absolute speaking rights, but everyone.


    knew and could see that he used the power to bring real benefits to the it’s employees and


    shareholders.


    “Alright, everyone please leave, I have family matters to deal with,” he ordered as though he were


    speaking with children.


    I gaped at him, had losing his memory made him even more arrogant and rude?