However, it was too late to say that now.
"She's all right, but she has been causing some troubles lately. She often asks to see you and says that
it is illegal for you to do so..." Cindy repeated Alice's words. She had witnessed how the couple wanted
to see the other suffer.
Jacob scoffed as he replied, "Illegal! Let me make things clearer for her. If she wants to live as she
pleases, then it is best if she stayed abroad and never returned."
Jacob's voice was stern. He thought about the investigation reports and could not help being angry. He
had cared for her during the four years that she spent living abroad, but she had completely forgotten
about him back then.
"Mr. Jacob, didn't you say that you would let her return?" Cindy reminded him, but after seeing that he
was not pleased with her words, she regretted mentioning it.
"Don't worry about that for now. Let's have a meeting in ten minutes to discuss about the company's
development in the future. The company's performance had plummeted because of the explosion that
happened, but it is now time to think of a solution that can solve the issue."
Jacob was no longer interested in talking about Alice. In fact, the very mention of her name disgusted
him, so he changed the topic.
"All right, sir. See you in the conference room in ten minutes, then."
With that, Cindy walked out of the CEO's office. She could tell that Jacob was furious and figured out
that it must have something to do with Alice.
Jacob frowned as he picked up the documents from his desk and glanced through them. The past felt
like a bomb that was ticking in his hands.
The truth in the investigation report had crushed all of his beautiful memories of the past. Thinking of
Alice, he felt like an idiot.
The moment Jacob entered the conference room, he saw that Jonathan was sitting in his seat.
Although Jacob had not stepped down from his position, Jonathan had dared to take his seat before he
even became the CEO.
Upon seeing Jacob walk in, Jonathan laughed and joked, "I just wanted to see if this seat was any
better than the others. I did not expect that you'd walk in."
The others did not say a word. They remained indifferent as though they had not heard him.
Jacob scoffed and chose to ignore him.
Jonathan's expression darkened. He hated that regardless of his efforts to irritate Jacob, he continued
to fail at it.
"Let's start." Saying that, Jacob clenched his fists and placed them on the table as he sat down.
Although the situation was a bit tense, people in the room did not seem to care. To them, it was just like
any other conference.
"Show me your business plan, summary of the company's work for the past year, and the reports,"
Jacob said and signaled to Cindy.
Cindy stepped forward, collected the business plan, and the reports from everyone present.
Jonathan was lazily sitting on his chair as he narrowed his gaze at those who were submitting their
reports. Although Jonathan didn't understand Jacob's actions, he felt relieved.
He was glad that the meeting had nothing to do with him.
Cindy then handed the documents to Jacob, who slammed it on the table. Everyone in the room,
except Jonathan seemed so shocked that they began to tremble.
"If I remember correctly, your documents must contain the same information as it did the last time you
all submitted it." Saying that, Jacob stood up and cast a solemn glance at everyone who had handed
the reports.
Until now, Jacob had turned a blind eye to the papers as he regarded them as his family. He believed
that as long as the company was running smoothly, everything could be solved peacefully.
But now that the company was facing a critical situation, Jacob could not remain calm as he watched
everyone still treat the company's success so casually.
"We haven't had the time to prepare a detailed report, Mr. Jacob," a middle-aged man replied in a
shaky voice. He was about forty years old and thought that an apology was enough to solve the issue.
"There was plenty of time. What have you been doing at the company, if you haven't even prepared a
detailed report? Don't think that I can't fire you because you're one of the directors of the company. I
will give you a day's time, and I want the reports on my desk tomorrow. I am sorry to say this, but the
company can't have people who don't work,"
Jacob said coldly and slammed his fists on the table. Since people were taking advantage of his
kindness, he decided to punish one of them to teach the rest a lesson.
"I know that you're the CEO, but don't you think that you overstepped your authority? Could the
company have gotten to the place it is now without the help of its directors or shareholders?" Jonathan
asked, rolling his eyes at Jacob. He wanted to seize the opportunity to win over the board's support.
'If I speak up for them, then they would speak up for me in the future, ' he thought to himself.
"Oh, I think that you misunderstood me. I meant that... If you can't do your job, then you should take
your shares and quit,"
Jacob said with a cold snort, which scared everyone in the room.
"You..." Jonathan could not speak. He felt as though someone was choking him, because he had
handed the same report that he did the last time, so he knew that Jacob was warning him as well.
"Now, let's continue to discuss the company's plan," Jacob said softly as he sat down, but people could
tell that he was still angry.
Seeing that no one was ready to answer him, Jacob frowned. "Isn't there even one person who can
speak up in a reputed company like ours?"
Cindy felt nervous for those who were about to face the CEO's wrath.
At last, one of the project managers stood up and said in a trembling voice, "Sir, the substantial decline
in the company's revenue this quarter should have happened because of the explosion. However, it
seems to be temporary. The Managing Department has already started taking steps to solve the
problem."
Jacob narrowed his eyes at him as he asked, "And what measures might they be?"
The project manager was stunned. "Well..."
"The company gives you two hundred million dollars for advertising, and yet, you can't seem to answer
one simple question, can you?" Jacob was so angry that he felt like his head was about to explode. He
might have overlooked such an attitude if the company had been doing well.
But things were not going well for the Shi Group now, and if they continued to be lethargic, then the
company would have no choice but to shut down.
"I will ask the Advertising Department to send us the materials as well as their records. Don't worry, sir,"
the project manager assured in a low voice. He was so terrified that his body began to tremble.
"And anyone who wishes to discuss things that are unrelated to this meeting should get out," Jacob
said in a firm voice, raising his eyebrows and looking at Jonathan, who was talking to the director who
was sitting next to him.
"Are you talking about me?" Jonathan asked with a frown. It was the first time that Jacob was
confronting him.
"Yes, I am talking about you. You don't need to sit through the meeting if you have no intentions of
being here," Jacob said coolly. He figured that it was time he did something about Jonathan.
"That's ridiculous. I am one of the senior directors, so why mustn't I be here?" Jonathan said in a cold
voice. Although he had not wanted to start a fight, Jacob could not help picking on him.
"As long as you're a part of the company, you need to obey the rules. I don't care who you are. You're
not the boss around here, so you'd better learn to shut your mouth." Jacob stressed each word, so that
Jonathan would understand his point.
"You! You really think that being a CEO is great, don't you, Jacob? Let me tell you something, things
can change completely at any time in life, so don't be so haughty."
Jonathan hissed as he stood up, pushing his chair back. They both did not seem to care about going
up against each other in public now.
"Security guards, someone here is causing a ruckus and I want you to throw him out," Jacob said
calmly, without even looking at him. He could have done it long ago, but he had not because he did not
want to disturb the company's peace. But now, it was impossible for him to hold back.
Jonathan stared at Jacob in horror. He was not expecting him to be serious.
"What's gotten into you? You were not like this before. I am a director at this company, you can't treat
me like this regardless of what I said," Jonathan roared. If Jacob really threw him out, then people at
the company would treat him as a joke. How would he ever step foot in the company after that?
"Mr. Jacob, who caused trouble?" the securities asked in a respectful tone as they walked in wielding a
club.
"Throw him out!" Jacob ordered, pointing at Jonathan.
"How dare you? I am warning you, if anyone lays a finger on me, they will be facing hell." Jonathan
could not help but threaten the guards. He had never been humiliated like that.
"Yes, sir! We'll do it right away."
Saying that in unison, the security guards walked to Jonathan and waved their clubs at him. They
seemed as though they would break his bones if he did not comply.
"What are you going to do? Would you really dare to hit me?" Jonathan asked, looking at the security
guards with contempt. By then, the directors who were next to him moved aside, protecting
themselves.
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