Everyone's face turned deadly pale. Seeing this, Jacob had difficulty suppressing his snicker. He
realized people enjoyed acting righteous when their own interests weren't involved. However, when the
matter had something to do with them, their selfish side would come to the forefront.
In silence, he regarded everyone. Jonathan snorted angrily, evidently dissatisfied with the outcome.
Everyone seemed to be sharing his view.
Jacob continued to remain a silent spectator. After all, the matter had been settled. No matter what the
directors said, a change wasn't possible. Nobody had any choice. They could only breed resentment in
their hearts.
Jacob was also compelled to act this way. His duty was to watch them admit defeat. From the moment
he owned the president's title, it was known to him that he and the directors belonged to two separate
groups.
They had each other for support. But Jacob was a one-man army, always having to fend for himself.
On the very first day, both the groups had trodden a completely opposite direction. Their goals were
different and so were their choices.
Standing on the high ground meant he was compelled to be his own boss. This was quite a lonely
position.
Such depressing thoughts swirled through Jacob's mind. His cool gaze flitted from one person to
another. These people had nothing against him. However, the second he assumed president's position,
a relationship had been formed between them.
It was Jacob's utmost desire to have good communication with these people. But that felt like a pipe
dream. He failed to have proper communication with them. As a result, these people ended up
becoming his enemies. A sudden indifferent look appeared in Jacob's eyes.
Earlier, they had expressed their opinions confidently. But now, that confidence had disappeared into
the thin air.
Putting on a hypocritical mask, they tried to delude themselves into thinking they were good people.
Jacob's eyes regarded James. He tried to read the complicated expression on his uncle's face.
Suddenly, it struck him that his uncle had noticed the change in him.
"Jacob," he gently said after everyone had left.
"What?" Jacob raised his eyebrows and looked at his uncle. His voice contained anxiety.
"There's something I want to tell you, but never had the opportunity to." Now a serious look had made
its way to James's face.
Noticing the rare seriousness in his uncle, Jacob braced himself for what was to come.
"Go ahead, Uncle," he said encouragingly. Truth be told, he had some idea about what it would be. But
he did a good job at hiding it. He knew his uncle's observation would be of some help. They were
bound to be more far-reaching than whatever he had in his mind.
James cleared his throat and leaned against his chair. After he spent a few seconds collecting his
thoughts, he began to speak.
"Jacob, do you think I am happy to see you like this?" He raised his eyebrows questioningly.
No matter what one did, knowing one's boundary was of the utmost importance. But in most cases,
once someone began to do something, it was easy for them to lose sight of everything else.
His uncle's words made him speechless. His smart uncle had seen through him. However, there was
no turning back. Jacob had already dealt with the matter in a way that had offended all directors.
He simply gaped at James, his vulnerability quite evident in his face. James's serious expression
softened a little. He let out a heavy sigh.
"Jacob, everything in life has a boundary. Once that boundary has been crossed, it will be chaos. For
example, being too smart isn't a good thing. Haven't you heard that famous saying? It is said that
things will develop in the opposite direction when they become extreme. I know you may not be able to
see it now. But as someone older, I would like you to take my advice."
Jacob took his uncle's words seriously. If his uncle hadn't reminded him of this in time, Jacob wouldn't
have any idea what his purpose was.
Once people were too deep into something, they even forgot what they had set forth to do in the first
place. Such was Jacob's case. James had experienced something similar and wouldn't let his nephew
make the same mistake.
Suddenly, a calm look entered upon Jacob's face. After dwelling on his uncle's words, it enlightened
him. If it weren't for James's reminder, Jacob would have been led astray.
"I know, Uncle. Thank you for being so kind to remind me. I was just thinking it would be the best way
to deal with the matter. Things have gotten so bad lately, I can't tell the difference between right and
wrong. But now I am going to take your words into consideration,"
Jacob said, nodding his head.
The more he thought about it, the more sense it made. He had been too careless.
James was right. He was on the verge of crossing too many lines. Many people made their life's choice
with a firm resolve. In the beginning, everything would be alright. But slowly, and unknowingly, they
would end up taking a detour. This would lead them to a destination they had never anticipated before.
Jacob felt lucky to have James in his life. Not everyone had people to guide them.
"Jacob, I am delighted to watch you grow up to become a great man. But don't be led by your strong
thoughts and arrogance. Please follow your heart."
James got up, getting ready to leave. Jacob was an intelligent man. Even though James spoke
euphemistically, Jacob clearly understood their inner meaning.
James flashed him a smile. His instincts told him his nephew would listen to him.
"Uncle," he called, before James could leave. His heart was filled with gratitude. James was the mentor
that he needed.
Therefore, he couldn't allow his uncle to leave without telling him how much his words meant to him.
After all, they had helped him get a better perspective. He didn't want things to move in the opposite
direction.
"What?" James looked at his nephew, confusion reeking in his expression.
"Thank you," Jacob said grinning with gratitude. At this moment, he looked no different from a child.
They were two simple words. Nevertheless, it managed to show the depth of his thankfulness.
He was convinced that no matter how bad things would become, family would always stick around.
Jacob's sense of loneliness which he had initially felt disappeared.
He was glad to have someone who would admonish him for his faults and praise him for his good
deeds.
Most people were busy watching him succeed. But James wasn't like them. His uncle cared for him
more than his success. His smile never left his face as he looked at his uncle.
James simply nodded his head in response. His uncle's words continued to reverberate in his mind.
Once James had left the room, Jacob continued to sink in thought.
The moment he entered the company, a sense of loss had been felt by him. Even though no one could
tell what exactly he had lost, these strong emotions continued to gnaw at him.
When people were young, they dreamed about growing up. Once they finally grew up, they spent their
time missing their childhood. Most human beings failed to cherish what they had. They wasted their
short lives in regret.
Jacob leaned against the conference table, using his hands to support his head. Suddenly, all the
thoughts he had been dwelling on disappeared. Instead, he thought about his mother and began to
miss her dreadfully. She had no knowledge about the business world yet she had taught him a lot,
more than anyone else had.
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