Chapter 2
Richard's face went ghostly pale in an instant, like all the blood had been drained out of him. His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but no sound came out.
Alina's eyes rolled back. She almost fainted. Estella was quick enough to catch her in time, but Estella's hands were shaking too.
Estella's e tearful eyes that always tugged at people's hearts were now filled with fear and disbelief.
"This... this is some kind of act, right?" Andrew forced out the words, his voice strained and shaky. "How can this be real? She's just some hick from the sticks."
Eden turned his head. He looked at Andrew like he was staring at nothing more than worthless garbage.
Eden said, "Sir, watch your mouth. If you show Ms. Foster any more disrespect, I wouldn't mind making your company's stock price crash the second the market opens tomorrow."
Andrew shut up. He didn't dare to take that risk. The weight of that family emblem was suffocating.
I took the coat Eden handed me and put it over my shoulders. The AC there was too strong. It made me feel cold.
Or maybe it was the faces and attitudes of these people that chilled my heart.
"You just told me to get lost, didn't you?" I looked at Richard. My tone was as calm as if I were talking about the weather. "Now I'm gone.
"Tomorrow at nine in the morning, bring your company's financial reports. I'll see you in your conference room."
Then I walked toward the helicopter without looking back.
The wind messed up my hair, but I just let it be. The mess actually felt good.
Even after I got on the helicopter and took off, I could still see them down there. They stood frozen like a bunch of ants.
At that moment, I felt nothing in my heart, only the thrill of revenge slowly waking up in my veins.
*****
The next day. I stayed in the top-floor presidential suite at the most luxurious hotel in the city.
Eden placed a document in front of me. "Ms. Foster, Foster Holdings has a very simple ownership structure. Richard holds 40%. Retail investors and small shareholders hold the other 60%.
"Overnight, we bought up every single share on the open market, plus a few transfers from a few small shareholders. You now hold 50% of Foster Holdings."
That meant I was the true owner of Foster Holdings now.
I picked up my coffee and took a sip. The bitter taste spread on my tongue, then came the sweetness. "Let's go. Time to reel in the net."
*****
When I showed up at the entrance of Foster Holdings building, the girl at the front desk clearly didn't recognize me yet.
After all, what had happened last night had only spread within that small circle of rich and powerful families.
These regular employees had no idea that everything had flipped upside down.
"Miss, do you have an appointment?" The receptionist stopped me.
I took off my sunglasses. "No. I'm just here to take back what's mine."
She froze for a second and was about to call security.
Then the elevator doors opened.
Richard rushed out with a group of executives, looking completely panicked.
When he saw me, his expression shifted several times. Finally, he squeezed out a smile that looked worse than crying.
"Keira, you're here. Why didn't you tell me ahead of time? I would've sent someone to pick you up."
Pick me up? Yesterday he was ready to cut me off, and today he was being this nice? He could teach a stage actor a thing or two about changing faces.
The employees around were all shocked. When had they ever seen the chairman act so humbly?
I ignored him and walked straight to the elevator.
My high heels clicked on the marble floor. Every click landed like a blow to Richard's ego.
"Let's have the meeting." I didn't even look at him and just pressed the button for the top-floor conference room.
The moment the elevator doors closed, I saw the look on Richard's face. It was twisted with rage.
He was holding back. He was betting that I'd go soft because of our so-called family ties. Too bad for him. He was going to lose.
*****
Inside the conference room, the tension was so thick that it was hard to breathe.
I sat in the seat that used to belong to the chairman. Richard stood off to the side like a little kid who'd done something wrong.
The other shareholders looked at each other. No one dared to speak.
What had happened last night caused a huge scene. They had all gotten wind of it.
The power of the Austin family hung over everyone like a mountain.
"Let me introduce myself," I said, twirling the pen in my hand. "I'm Keira Foster. Starting today, I'm taking over Foster Holdings."