Anastasia had poured her heart and soul into building Spark Enterprises. Over seven years ago, her family had used her pregnancy and fragile health as an excuse to wrest control of the company from her. They never returned it. Unable to let go of the business she had built, she returned to work at Spark Enterprises when Sophia was just a year old. Despite her relentless hard work, she was only given a low-level managerial position.
Now that Thaddeus had offered Spark Enterprises as a reward, she was visibly upset. However, she also saw it as an opportunity to reclaim what was rightfully hers.
Brendan stood up and addressed Thaddeus, "Grandpa, I think securing a cooperation agreement with Orion Industries is challenging but not impossible."
"Oh? Go on," Thaddeus responded, his tone softer towards this favored grandson.
Brendan smiled confidently. "I've already laid much of the groundwork. I've been networking extensively. While there's no clear answer yet, I'm optimistic. However, we need to send some key people expensive gifts, so..."
"Withdraw six hundred thousand from the finance department for initial funding," Thaddeus waved his hand dismissively.
Brendan beamed with joy and thanked him profusely.
Anastasia sneered inwardly. She knew her cousin well. Incompetent and boastful, Brendan was more likely to squander the money on frivolous activities with his questionable friends.
"However, I'm concerned this alone won't be enough to secure the agreement. There are countless entities in Emerald Coast County vying for a partnership with Orion Industries. At least a hundred families and businesses can offer a few million. What makes us stand out?"
Thaddeus stroked his beard and nodded. "Continue, Brendan."
"Therefore, I propose we find a family that is of comparable status or slightly better than ours and join forces with them. In this way, the chances of success will definitely increase greatly. Once we reach a successful collaboration, we will have a say too, and we won't have to worry about being kicked to the curb by the other family because we are of the same status."
"Wonderful! Great idea, Brendan!"
"No wonder you're valued by Mr. Reed Senior. You're so thoughtful and comprehensive with your thinking. Not only have you come up with a good idea, but the countermeasures you've thought of are great, too. They'll prevent us from paving the way for others and getting made use of!"
Thaddeus nodded profusely, showing his satisfaction toward Brendan.
"Which family should we cooperate with?" someone asked.
Brendan looked at Anastasia with a strange smile full of bad intentions, making her wary and giving her an ominous premonition.
Brendan pointed directly at Anastasia and said to everyone, "I know Silas Clay of the SW Corporation has been pursuing Anastasia. Yesterday, he already made it clear to me that as long as Anastasia agrees to marry him, the cooperation between us and the Clays will be a sure bet." He smiled. "What other relationship is closer than marriage?"
Anastasia's face instantly paled. She stood up abruptly to refute vehemently, "No!"
Thaddeus frowned.
Brendan walked toward Anastasia. "What's wrong? The Reeds became the laughingstock of Emerald Coast County because of your scandal. Our reputation was ruined, causing our development to stagnate. If it weren't for you, we would be one of the richest families in Emerald Coast County now! And we wouldn't have to cooperate with others to fight for cooperating with the Orion Industries.
"The sins you've committed alone have dragged down the entire family, so shouldn't you be the one to solve them and make it up to us?" Brendan said with a brazen smile.
The others in the conference room looked like they agreed and thought this should be the case, too.
Anastasia was filled with misery. Back then, she was the victim of that incident, and her family had already taken away Spark Enterprises, the pillar business of Reeds, from her.
Looking at Thaddeus anxiously, she asked, "Grandpa, I've already been married for a long time. How can I marry Silas Clay again?"
Thaddeus frowned, his disapproving gaze fixed on Anastasia. "I heard your live-in husband has returned. Good. Go get a divorce and marry Silas Clay."
Anastasia's heart plummeted at Thaddeus's abrupt command. Her voice quivered with a mixture of disappointment and defiance as she shook her head. "No, Grandpa. I won't get a divorce or remarry!"
Bang! Thaddeus's fist pounded against the table, echoing like a thunderclap. His eyes blazed with an almost unbearable fury. "You're rebelling against me! Brendan is right. If not for your actions, the Reeds would have thrived far more than we have. We wouldn't need this marriage! You should take responsibility for this, yet you dare refuse me. Do you respect me as the head of this family?!"
Tears welled up in Anastasia's eyes, her voice breaking as she tried to defend herself. "But I was framed and set up back then…" Her words trailed off, overwhelmed by the intensity of Thaddeus's rage.
The air grew tense, each word slicing through the silence like a knife. Anastasia felt her knees buckle under her grandfather's wrath, the injustice of the situation pressing down on her chest like a physical force. The room seemed to close in around her, suffocating and relentless, as Thaddeus's furious gaze bore into her, demanding obedience and crushing her spirit.
"Dare you to mention that disgraceful year again!" Thaddeus thundered, his face twisted with fury as he hurled the ashtray to the ground, shattering it into pieces. "You disgraced this family with your actions. "If this were ancient times, your kin would drag you to a river and drown you until you were lifeless!"
Thaddeus's sudden outburst reverberated through the conference room, leaving everyone stunned. The intensity of his rage was palpable, filling the air with a suffocating tension. Everyone could feel the weight of his wrath, each sharp breath and clenched fist amplifying the gravity of the situation. The room seemed to shrink under his anger, making everyone acutely aware of the fragile balance that could shatter at any moment.