As they stood in the quiet corridor outside the meeting room, Jay thought about the best way to tip the scales in Amelia's favor. An idea came to him—one that could potentially turn the tide with just a bit of help from the system.
"Amelia," Jay began, keeping his voice low. "I have a strange request. Remember that driver order you placed when I brought you here? Could you leave a negative review?"
Amelia blinked in surprise, not quite understanding. "A negative review? But why?"
Jay gave her a confident, knowing look. "Trust me, it'll help."
She studied his expression for a moment before nodding. "Alright, if you say so." She took out her phone, pulling up the app, and left a less-than-glowing review. "Done," she said, still looking a bit skeptical.
As soon as the review went through, Jay's phone buzzed. A message from the system flashed across his screen:
---
System Notification:
Congratulations! Negative review received. Reward: $100 million in cash.
---
Jay's heart skipped a beat as he read the notification. This amount of money would be more than enough to sway things in Amelia's favor. He turned to her, excitement flickering in his eyes.
"It worked," he said simply, though the impact of his words settled in with unspoken weight.
Amelia stared at him, shocked. "You're saying… you have that much cash now?"
Jay nodded, and without hesitation, he asked, "What's the current ownership breakdown in your company?"
"Right now," Amelia began, "I own 20% of the shares. Carter—our 'friend' in there—has bought 45%. There's one other significant shareholder, Mr. David Greene. He owns 35%."
Jay considered this for a moment. With 35% of the company's shares, David Greene was the only person capable of swinging the balance of power. "If we can buy out David's shares, we'd have control over the company," he said, glancing at Amelia.
"But David isn't exactly easy to persuade," she replied. "He's known to be cautious with his investments."
"Let's go talk to him anyway. I have a feeling he'll be interested once he sees our offer."
---
After a quick call, they arranged a meeting with David Greene in his private office a few floors up. David was an older man, sharp-eyed and impeccably dressed, with a reputation for being shrewd but fair.
As Jay and Amelia entered his office, David looked up, slightly surprised to see Amelia but masking it with a professional smile.
"Amelia," he greeted her, glancing at Jay with curiosity. "And… your friend here?"
"This is Jay," Amelia explained, giving David a brief nod. "He's someone who's been helping me through some challenges recently."
David regarded Jay carefully, but nodded. "Alright, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"
Amelia wasted no time. "David, I'm sure you're aware that Carter is trying to gain majority control of the company. He's not just buying shares; he's using them to push me out of my own business."
David raised an eyebrow. "I've heard some things," he admitted. "But you know I don't take sides. I prefer to keep my interests… neutral."
Jay stepped in. "Mr. Greene, with all due respect, neutrality only serves the one trying to disrupt things here. Carter's intentions aren't about helping the company—they're personal."
David didn't respond immediately, tapping his pen against the desk as he thought. "And what are you proposing?" he finally asked.
Jay met David's gaze directly. "I'd like to buy your shares. All 35%."
David's eyes widened, clearly taken aback. "That's… a substantial investment. Do you realize how much those shares are worth?"
Jay gave a confident nod. "I do. And I'm prepared to offer $50 million, in cash, right now."
David's face revealed a flicker of surprise at the seriousness of the offer. He looked between Amelia and Jay, clearly weighing his options.
"It's a fair price, no doubt," he said slowly, "but my shares in this company have been solid and profitable for years. I need assurance that my investment is protected if I decide to sell."
Amelia interjected, "David, I've run this company since day one. You know my track record. With your support, I'll be able to stabilize things and keep the business profitable."
After a long pause, David gave a nod. "Alright, Amelia, I'll admit you've built something remarkable here. If your friend here," he nodded to Jay, "can deliver on his end, then you have my agreement."
Jay extended his hand, and David shook it firmly. "I'll get the transfer arranged immediately. Consider it done."
---
Within hours, the shares were transferred, and Amelia was now the majority shareholder once again. The power had shifted back into her hands, with Carter's ambitions effectively blocked.
In the car afterward, Amelia looked over at Jay, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and admiration. "I still don't know how you pulled all this off, but… thank you. You've given me back something I thought I'd lost."
Jay smiled. "I just wanted to help, that's all. And you'd do the same for anyone you cared about, right?"
Amelia nodded, the gratitude clear on her face. They drove back to the hotel in comfortable silence, both aware that this victory was only the beginning.
But as they returned, a thought gnawed at Jay's mind. He knew Carter wouldn't simply back down. A man like that would try to regain control and would likely use any means to get what he wanted.
As they pulled up to the hotel, Jay's resolve hardened. If he wanted to protect Amelia and secure her future, he'd need to find a way to gain full ownership of the company.