Chapter 57.1

Chapter 57.1

[A hostile takeover. How much of our stake does Mars Investment currently hold?]

Andre asked in a calm tone without any change in expression. Cedric looked at him with a slightly nauseated gaze before speaking.

[Just over 5 percent, as far as I know. They’ve been preparing for quite a while. If we consider the shares Gordon Lowell’s family has accumulated, the shares inherited from the vice president, and the shares of shareholders friendly to them—]

Cedric took a deep breath.

[Currently, their stake is likely higher than ours. They’ve spent decades gaining the Vice President’s trust, riding on the Lowell last name to establish their position in the company…]

He trailed off.

Andre’s gaze turned to Charles. He had so many questions. How would they counter their attack? How far had preemptive defense progressed? As he was prioritizing questions in his mind, Charles spoke.

[What do you think we should do, Andre?]

Andre’s breath caught in his throat.

They had boldly declared their intention to steal everything the Lafayette-Lowell family had nurtured and protected, right under their owners’ noses, and yet nothing had been done since last Monday?

Simply waiting for his arrival?

A hostile takeover.

It would be a disgraceful event that would mark the family’s history.

While this was happening, he had been leisurely enjoying himself with a woman, unaware. A sigh escaped involuntarily.

Andre looked sharply at Cedric.

[Have any pre-emptive defenses been prepared? Such as inserting poison pill provisions in the articles of incorporation. How far have the management rights defense plans been developed?]

Both Charles and Cedric stared blankly at Andre like people hearing a foreign language they couldn’t understand, then subtly averted their gazes.

He swallowed a deep sigh. He knew his father was a nominal chairman, but he hadn’t expected him to be this irresponsible.

[Andre, as you know, your mother handled almost all the practical matters. I would come when Grace said come, and go when she said go. My signature was on the approval documents, but all decisions were made by Grace. There wasn’t much I could do.]

Charles excused himself bitterly.

Andre already knew this fact. However, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed that his father remained helpless and inactive even in such a situation. His father might be a good person, but he was truly incredibly incompetent.

Andre pressed his forehead and slowly rubbed his temples before letting out a deep sigh. A heavy silence filled the study.

Slowly raising his head, he commanded Cedric in a cold voice:

[Open your notebook.]

Cedric, with beads of sweat on his mustache, spread the notebook on the desk. He then hastily pulled out a ballpoint pen from his suit pocket and clicked it a couple of times.

Andre dictated rapidly:

[First, I’m issuing my personnel appointment. Position: Acting Vice President. Second, I’ll meet with the General Counsel (Chief Legal Officer) tomorrow at nine in the morning. We’ll review the articles of incorporation. Third, we’ll secretly hire a consultant with experience in an investment banking’s restructuring department. Bring me a list of consulting companies by four tomorrow afternoon. Fourth, submit the most recent financial statements by tomorrow morning. All these directives are issued under the name of Chairman Charles de Lafayette.]

Cedric’s face turned pale as he frantically took notes.

[Are we clear.]

The question sounded like a chilling threat. Cedric vigorously nodded. Andre’s overwhelming presence was so intense that he could barely breathe, leaving no room for escape.

[Yes, sir!]

Charles, who had been looking back and forth between Andre and Cedric, asked with a weary expression:

[So… can I return to Paris now?]

Andre turned to Charles with a face as blank as a mask and coldly declared:

[You cannot return to Paris until this matter is resolved. You are still the chairman. You must attend all meetings with me and lend the authority of your position until everything is set right. Do you understand.]

Charles opened his mouth to object, but seemed overwhelmed by Andre’s momentum and closed it again. His son, who had been too upright and mature even as a child, had become even more difficult to deal with as an adult.

[…Okay, for now.]