Ch. 1471..1480
Chapter 1471 The Leader
Charlotte had only been there once, and it was when Henry passed away.
At that time, she had come to stir up trouble under Danrique’s command and managed to infuriate Zachary.
Though the people and place remained the same, her emotions were vastly different.
Charlotte had already cast aside her animosity and grudges toward the Nacht family. As of then, they were no longer enemies but a family.
When she entered Henry's residence, the subordinates, bodyguards, and maids were no longer wary of her. Instead, they welcomed her respectfully and greeted, “Mrs. Nacht!"
"Where's Mr. Spencer?”
Charlotte strode forward, displaying a regal bearing with every step she took.
Her demeanor had changed entirely—she was no longer like her weak self in the past.
Even when she reconciled with the Lindberg family, she was not as domineering as then.
After all, she had Danrique as her backing at that time. No matter how powerful she was, the shadow of her past still lingered.
Yet, both Danrique and Zachary had gone missing.
Charlotte was the only one left in both the Nacht and Lindberg families.
Hence, she had to pull herself together and be the most reliable leader for everyone.
“Mr. Spencer is waiting for you in the study,” replied the butler respectfully.
Charlotte entered with Lupine and the rest. Just as she was about to step into the study, she saw Henry's portrait on the wall and fell into a daze.
His portrait had been hung there since his passing. Every day, Spencer would talk to it about the recent happenings in the Nacht family.
When Spencer saw her stopping in her tracks, he quickly instructed, “Take the portrait down now.” “There's no need for that.” Charlotte affected a calm expression and strode into the room. “I should keep Grandpa updated too.”
"Did you just call Mr. Henry as...”
"Although the wedding ceremony did not happen, Zachary and I are legally married. Now that I'm officially part of the Nacht family, I ought to change the way I address him.”
Charlotte sat on the sofa across from Spencer.
"Your demeanor reminds me of Mr. Zachary in the past.” Looking at her, Spencer could not help but lament, “It's a pity... Why did this happen...”
At the thought of Zachary, tears streamed down his cheeks as his heart ached terribly.
“I still think that he’s alive.” Although Charlotte felt emotional, she remained strong. “Perhaps, the masked men took him away, or..."
"Considering how ill he is, even if the masked men had brought him away, I'm afraid that the chances of him surviving are slim,” said Spencer amidst sobs. “Of course, I wish that there'll be a miracle too, but...”
“I know that it sounds impossible, but...” Trying her best to suppress her sorrow, she declared firmly, “I still believe in miracles!”
Spencer heaved a deep sigh and fell silent.
At that moment, the butler served some tea.
After taking a sip of the hot tea, Charlotte went straight to the point. “I believe Mr. Sterk has contacted you, right? A board meeting is going to be held this afternoon.”
“He did call me.” Spencer leaned against the wheelchair weakly, already exhausted by the short conversation. “I'll follow you to the company in the afternoon. However..."
There, he drew out his vowels for a long time, his tone filled with misgivings and hesitation. Naturally, he was aware of the current situation and that Charlotte was alone without any support. At that moment, he had to be her backing
Prior to the incident, that was what Zachary kept reminding him of. Hence, he had to do a good job. Yet, to be honest, he lacked confidence. Firstly, he did not know if Charlotte was capable enough to support the family. Secondly, he was unsure if she would remain with the Nacht family forever. After all, she was still so young. It was possible for her to remarry to someone else
Furthermore, the grudges between the Nacht and Lindberg families could not be dismissed just like that.
If Danrique returned one day and took Charlotte away, the Nacht family’s future would be bleak.
Chapter 1472 Two Promises
Even if Spencer did not voice his worries, Charlotte understood them all.
Frankly, he was still slightly wary toward her. From the start, he always believed that Zachary's illness would not have worsened if she had not insisted on bringing the three children and Dr. Felch back to Erihal.
He had never stopped brooding over that fact.
However, Zachary had reminded him sternly not to bring that matter up anymore.
Hence, Spencer never mentioned it at all.
After all, he was not Henry. Regardless of how dignified his status was in the Nacht family or how much Zachary respected him, he was just an old servant.
His status and glory were all given to him by the Nacht family. He was cognizant of all that.
Since Zachary chose Charlotte, Spencer had no right to voice any opposition.
Even then, he dared not show any signs of his concerns.
“I know what you're thinking about, Mr. Spencer,” Charlotte pointed out. “There are two things that I think I should explain to you. Firstly, I'll do my best to support the family. As long as I'm here, the family stands. Secondly, even if Zachary never returns, I'll remain with the Nacht family until Robbie, Jamie, and Ellie become adults and can support everyone.”
As a matter of fact, she had wondered what she should do if Zachary were never to return. Perhaps, when she grew old, she would spend the rest of her life alone in a tranquil place.
“Ms. Lindberg... No, Mrs. Nacht...” After correcting himself, Spencer said emotionally, “Thank you. I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
“This is what I'm supposed to do.” Charlotte smiled wryly. “I'm not only protecting this family for Zachary's sake, but also my kids’. Therefore, you have nothing to worry about!”
“I'm sorry. I was being petty,” he apologized.
“No, I understand how you feel,” she said sincerely. “The Nacht family has nothing now, and my children are still young. If I ever thought of leaving, the Nacht family would be ruined. As the only elder remaining in the family, it's normal for you to be concerned. Hence, I came over today to explain everything to you clearly and reassure you.”
“I'm glad to hear that. It looks like Mr. Zachary made the right judgment.” Spencer was overwhelmed with emotions. “Don’t worry. As long as I'm still alive, I'll protect you to the best of my abilities.”
“Thank you!” Charlotte stood up and bowed grave thanks.
“There's no need for that, Mrs. Nacht...”
Spencer wanted to help her up, but he could not stand up.
"You have to accept it,” she stated with a smile. “I have to settle some things, so I'll leave now. Remember to be at Divine Corporation by three in the afternoon.”
“Don’t worry.” Spencer saw her to the door. After watching her get into the car, he remarked, “Mr. Zachary is right. If she weren't around, the Nacht family would've been doomed!”
Charlotte did not rest in the car. Instead, she continued looking through the messages on her phone. Later, she had to meet a few shareholders and major clients personally and reach a mutual agreement with them before the board meeting.
Some of them were the shareholders of the Gymnasium Project in F Nation, Theo, and the rest.
To save everyone's time, they agreed to meet in a private club at the foot of the hill.
At that moment, they were already awaiting her arrival for a long time.
While the car drove toward the private club, Lupine searched up some information and reported, “Ms. Lindberg, the private club is the Gold family’s property. Should we change the venue?” “There's no need for that.” Charlotte was unperturbed by the information.
“Ms. Gold has a good relationship with Mr. Murphy and the rest. If she tries to stir up trouble, it'll be very troublesome.”
“I know,” Charlotte replied coldly. “We can't avoid the inevitable. If she intends to play some dirty tricks, there's no way I can get away from it. It's better to confront her upfront!”
Chapter 1473 Confrontation
They arrived at the private club, which seemed like it had just been opened. Charlotte had never heard of its existence prior to the meeting.
Unexpectedly, the person waiting for her in the lobby was not Theo but Nancy.
Dressed in white, the woman sipped at her tea elegantly in her seat.
It seemed like she had been waiting for Charlotte for a long time.
Undeterred by her presence, Charlotte walked forward, sat down, and drank tea
“Are you finally free enough to talk to me in person, Ms. Lindberg?” Nancy shot her a cold glance. “I arrived five minutes earlier to make time for you.”
Charlotte continued sipping at her tea, not even sparing a single glance in Nancy's direction. "Hah!" Nancy scoffed but did not choose to dispute with her at that moment. Instead, she probed relentlessly, “Where exactly is Mr. Nacht?"
“I want to know too.” Charlotte glanced at her. “If you know, please tell me.”
"You..." Although Nancy was fuming, she humbled herself to say, “You're already legally married to him. Now that you're part of the Nacht family, I'm no longer a threat to you. I just want to know if he’s still alive. Am I not even allowed to do that?”
When Charlotte heard that, her attitude softened. A moment of silence passed before she replied softly, “He went missing...”
“Missing?” Nancy's eyes popped in shock. “How did he go missing? Weren't you two holding a wedding? What happened?”
“A fire happened at Southridge the night before the wedding...” Charlotte evaded the question and gave a vague description of what happened that night. “I've searched the entirety of Southridge, but I couldn't find him at all. The police said that h-he has already been burned to ashes...”
Nancy was stunned. “That's impossible! How can someone so powerful like Mr. Nacht die just like that? That's simply impossible!”
“I find it impossible too.” Charlotte let out a pained smile. “However, I just can't find him.” “Impossible... He must still be alive!” Nancy was extremely agitated. “Perhaps, he was taken away by those culprits who started the fire! Maybe..."
Charlotte lowered her head and continued drinking tea. She did not want to tell her that Zachary was suffering from a terminal illness. Even if the fire did not happen, his days would still be numbered.
According to Helen's predictions, the next day would be his last.
If he had been taken away by the masked men, his illness would probably have relapsed by then. Without any treatment, he would die.
“Have you sent anyone to run investigations? Who are the culprits?” Nancy pressed on anxiously. "Why don't you tell me everything that you know? I'll instruct someone to investigate it. As for the police, I'll look for the highest-ranking officer and...”
As Nancy spoke, she ordered her subordinates to contact the said person.
Charlotte watched as she went about with her business.
“Tell me the clues, and I'll order my subordinates to investigate what exactly happened...” Nancy asked worriedly, “Also, which police officer is currently in liaison with you?”
“There's no need for that. Don't waste your effort on this futile endeavor.” Charlotte gazed at her calmly.
“Charlotte...”
“All right, time's up.” Charlotte placed her cup down, stood up, and strode toward the private rooms.
“Charlotte...” Nancy quickly blocked her path. “How can you still deal with other matters? Isn't finding Mr. Nacht the most important thing now? Do you care about him or not?”
“I care about him more than anyone else.” Frowning, Charlotte stared at her. “Hence, I have to settle his family’s business well now. I'm really busy, so you'd better stop creating more trouble for me!” "You..."
Nancy wanted to say something, but Charlotte had already walked off briskly.
Glaring at her back, Nancy gritted her teeth and said to her bodyguard, “Since she doesn't want to investigate it, I'll do it myself. Contact the police right now. I want to find out the details of this case.”
“Understood, Ms. Gold.”
Chapter 1474 Dominance
When Charlotte met Theo and the rest, she announced that she would take charge of the Gymnasium Project temporarily and that everything else would go according to plan.
Theo and the rest dared not voice their doubts. After all, Nacht Group held the biggest shares. Even if something were to happen to Zachary, the company would still be capable enough of operating as usual.
However, they couldn't help but worry that something else would pop up and affect the project's progress.
Charlotte announced icily, “Even if something pops up, Nacht Group will take the brunt of it. We've invested more than the total of your investments, right?”
Having heard that, they fell silent.
Rick Newark, one of the shareholders, however, plucked up his courage to say, “Ms. Lindberg, you can't say that. The Nacht family is an affluent family, and the investment is nothing to you. However, for the rest of us, we've invested our savings into this project. If something happens, we'll have to declare bankruptcy.”
"Yes, that's right,” the others chimed in.
"What do you want?” Charlotte arched a brow. “You want to pull out? It's not too late for that.” “Well...” The shareholders shared a look anxiously.
“Not to that extent, of course,” Theo answered hastily. “I don't know what the others have in mind, but I will remain loyal to Nacht Group. No matter what, we'll get through this together!”
"Oh? We'll get through this together?” Charlotte shot Theo an arctic look. She turned to the others and declared, “Everyone, I won't stop you if you wish to pull out. I can ask Mr. Williams to come over to draft an agreement before returning your investment to you.”
The other shareholders promptly voiced in unison, “We'll stick with Nacht Group and get through this together!”
“Have you made up your minds?” Charlotte gave them a frosty look.
"Yes, of course.” They nodded profusely.
“Since you've made up your minds, I'll be frank, then.” Charlotte raised her brow authoritatively. “This project has already started, so I can actually force you to comply using the contract if you hesitate. But because you've known my husband for a long time, I made an exception by giving you a choice. Now that you've agreed to continue with the collaboration, please give me your full cooperation. If you bring this topic up again in the future, I shall demand compensation as per the contract!”
"Yes, we understand.” They bobbed their heads fearfully.
"Good." More of that arctic staring before Charlotte announced, “I'll be pretty busy lately, so Lucy, the vice president of Divine Corporation, will handle this project. Please cooperate with her. I don't want someone else to bother me at the slightest movement.”
The men could only nod in agreement.
“I need to leave. Enjoy your meal. I've already paid the bill.”
Charlotte rose to her feet and strode out with her eight female bodyguards trailing behind her. After their footsteps faded away, the shareholders heaved a collective sigh of relief.
His heart still racing, Rick asked, “I thought she’s supposed to be inadequate? Why do I find her as domineering as Mr. Nacht?”
"She's Danrique’s sister and Mr. Nacht's wife. How dare you say she's inadequate?” Theo chided. “Be careful of your words. She's no pushover.”
“What? You were the one who told us to come!” Rick huffed.
“My suggestion was that we sound her out, not to protest against her,” Theo explained. “Anyway, I'm going to stick until the project is done. Even if Mr. Nacht is in trouble, Nacht Group won't fall that easily. Besides, I received news that Danrique is going to make a comeback.”
Chapter 1475 Taking Over
"What? Really?” The others gathered around him. “Didn't Danrique’s yacht explode in the sea?” “That's just his escape plan.”
“Then...”
“But that's just a rumor. No one has confirmed it yet. But I think Danrique won't reveal himself easily. Perhaps he'll make a comeback soon.”
“If Danrique makes a comeback, Mrs. Nacht is going to be an amazing figure.”
“We can't be sure about that. Both the Nacht family and the Lindberg family are still at odds. Ms. Lindberg got back together with Mr. Nacht when Danrique was missing. Perhaps Danrique doesn't approve of their relationship at all.”
“That could be possible. Perhaps Danrique will come to H City to take her with him. If that happens for real, the Nacht family will be doomed. No one will be able to keep the order.”
"Another possibility is that Danrique has planned to take over Nacht Group when Mr. Nacht is in trouble. After that, the Nacht family will no longer exist, and only the Lindberg family will remain standing.”
"Oh, dear. I don't think so..."
"Why not? Have you forgotten what Danrique is like? He could even kill his own sibling, let alone Zachary. Zachary is his family's enemy.”
“Well...”
“If that's the case, will our investment go down the drain?”
“I don't think so. It will take some time for Danrique to take over Nacht Group if he has that in mind. Nacht Group is a huge company, and he can't do that alone. We need to speed up, complete the project, and get our share of money before Danrique takes action.”
"You're right...”
The men were involved in a heated discussion. They had no idea that Lupine, who had returned to grab something she had left behind, had overheard their entire conversation before leaving with a grim expression
Back in the car, Lupine reported what she had heard to Charlotte. Worried, she asked, “Ms. Lindberg, will Mr. Lindberg really object to you staying at the Nacht residence?”
Charlotte said nothing. In fact, she had already expected it. However, she was too busy recently to dwell on it.
Now that rumors were circulating in the outside world, she had to start pondering about it.
No matter what or who she encountered, she could forge ahead without fear. Alas, the mere thought of Danrique made her anxious.
Danrique was the only person she feared in this world.
If he wants to bring me back or has something else in mind, I'll be in deep trouble.
“Ms. Lindberg? Ms. Lindberg!”
“Mm.” Charlotte snapped back to reality.
“Let's go to a restaurant.” Lupine glanced at her watch. “You haven't eaten a proper meal in days.” “I've got no appetite,” Charlotte answered bluntly as she rubbed her temples. “It's time to go to the office.”
“But you haven't—"
"Just ask the cafeteria to send a sandwich to my office.”
“All right.”
Lupine said nothing after that, but she was worried about Charlotte
After the incident, she hasn't slept for three days and four nights. She didn't even get to eat as she had to keep the order and deal with various situations. No one was as upset and full of grief as her, but she didn't even have the time to cry. When she gets some time alone, she'll stare out of the window aimlessly.
“Hubby, where are you?” Charlotte muttered to herself as she stared at Rokan Hill.
Her heart sank to the bottom of her stomach.
She didn't have time to think about Zachary when she was busy, but he'd occupy her mind the moment she came to a stop.
Even though her instincts told her that Zachary was still alive, she couldn't help but panic at his disappearance.
Today is the last day. If he was kidnapped by the masked man, he should be suffering a lot now. It's hard to say whether he'll survive the ordeal.
Chapter 1476 Being Questioned
The board meeting held that afternoon was a grand affair.
The board of directors from the headquarter had arrived at H City to attend the meeting at Divine Corporation.
Back when Zachary was here, he had rarely gotten them to gather here. Every time, one or two board members would miss the meeting due to personal reasons. However, each and every one of them was free this afternoon and had shown up today on level 68.
When Johann and Spencer arrived, everyone else stood up to greet them before asking about Zachary's situation.
They both refused to answer questions and told the rest to wait for Charlotte's arrival.
In her office, Charlotte was munching on a sandwich. It was five minutes to three in the afternoon, but this was her first meal of the day.
She gobbled up the sandwich without paying heed to her image.
Her heart aching, Lupine handed Charlotte a glass of milk. “Have some milk. Don't choke on your food,” she reminded gently.
Charlotte took the glass readily. She was about to drink the milk when Lucy knocked on the door and entered hastily. “Ms... Mrs. Nacht, everyone has arrived. Mr. Sterk and Mr. Spencer are here. They are waiting for you,” she reported.
“It's two minutes to three,” Charlotte answered after a brief glance at her watch. She resumed her action of drinking the milk.
Without a word, Lucy stood aside and waited for her.
After downing the glass of milk, Charlotte whipped out a piece of tissue and wiped her mouth. She then put on her coat and strode out.
One second before the clock struck three, she entered the conference room haughtily.
The board members who had come from the headquarter were frowning as they gazed at the clock hanging on the wall. They held back their annoyance and waited for the so-called Mrs. Nacht to show up.
After showing up before the clock struck three, Charlotte swept a cursory glance across the crowd before heading to the president's seat. Overlooking everyone else, she announced in an icy but polite tone, “Welcome to Divine Corporation!”
“Thank you!” a board member from the headquarter answered and gave her an imperious look. “Ms. Lindberg, though rumor has it that Mr. Nacht has announced his marriage to you, you're not yet married, right? It doesn't seem right for you to occupy that seat.”
Upon her arrival, someone from the headquarter had outfoxed her.
The rest didn't utter a word and waited patiently for Charlotte's reply.
Spencer was about to say something, but Charlotte made a hand gesture. At once, Lupine slammed a marriage certificate on the table. “Ms. Lindberg and Mr. Nacht have registered their marriage. This is their marriage certificate!”
The board members immediately furrowed their brows at the sight of the marriage certificate.
"A marriage certificate proves nothing,” Kallum Nacht continued with his verbal attacks. “Everyone here has worked hard to develop the Nacht family alongside Mr. Henry Nacht. It does not belong to you. Even if Mr. Nacht owns some of the shares, they are part of his pre-marital assets. That has nothing to do with you, Ms. Lindberg.”
Lupine was livid. She was about to retort when Rodney came in to announce, “Ten days ago, Mr. Nacht has transferred the shares he owns in Nacht Group and all his assets to Charlotte Lindberg and her three children.”
Rodney and Lucy then showed the photocopied documents to the board members.
The board members’ faces turned purple in rage.
“Nonsense!” Kallum slammed his fist on the table furiously. “How could he hand the company to someone who's not a Nacht?”
“That's right. How could he?"
The remaining board members were worried, but they dared not step out and waited for Kallum to seek an answer.
“The Lindberg family has been the rival of the Nacht family for years. I won't mention the past generation's grudges. Just two years ago, Mr. Lindberg got the Sterlings and the Browns to go against us. Did you forget how they made things difficult for us?” Kallum declared furiously. “Now that the company is run by a Lindberg, will its name change to Lindberg Group in the future?”
Chapter 1477 Who Else
“Kallum, Danrique and Ms. Lindberg are different beings. You can't compare them,” Spencer said calmly. “Now, she’s Mrs. Nacht, Mr. Zachary's wife!”
"So what?" Kallum refused to listen to him. “There are plenty of women in history who have killed their husbands to get their husbands’ wealth!”
As soon as he said that, the air in the room tensed up.
The shareholders stared at Charlotte and Kallum fearfully.
With her gaze lowered, Charlotte sipped on her tea without bothering to respond.
Johann broke into a cold sweat. I can't believe Kallum is that arrogant to defame Charlotte! However, he wasn't in the right position to speak up for Charlotte. Thus, he had to remain silent as his heart leaped to his throat.
“Kallum, don't go overboard!” Spencer retorted. “Ms. Lindberg is married to Mr. Zachary. How could you disrespect her? Do you even respect Mr. Zachary?”
"Spencer, you're too old to be aware of how dangerous the corporate world is,” Kallum replied with a frown. “Look at you, trembling in your seat. You should head home and rest. Stop butting into my business.”
"Hey!" Spencer went wordless with rage.
However, Kallum didn't even spare him another glance.
The other board members advised, “Mr. Kallum, let's return to the topic. You can't be rude to Mr. Spencer.”
“I was just concerned about his health,” came Kallum's answer.
“Kallum Nacht, right?” Charlotte finally spoke. “You're the CEO of Nacht Group's company based in M Nation. As you're three generations apart from my husband, we're considered relatives.”
"You flatter me,” Kallum uttered icily. He assumed that Charlotte wanted to butter up to him. However, Charlotte's tone did a one-eighty. “But as I'm your superior, I can fire you for spouting nonsense here.”
"How dare you?” Kallum fumed.
"Why not?” Charlotte lifted an eyebrow. “I'm the biggest shareholder in Nacht Group. I can fire you if I like. What can you do about it?"
“You...” Kallum was at a loss for words.
Johann immediately shot a look at Charlotte to remind her not to act recklessly. After all, Kallum was representing all thirteen board members from the headquarter.
As expected, the other board members chimed in, “Ms. Lindberg, you're so authoritative, huh? Why don't you fire us all?”
“That isn't what she meant,” Spencer offered hastily.
“Those who disagree can leave now.” Instead of giving in, Charlotte gave a court order. “Lucy, hand every board member a resignation letter. Those who wish to leave can sign the letter and complete the procedure now.”
"Hey!"
Her order immediately created an uproar.
Besides those from the headquarter, even those from Divine Corporation and other branches were abuzz with discussion.
The tension in the air increased under Kallum's incitement.
Some board members started reprimanding Charlotte for her arrogance. After accusing her of abusing her authority, they started to suspect her motives.
Growing anxious, Spencer asked Johann to dissuade Charlotte.
Rising to his feet with difficulty, Johann was about to go to Charlotte as requested when she parted her lips to say, “Why? Do you want to resign, Mr. Sterk?”
At once, everyone fell silent and gazed at her in disbelief.
Stunned, Johann replied instinctively, “Of course not.”
"Sit down, then.” Charlotte made a gesture with her hand.
Johann immediately sank down.
“Who else wants to resign? We can go through the procedure now.” Charlotte gazed at them calmly. “Don’t worry. Nacht Group will give you what you deserve. You won't receive a cent less.”
Chapter 1478 A Domineering Female President
Johann and Spencer gaped at Charlotte. They had no idea what she was getting at.
Though some board members remained skeptical, they held important positions in the company. If they were to leave, the company would be in a total mess and had to stop operation.
“Charlotte Lindberg, this is too much!” Kallum exclaimed, slamming on the table. He rose to his feet and declared, “She's messing around to destroy Nacht Group!”
“What will I get in return when Nacht Group is destroyed?” Charlotte retorted icily. “Even if you refuse to admit it, my children are the heirs to the company. Mr. Henry Nacht has left his shares to them.”
The rest promptly calmed down at her words
Those who were talking earlier quietened down and gazed at her curiously, for they were unsure what she meant.
"You can doubt me, but I won't allow you to doubt Henry or my husband,” Charlotte announced haughtily. “I believe you know Henry's will. Before his death, he left everything to his great- grandchildren, and I am their mother. That means I'm their guardian for now. My husband has also transferred his shares and assets to me. You should know that they are smart and capable enough to avoid being controlled by a woman. Why can't you trust their decisions? Instead of seeing what I can do, you immediately found fault with me. What will you gain from kicking me out? If Nacht Group is in a mess, who will take charge? Kallum?”
At her explanation, everyone swiveled around to stare at Kallum.
Spencer was beaming inwardly. Good job for turning the target to Kallum! She successfully made everyone assume that Kallum is creating trouble because he’s ambitious enough to take over the president's position.
Kallum's expression changed drastically as he hurriedly explained, “That wasn't what I meant! I only want the best for Nacht Group and the Nacht family. The Lindbergs are our enemy. I did nothing wrong by questioning you!"
"You can question me, but instigating the others isn’t the right thing to do,” came Charlotte's cool answer. “This isn't our company’s anniversary. I didn't receive any reminder in advance, but thirteen board members from the headquarter turned up in H City. What about your jobs? This is a clear threat.”
“No, don’t make things up.”
“You know what you did,” Charlotte said harshly. “Everyone here is smart enough to know that.” “How dare—"
“Let me repeat myself.” Charlotte swung around to face the rest of the board members. “Those who want to leave can sign on the resignation letter. I'll approve it without further delay!”
The other board members exchanged looks without saying anything
Some of them hung their heads low in order to avoid being named.
In fact, none of them wanted to leave. To become a board member or upper management in Nacht Group was a dream come true for most of them.
“Kallum.” Charlotte turned to look at Kallum.
"Why? Are you going to force me to resign?” Kallum rebutted in a fit of rage. “Impossible! I've been working in Nacht Group for thirty years and I deserve credit for my efforts! I won't leave!”
“I'm glad you'll stay.” A grin appeared on Charlotte's lips as her tone grew soft. “We can still be a family if you stay. The outside world is waiting for something to happen to Nacht Group after Zachary went missing. We should work together to face our enemies together!”
The tension within the room quickly dissipated.
Besides giving Kallum an out, she also exuded warmth as though everyone here was part of the family facing the same problem.
Chapter 1479 Success
Spencer was impressed by Charlotte's actions.
At the same time, Johann finally understood what she was getting at.
"Of course, I need to answer Kallum's questions.” Charlotte's voice was gentle now.
“First, I'd like to clarify that I'm just the acting president of Nacht Group. When Zachary returns or the company’s operation resumes to normal, I'll leave without taking a cent,” she revealed.
The board members relaxed visibly at her words.
“Second, when I'm in charge, Nacht Group will never merge with another company. There's no way it will be taken over by someone else, for example, my brother Danrique Lindberg!”
The shareholders exhaled in relief, for that was what they were worried about.
Danrique was famous for his ruthless actions, so they were afraid he'd take the opportunity of Charlotte's position to take Nacht Group away from them.
“Third, when I'm in charge of Nacht Group, Mr. Spencer and Mr. Sterk will have to give their stamps of approval before I am to make any important decisions. Thus, you don't have to worry that I'm incapable or being reckless.”
There was no mistaking the delight on the board members’ faces
“Note them down, Mr. Williams. Prepare an agreement, and the rest shall be our witnesses!” Charlotte ordered.
“Got it, Mrs. Nacht,” answered Rodney with a nod.
"Anything else to object?” Charlotte turned to face the rest of the board members. “If you do, state it now. We can discuss it together!”
“That's it,” someone answered. “I think this is good enough.”
“I have something to say.” Right then, Johann spoke up. “Everyone, you may not know Mrs. Nacht well, but I have witnessed how she got together with Mr. Nacht until now. I trust her character. Though Nacht Group is facing a slight problem, Mr. Lindberg left a lot of money to her before his accident. She is operating a lucrative business, so there's no need for her to take over Nacht Group's mess. She could've lived a great life with her children. But why did she take the risk of taking over this hot potato? Part of it is for her children, but mostly it's because she loves Mr. Nacht. Mr. Nacht left the entire family and company in her hands, so we need to trust his decision. We have to help Mrs. Nacht, just as we helped him to develop Nacht Group!”
“That's right!” Spencer nodded. “Even if you have no trust in an outsider, you trust me, right? I've been working for Mr. Henry Nacht since I was nine, and it has been eighty years since. I don't have any private assets or pursuits as I only hope to protect the Nacht family. Now, I'm sitting here because Mr. Henry told me to take care of Mr. Zachary before he died, and Mr. Zachary told me to protect his wife, just as how I protected Mr. Henry. I believe Mrs. Nacht will lead Nacht Group well. Remember, many outsiders are targeting us, so we can't have an internal conflict!” His tone was sincere.
“You're right. We'll do our best to be of help,” the board members immediately offered.
They were Henry's men who trusted Spencer greatly.
Charlotte's words had convinced them, so they had no reason to disagree with Spencer.
Divine Corporation's employees were already on Charlotte's side. The ones from other regions promptly agreed to support her after hearing the headquarter's stance.
Though Kallum was indignant, he couldn“t keep arguing, for that would only serve to increase the others’ suspicion. He had no choice but to agree to stay in his position and do his job well.
Chapter 1480 Impressed
The board meeting ended in a peaceful manner. Before leaving, Charlotte gave Kallum some assurance to pacify him.
His pride restored, Kallum strode off.
After the meeting, Johann and Spencer came to the president's office to talk to Charlotte.
She was busy signing some documents. “Mr. Sterk, Mr. Spencer, you're here!” She looked up briefly to greet them.
"Give us three minutes to talk to you,” requested Johann with a pleasant smile.
"All right. Take a seat. I'll be with you right after I finish signing these documents.”
Charlotte returned to her work, while Lupine ushered them to their seats and prepared hot tea for them.
Lucy soon came in with more documents, but Charlotte put her pen down and pinched the bridge of her nose. “These shall wait. I need to talk to Mr. Sterk and Mr. Spencer.”
“Sure!” Lucy got her a cup of coffee.
Taking her seat on the couch, Charlotte flashed a shy smile. “I'm sorry. It's been pretty busy lately...” “Thank you,” Spencer said apologetically. “I've always thought of you as a young lady, but you changed my mind today.”
"Yes. Back when I was a secretary at level 68, you were totally different,” Johann remarked.
“Pfft!” A crimson red crept up Charlotte's cheeks. “Did you drink the chip placed accidentally in your cup?” she joked.
Johann laughed heartily at her joke, and Spencer soon joined in.
This was the first time they had laughed after what happened back at Southridge.
Today, they had won the battle, and it was a good start.
They had to deal with the internal threat first before focusing on the external threat.
Now that the internal conflict had been resolved, they could focus on their rivals.
"Actually, I knew that all along, but I never got the chance to show it. Now that I think of it, Danrique has protected me too well. He taught me a lot but never gave me the chance to face difficulties alone,” Charlotte lamented.
“Danrique is a business whiz. He taught you well.” Johann gave his honest opinion.
“That was my first experience dealing with such a problem,” Charlotte revealed with a grin. “I only used a basic trick and resolved the problem easily. It proves that the board members didn’t want to kick up a fuss. They only wanted to know my attitude and determination.”
“You're right.” Spencer was pleased. “Though they tried to put you in a tight spot, they are loyal to Nacht Group. After all, they used to work for Mr. Henry. Back when Mr. Henry got sick, he had eliminated those questionable employees. He also did a cleanup when Mr. Zachary got sick, too. The ones left behind don’t have any outstanding issues, including Kallum. He may be reckless and competitive, but there's nothing wrong with his character. I was worried you'd unleash a killing spree, but you surprised me with your decision and vision. I must say I'm impressed!”
Charlotte chuckled. “I'm not the same now. Don't worry. There are more surprises to come.”
“Thank you. Thank you so much!” Though Spencer had a lot in mind, he could only express his gratitude.
“I'm here at Divine Corporation, so you don't have to worry,” Johann said. “Though we've gained their support, you need to be extra careful in some matters. We'll always be here if you need us.” “Thank you!” Charlotte nodded gratefully. “Let's work hard to overcome this obstacle.”
"Yes, let's do that.” Spencer and Johann bobbed their heads in agreement. “We'll leave you to your work now.”
After leaving her office, they shared a smiling look before sighing in relief.