Chapter 469
When Adrian finished, both he and his daughter looked at Lacey with blatant expectation.
To their surprise, she simply replied, “Oh, I see. Well, since you aren’t a major shareholder, you should just keep working your way up from the bottom p>
After a moment’s thought, Lacey added, “If you’re really in a rush to be the interim CEO, your dad could just give you his shares. Then you’d be the majority shareholder p>
Adrian and Mara nearly choked on their own rage.
Adrian fumed silently. His shares were meant to stay with him. Hand them over to her? What if she turned out exactly like that wolf-cub Ethan?
Even if she was the daughter of the woman he loved, the only reason he had been able to kick Ethan out was because of the shares he held. He was the majority shareholder, not Ethan. So until the day he died, he wasn’t handing those shares over to anyone, including Mara.
Meanwhile, Mara was seething inwardly. This old crone was so sly! If she didn’t need the equity, she wouldn’t even be putting on this act. How could she pry those shares out of Lacey’s hands so they could kick her out and her real family could finally be together?
As for her father’s shares, she wasn’t in a hurry. They would be hers eventually anyway.
Mara continued to wipe away fake tears, and Lacey went over to comfort her. “Sweetheart, don’t push yourself too hard. No matter what you do, you have to take it one step at a time. If it really comes down to it, have your dad transfer his equity to you p>
Adrian immediately interjected, “Lacey, it’s not that I don’t want to give Mara my shares, but my forty percent is the very foundation of the Mercer family. We can’t risk it p>
Your equity can’t be risked, but mine can? Lacey thought bitterly. This was her last safety net. Ever since Mara returned to the family, Lacey had fiercely protected her to make up for lost time, completely alienating her other children in the process.
After a long day of maneuvering at the Mercer Group, Roxanne returned home to
find Shane and Victoria waiting for her for dinner.
Shane wasn’t a good man by any stretch, but he deeply respected his wife. No matter how ruthless he was in the business world, he never. brought other women home, nor did The allow anyone to disrupt his family life.
“Did something upset you today?” Victoria looked at her daughter, her eyes filled with maternal concern.
Her daughter had been working herself to the bone for the Porter family, leaving early and coming home late, utterly exhausted.
Hearing this, Shane also looked at his daughter. “Is Mara having trouble getting the shares p>
“Exactly. That Lacey Quinn suddenly grew a brain and is dragging her feet on handing over the equity,” Roxanne said angrily, taking a large gulp of water.
“Why don’t we just force a hostile takeover?” Victoria suggested.
“You don’t understand. Even as an empty shell, the Mercer Group is still valued at hundreds of millions. With our current liquid capital, we simply can’t swallow it whole if other Syndicates smell blood in the water and swoop in, it’ll be a nightmare. We have to take it through finesse. Acquiring Lacey’s shares is the only way forward p>
Shane patiently analyzed the situation for his wife. “Conversely,
even if we force a takeover, if Lacey doesn’t let go, she’ll always be a thorn our side. The equity she holds has legal backing if we den a’t absorb it, she’ll retain a stake in the Mercer assets even after they fall into our hands. Paying her dividends every year is a minor issue; the real danger is that Ethan and the others could use that equity to manipulate the company p>
“Is it really that serious p>
Both father and daughter nodded.
“I have another idea,” Roxanne said. “We drug Lacey. I think drugging her will be
infinitely easier than trying to drug Ethan p>