The shareholder meeting was scheduled for January 5th, and that morning, New York was still wrapped in the chill of winter. Rex Thompson had risen early. He stood in his walk-in closet, carefully selecting a finely tailored suit and pairing it with a sophisticated tie. As he gazed at his reflection in the mirror, he noticed how, after over two months of recovery, his health had clearly improved. His eyes carried a commanding presence.
Aiden Thompson came downstairs and saw his father in his formal outfit. He immediately knew his father was set on attending the meeting.
"You're really going today?" Aiden asked with a touch of concern in his voice.
"Why wouldn't I?" Rex replied, taking a slow sip from his coffee cup. "Without me there, you won't be able to handle those old sharks."
"Fair point." Aiden sat down at the table as the housekeeper placed a hearty American breakfast in front of him—bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast.
Mabel Thompson joined them, sitting down with a worried expression. She looked at Rex. "Aiden, keep an eye on your dad. If he feels off, take him to the hospital right away."
Aiden casually asked, "Has the doctor arranged everything?"
Mabel shot a quick glance at Rex. It wasn't easy to bring it up in front of him, so she just gave Aiden a silent look, signaling everything was taken care of.
Rex, however, wasn't pleased. He put down his coffee cup. "Am I invisible to you two?"
Mabel responded firmly, "We're just looking out for you. What's wrong with that?"
Rex huffed but said nothing more. He knew that today's shareholder meeting would be more intense than the last board meeting.
Rex controlled 34% of Silverstone Group's shares, while Elijah Porter held 19%, and Henry Morgan owned 17%. The Porter and Morgan families had formed a close alliance, backed by a shareholder agreement. As a result, the largest shareholding was now in their hands. This shift in ownership would bring significant changes. Today's meeting would be a pivotal moment in this transition.
During the past weeks, Rex had been busy meeting with other major shareholders. Most were still inclined to keep the Thompson family in control of Silverstone Group. After all, the company had grown from a small operation to a large conglomerate with nearly 10,000 employees across the country. These investors had profited greatly and weren't keen on seeing the company sold.
But the final vote remained uncertain. No one knew what would happen next.
Today's meeting would decide Silverstone Group's future and the Thompson family's place in the business world.
Rex and Aiden arrived at the company in a luxury car. The car pulled up smoothly in front of the building, and the driver stepped out to open the door. Rex exited with a calm, measured step, and Aiden followed from the other side.
They walked side by side toward the building, heading for the elevator. To their surprise, they ran into Henry Morgan and Emily Porter, who were also waiting.
Henry Morgan greeted them with a forced smile. "Mr. Thompson, you're early today."
Rex ignored him, his face expressionless.
Henry Morgan smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "Mr. Thompson, how's your health? I heard there may be some major changes at the meeting today. Aren't you worried about another heart attack, like last time? I heard heart attacks…"
Aiden snapped, "You better shut up, or I'll have security throw you out."
Henry Morgan raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to provoke him. "You still think you can call the shots at Silverstone?"
Aiden didn't flinch. "At least for now."
Henry Morgan gritted his teeth, his voice filled with malice. "We'll see who gets the last laugh."
Emily Porter tugged at his sleeve, whispering, "Stop it."
Rex looked at Emily Porter, who had grown up under his watch. Despite the family tensions, he still felt a sense of responsibility toward the Porter family. "Emily, is your father coming today?" he asked.
Emily Porter turned away, her tone cold. "He's not coming."
"Oh, I see."
Henry Morgan made a smug comment, "Doesn't matter if my father-in-law shows up. We're in the same camp anyway."
The elevator arrived, and Henry Morgan and Emily Porter stepped in first. Aiden and Rex waited for the next one. When it arrived, they entered, heading straight for the executive floor.
Once they reached the floor, Rex led the way out of the elevator, with Aiden following closely behind.
"Come to my office," Rex said.
Aiden nodded and followed his father into the chairman's office. Rex sat down on the sofa, still simmering over Henry Morgan's behavior. "How did the Morgan family raise such a brat?"
Aiden sat opposite him, trying to calm him down. "The meeting hasn't even started yet, and you're already this upset. What's going to happen later?"
Rex exhaled sharply. "Henry Morgan is arrogant and overbearing. Silverstone Group cannot fall into his hands, or there'll be no future for the Thompson family."
Aiden looked at him. "What if there's a way to maintain control, but it's a double-edged sword? Would you be willing to take it?"
Rex stared at Aiden. He knew his son well. Aiden must have already thought of something. "Tell me, what do you mean by a double-edged sword?"
"I'm not sure yet. I just need to know if you'd accept it," Aiden said.
"Unless it's absolutely necessary…" Rex paused. It was a critical moment. He sighed deeply. "You decide."
**
The annual shareholder meeting began promptly at 10 AM, with a total of sixteen investors present. Rex Thompson was still recovering from a serious illness, so his son, Aiden Thompson, acted as chair for the meeting.
The spacious conference room, with seating for thirty, was filled to capacity. Aiden stood tall at the front, taking the microphone. His voice was clear and composed as he began his opening remarks: "Good morning, everyone. Today's annual shareholder meeting will be chaired by me on behalf of Chairman Rex Thompson. We have sixteen investors present today, holding 98% of the company's shares, which meets the legal requirements. Also in attendance are Mr. Moore, senior partner from Tianchen Law, Ms. King, an auditor with Jueye Accounting, and Mr. Wright, director of Jintai Securities. The first item on the agenda is my report on Silverstone Group's operations over the past year. The second item will be the financial report by our CFO, Liang Qin. The third item is voting for the re-election of the board of directors and the audit committee…"
The room was silent, with only Aiden's steady voice filling the space. After finishing his opening remarks, he smoothly opened the report he had prepared in advance. Though he had only been in charge for two months, his clear and concise presentation of the past year's operations impressed many investors, who began to view the young acting chairman with respect and admiration.
After the operational and financial reports, the meeting moved on to the third agenda item: voting for the re-election of the company's board of directors and audit committee.
Before the voting could begin, Elijah Porter suddenly stood up, a confident smile on his face. "Before we proceed with the re-election, I have a few things to say. This proposal was put forward by me. As an investor in Silverstone Group, I have always believed that Chairman Rex Thompson could lead Silverstone to greater success. However, based on the reports we've seen, Silverstone's stock price has nearly halved over the past year, and the net profit for the first three quarters was well below expectations. I understand that Chairman Thompson is getting older, and his health has been deteriorating. He had a medical emergency during the last board meeting, and given his current condition, it's clear that he can no longer continue as chairman. For the benefit of all shareholders, I propose we re-elect the board of directors. I also hope you will all understand that it is in Chairman Thompson's best interest to step down and let someone more capable and healthier take over."
Rex Thompson remained calm, speaking slowly, "My health is indeed not what it once was, and I have no objections to the re-election of the board today. However, I hope that after I step down, the company will be led by someone truly capable. My son, Aiden Thompson, has served as acting chairman for the past two months, and his performance has been evident to everyone. Though he is young, after two years of preparation, he is fully capable of taking on such responsibilities. I hope you will give him a chance."
Elijah Porter immediately responded, "Chairman Thompson, today's meeting is for the shareholders to decide who will lead the company. It's up to each of us to make that decision."
Aiden, still acting as the chair, replied calmly, "In that case, let's move on to the voting session. We will elect five members to the board from a list of eight candidates. Please cast your votes for these eight candidates."
"This vote will be supervised by Mr. Moore, a partner at Tianchen Law," Aiden added.
He clicked to display the list of candidates on the screen. "Here's the list of candidates for the board of directors. Please begin voting."
The investors in the room began to murmur among themselves, discussing how they would vote. Henry Morgan glanced around the room, then focused on a well-dressed man sitting across from him. The two exchanged a brief glance, seeming to have an unspoken agreement.
Suddenly, the door to the conference room opened, and Vera Thompson walked in. "Sorry to interrupt."
Henry Morgan looked at Vera, clearly irritated. "Ms. Thompson, don't you know there's a shareholder meeting going on?"
Vera's expression remained neutral. "Of course, I know. However, the Financial Crimes Division of the New York Police Department has come to speak with Mr. Henry Morgan. When the police are investigating a case, I can't just ignore it, so I had to interrupt. My apologies for the disturbance."
As soon as Henry Morgan heard "Financial Crimes Division," his face visibly changed.