Empire of Shadows

By rights, any change in the company’s shareholding situation should be notified to the board of directors in advance, but it’s also acceptable not to notify them. This involves some issues with the articles of incorporation.

The president was stunned for a moment, his expression gradually turning cold. “I understand.”

He hung up the phone as he spoke.

Two percent was not a small amount. If calculated according to the normal stock price, two percent would be around $25,000,000.

The vice president didn’t have that much money to acquire these stocks.

Even now, with the stock price having been cut in half, it was still over $10,000,000.

Basically, no shareholder would sell the shares they held, at least not when the stock price was clearly undervalued.

From his understanding of the vice president, the other party did not have the courage or the ability to buy these stocks at the original price at this time.

And the number of shareholders who could transfer two percent of the shares at once was very few.

The total number of shareholders in the Liji Group was about a thousand.Let alone two percent, even two ten-thousandths was not a small amount for many people.

The number of people who could come up with these shares was very small, and among them was the recently deceased chairman of the board.

He sat in a daze for a while, then dialed the number of the chairman of the board’s estate. No one answered.

He could only call the vice president, wanting to talk to him, but no one answered either.

This gave him a bad feeling. He rubbed his face to calm himself down.

Sometimes people aren’t stupid, it’s just that their habits and past experiences prevent them from thinking in a certain direction.

In the eyes of the president, the vice president had worked wholeheartedly for the company. The small group within the board of directors had already discussed the result, which was to let the vice president continue to increase his holdings.

On the one hand, increasing his holdings would cause a shortage of funds for the vice president, which would make him cherish his current job even more.

After signing the share increase agreement with the company, he would be required not to reduce his holdings or transfer them within three or five years, and he would need to abide by the non-outflow agreement for the shares.

This also meant that as long as he increased his holdings, then whether it was from the bottom of his heart or not, he had to do his best to protect the company’s interests.

If the company’s operations were good, his stocks appreciated, and he made money, while his job could also bring him a rich income.

If he didn’t do a good job, the company’s efficiency would decrease, the dividends would become less, his salary would become less, and he might have to face the problem of not being able to pay many bills.

Even if he was not really loyal to the company, as long as he was loyal to the money in his hands, then he had to dedicate himself to the company.

As for not being willing to increase his holdings of the company’s stock?

Then that was too simple. Just tell him to get lost. If you’re not even willing to stand with us, why should we let you continue to occupy this high position?

The vice president had been continuously increasing his holdings. He had also heard that the vice president had mortgaged his stocks to the bank in exchange for a portion of the funds to buy real estate, luxury cars, yachts, and the like. So the president, and even the board of directors, were particularly at ease with him.

If the company was good, then everyone would be good.

If the company was bad, then everyone would be unlucky. They had no reason not to trust the vice president.

And this trust, even with a hint of contempt and disdain hidden in the arrogance, made him never think that there would be a problem on the vice president’s side.

But now, he had calmed down and thought about it seriously, and he had discovered some things that were not quite right.

But to say that it was completely wrong was obviously not entirely plausible, because he would definitely have to spend money to increase his holdings outside the agreement. This showed that he actually still attached great importance to the company, but why…

He needed to have a face-to-face talk with the vice president.

He picked up the phone and dialed the company’s front desk number. “If the vice president comes to the company, have him come directly to my office.”

He sat in his chair, his eyes unfocused, as if he were staring at something people couldn’t see, lost in deep thought.

At this time, the vice president was attending a small gathering.

“This is our chairman of the board…”

“This is the company’s chief legal counsel…”

“This is…”

Mr. Berman was introducing the senior management of the Baileyde company to the vice president.

Actually, he didn’t need to introduce them. The vice president could basically recognize all these people.

They had met at the annual agricultural conference, or had seen these people’s information.

As the industry leader, the Liji Group would not underestimate its former parts—Baileyde and Danong.

They also had to study the management of these companies, and even study their social networks, so that they could respond in time when necessary.

Just as he knew these people, the people Mr. Berman introduced also knew him.

“This is the first time we’ve met in an informal setting, Mr. Vice President!”

The chairman of the Baileyde board was also an old man. He had an aquiline nose and high cheekbones, which gave people a very harsh and rigid feeling.

When he smiled, the wrinkles on his face were as stiff and deep as if they had been chopped out with an axe, making it difficult to associate this old man with kindness.

But now he was smiling, and smiling very gently, because this would be the first great development opportunity for Baileyde since it had become independent from the Liji Group.

The vice president looked a little embarrassed, but he hid his embarrassment deep in his heart and then socialized with these people.

“I called you here this time because when I was communicating with Mr. Lance, he made a suggestion.”

The vice president looked at Lance beside him with some confusion. He hadn’t heard the other party say this.

However, he still politely nodded and said, “Please speak.”

“We plan to have you hold 0.5% of the company’s shares.”

The vice president was taken aback for a moment, a little surprised and uncertain. “I… I don’t know, it’s too sudden.”

“Will there be a risk of unfair competition?”

He didn’t understand this, but the legal counsel did. He shook his head and said, “It’s not you who will be holding them personally, but holding this part of the shares through other means.”

“So it won’t trigger any risks.”

Mr. Berman smiled and introduced, “After this matter is over, Baileyde will definitely usher in a process of rapid development and growth.”

“Now it may only be worth $3,000,000, but after a while, it may be worth $6,000,000 or $7,000,000, or even more.”

Once the Liji Group was severely damaged again, Baileyde could use the opportunity of “foresight” to get more benefits and advantages from the business competition.

The market share would increase, the company’s income would increase, so naturally, the stock price would also rise accordingly.

In fact, Mr. Berman and his group had also begun to hold shares of the Liji Group through some indirect ways.

After the former chairman of the board died, he had also left behind 3.7% of the shares. Now, 2% was in the hands of the vice president. Of the remaining 1.7%, the old lady had kept 0.1%, and her children had each kept 0.3%.

The extra 1% had already been signed over in a transfer agreement, it just hadn’t been reported to the company yet.

Obviously, they wanted to tie the vice president to their chariot as well.

Seeing his hesitation, Mr. Berman said with a smile, “This is crucial for deepening our friendship.”

In the end, the vice president was unable to refuse Mr. Berman’s request. He knew very well that this 0.5% of the shares was actually a kind of “ticket,” and also a kind of “handle.”

If he wanted to enter this circle, he had to pay more.

Obedience born of fear will diminish as the fear subsides. Only a bond of interests can keep him loyal forever.

The next morning, when the vice president arrived at the company, the front desk told him that the president wanted to see him.

The vice president returned to his office, put down his briefcase and other things, and then pushed open the door to the president’s office.

He presented an energetic appearance, his emotions and expression perfectly in place.

In a large company, there are actually many unwritten rules that no one will tell you. For example, if a person wants to be promoted, to be valued, they must show that they are full of drive.

On one side is a lazy person who is listless and can’t even lift their eyelids, as if their body is glued to the chair.

On the other side is a person full of vitality and drive, as if their body is filled with energy like a small motor.

When an opportunity for promotion arises, all leaders will choose the one who is full of vitality.

This is the workplace, this is work, this is society.

No one will cater to your small tempers. On the contrary, you will have to cater to the emotions and thoughts of others.

The lower the position, the more people you need to cater to.

If you feel that fate is unfair to you, it’s just because your position is too low, and has nothing to do with fate.

“I hear you were looking for me?”

After entering the door, the vice president closed it behind him and walked to the front of the desk to sit opposite the president.

The president nodded and asked directly, “When did it start?”

The vice president didn’t react for a moment. This question was very abrupt, out of the blue. He shook his head and asked curiously, “When did what start?”

“I mean, when did you start to sell out the company’s interests?”

The smile on the vice president’s face gradually froze, revealing a surprised and uncertain expression. “Why would you think that?”

The president picked up a cigarette and held it to his lips.

He held a lighter in one hand and shielded the flame from the non-existent wind in the room with the other. “A lamp can illuminate a great distance, but it cannot illuminate what is under its own base.”

“You are hiding under the base.”

In fact, at this moment, the president very much hoped that the vice president would defend himself. A defense would mean that things were not as bad as he thought, not to the point of being irreversible.

But the vice president did not defend himself, just remained silent. This made the president’s heart sink.

The calmer the vice president appeared now, the deeper his involvement was, so deep that a defense was already meaningless.

“The shares from his wife’s side, did you take them?” the president asked.

The vice president nodded. “I took 2%.”

“Where did you get the money?”

“I didn’t know you had so much money.”

The president’s asking this was also to guard against the possibility of the vice president misappropriating company funds, but this possibility was not high, because such a large sum of money, without his signature, could simply not be transferred from the finance department.

The vice president’s expression was a little strange. “I took out a loan.”

The president was still a little incredulous. “She just transferred the shares to you so easily?”

He had met the wife of the old Mr. Chairman of the board. He knew that under this woman’s outstanding appearance was an independent personality and soul.

She had her own circle and energy, and also her own ideas. She was not a purely domestic woman.

If the vice president had not used some means, it was impossible for him to have gotten these shares so easily.

The vice president stared at him. “Do you want to know?”

The president nodded. “If you’re willing to say.”

In his eyes, the expression and gaze of this person who had cooperated with him for several years were constantly changing, struggling, hesitating, a little uneasy, some regret, and also some ruthlessness.

In the end, it turned into plainness.

“It’s actually quite complicated, and I can’t explain it clearly in a short time. Why don’t we find a place to have a drink tonight?”

“We can talk while we drink.”

The president checked his schedule and nodded. “Alright. Your place or mine?”

This kind of more private content certainly couldn’t be discussed in those bars or clubs. There were too many people and mouths. Who knew who might spread it? They had to go to a more private place.

Both the president and the vice president had extra residences in the city. Sometimes when they worked late and didn’t want to run back, they would stay in an apartment near the company.

The price of an apartment in the center of New Golden City was not cheap. Whether you rented or bought it, it was very expensive, several tens of thousands for a unit, and the larger ones would be over a hundred thousand.

The vice president’s eyes flickered slightly. “Your place. I’ll bring a friend over.”

The president agreed.

After the vice president left, the two of them threw themselves into their work, concentrating fully. So much so that when the president leaned back in his chair to relax, the evening sun was already shining through the window.

The rosy red light carried some of the tragic grandeur of the sun’s imminent setting. It was like a hero who had fought all day in the sky, finally reaching his twilight and curtain call.

Full of sorrow.

He looked at the sun, which was no longer dazzling, like a red ball of fire, and sighed softly.

At 6:45 in the evening, he tidied himself up, picked up his briefcase, and came to the parking lot. The vice president was already there.

“I’ll go and pick up a friend first. I’ll be right over.”

The president nodded and floored the accelerator, leaving the parking lot. He needed to go back and get ready first.

And the vice president picked up Lance on the road and came to the outside of the president’s apartment together.

“He already suspects me… no, to say suspect is too light. He’s already certain that I’m betraying them.”

The car had already stopped. His hands on the steering wheel were constantly adjusting their position, looking a little restless.

“Someone has to go first, as long as that person is not you.”

“Let’s go, let’s go up.”

As Lance got out of the car, a lot of people also got out of the cars in front and behind. They quickly dispersed, and only Lance and the vice president were seen going upstairs.

When the door opened, the president was still wearing a carrot-patterned apron. “I’ve made some food. We can have a little drink later.”

The vice president nodded and came in with Lance. He did not directly introduce Lance, and the president did not take the initiative to ask. He felt that he would know who this person was later.

This was one of the few times the vice president had come into contact with the president outside of work. This also made him discover that the president outside of life, and at work, were completely different.

He introduced his cooking methods while serving the food on the dining table. A total of four dishes.

Among them, the largest portion was pan-fried beef cubes. The tender pink beef cubes looked extremely tender. They were obviously cooked through, but they gave a feeling of melting in your mouth.

He took off his apron, opened a bottle of whiskey, and the three of them sat down at the dining table.

“To a sumptuous dinner, let’s have a drink first.”

The three raised their glasses and took a small sip.

After a little drink, although Lance had not yet felt the alcohol taking effect, the vice president seemed to have already gotten into the state.

“Where should I start?”

“Let’s start from… Steven’s death…”

He said a lot, recounting everything he knew, everything that had happened up to now, in great detail. This left the president in a state of shocked silence.

He held his wine glass and even forgot to drink. After a long while, he finally remembered to take a sip.

“I… I don’t know what to say. It’s too shocking for me. It seems I was wrong.”

He thought that the vice president might have been on their opposite side a long time ago, but he didn’t expect that he had only recently been “bought off.”

And it wasn’t even considered being bought off. Under the threat of death, anyone would probably make the same choice as him. The president himself might also do the same.

He took a large gulp of wine. The alcohol stimulated him to have more desire to speak.

“Now that you’ve told me all this, aren’t you afraid that I’ll ruin your plan after knowing the truth?”

The vice president didn’t speak and stood up. “I’m going to the washroom.”

Only Lance was left in the dining room.

Lance, while eating dinner, said, “A very good dinner, even not much worse than what the head chefs of those famous restaurants make.”

The president burst out laughing when he heard this. “I know you’re flattering me, but I like your flattery.”

He paused. “What do you guys plan to do next?”

Lance slowly swallowed the food in his mouth. He picked up a napkin and wiped the grease from his lips. “The gambling agreement with those independent investors, you will fail.”

“This will instantly pierce through the confidence of all the stock investors and investors, and at the same time, it will completely drain the company’s liquid funds.”

The president kept nodding as he heard this, and even added his own point of view. “Indeed, a good method. After the company has no liquid funds, all the problems will pop up at once. Besides going bankrupt, there is only the option of lying on the chopping block and being cut up by you.”

“Whether to dismember it, or other practices, it’s all up to you.”

“But, this gentleman, I have a place I don’t understand.”

“That is, now the Liji Group’s stock has already begun to climb. We are expected to complete this gambling agreement on January 15th.”

“Even if we don’t complete it and need to pay more funds to redeem this portion of the shares, our losses are still within an acceptable range.”

“Your plan, won’t it fall through?”

(End of chapter)