The Scorned Heir

Chapter Five

Ethan fixed his gaze on the lovely young lady in front of him. He'd learned a lot about her from some magazines. She was a well-known businesswoman who had managed several renowned corporations.

As Ethan observed her, she was about twenty-eight years old or younger. She was tall and slender. Her eyes were huge, and her neck was lengthy. She was also kind and mature.

He pushed his palm against hers. "Thank you so much, Miss Demi. I'm overjoyed to be here."

"Thank you so much. Please accompany me."

She escorted him to her office on the same floor as his.

They started talking while sitting in front of Demi's desk. "I regret to inform you that I will be absent from the office regularly. As a result, I want you to continue managing significant operations and business transactions. If there are any important ones that I need to handle, I will do it.”

Demi gave him a respectful look. She was aware that he was Leonard Stark's grandchild. She anticipated him to be older, but she was astonished to see him so young. "Certainly, Mr. Ethan. You can be confident that all operations and business deals will be carried out carefully. I will always assist you if you require it."

Ethan nodded briefly before continuing. "Just one more thing. Please keep my identity and position private. That is something I would like to keep between you and me."

"Yes, consider that done." She spoke up.

A secretary knocked on the door and went in as they reviewed the company's details. "Miss Demi, Mr. Taylor, and his fiancée have arrived. They are currently waiting in the waiting room."

Demi instantly responded to her secretary. "Make them wait for a while. I'm meeting with someone more significant."

"Ok, ma'am, I will inform them right away." Before turning away to depart, the secretary said.

"Wait," Ethan said, and she came to a halt at the door. He looked at Demi. "What business does Mr. Taylor have with the Buddy Industry?"

Demi responded abruptly. "The Kirks are one of our trustworthy partners. They own a minor portion of the company and have collaborated with us for quite some time. He has come to visit me about Stark Inc.'s takeover of Buddy. I'm sure he's expecting to increase his stake."

'She would soon come to her senses. Your sister will soon understand that marrying this man was a bad decision.'

Taylor's words flashed across Ethan's head, and he cracked a faint frigid smile. He remarked severely to Demi, his voice tinged with rage. "I want you to cancel all existing contracts with the Kirks. They will no longer partner with us or do business with Buddy Industry. Please make sure they are escorted out of the building right away."

Demi's pupils dilated, but she swiftly regained her calm and nodded. "Miss Jia, please have Mr. Taylor and his fiancée escorted out of the building. I shall handle the end of their collaboration with us."

"Yes, ma'am." The secretary responded and exited the office quickly.

Demi cast a glance at Ethan. She didn't know why he ended their collaboration, but she assumed he had his reasons, so she didn't press the issue.

"I'll begin with their shares in the company and work around our last deals and operations with the Kirks."

"Yes. Please start as soon as possible."

…….

Taylor and Elizabeth sat in the reception area, anxiously waiting. They talked in quiet tones about their objectives in the Buddy Industry.

The Kirks were long keen on becoming significant stockholders in the Buddy Industry. When they discovered that Stark Inc. had taken over the company, they resolved to become substantial actors in the partnership. Taylor hoped to establish a positive relationship with Demi, the Vice-Chairman, and to implement his plan.

When he noticed the secretary return, he straightened up. As she approached, he saw four security personnel accompanying her. His brow furrowed in perplexity.

"Please excuse me. Is Miss Demi accessible right now? We have much to discuss with her, and we've been waiting." As the secretary approached, he remarked.

She came to a halt in front of them, her face expressionless. "Unfortunately, Miss Demi has requested that I accompany you out of the building. Kirk’s Inc. will no longer be partnered with the Buddy Industry. All current business transactions and operations will be terminated, and your shares will be removed from the corporation."

Taylor blinked twice before standing up. "What?"

"I don't want to repeat myself, Mr. Taylor. Please excuse yourself from the building."

A rush of rage crashed into him. What exactly did she mean? Stark Inc. and Buddy Industry would never cancel their alliance, especially now. He shifted his glance to the secretary after turning to Elizabeth. As he stood, his features were furrowed with confusion and wrath.

Working with Buddy Inc. provided a significant portion of Kirk's profit. What would happen to their shares and net worth if their partnership ended? He became enraged when he realized their stock would collapse.

"I'd like to see Miss. Demi and ask her about this. She will not be able to end our collaboration." He spoke loudly to the secretary.

The secretary gave him a stern look. "I apologize, Miss. Demi will be unable to see you today and in the future. You have been instructed to leave the building and not return."

"No. I want to see Miss Demi as soon as possible. She would never cancel all of our deals and partnerships. What is happening? This needs to be resolved." Taylor's face had become a light shade of red. He was losing it.

Instead of responding, the secretary turned to the security guards. "Please remove this man and his fiancee from this company. Make certain that they never return."

"What?" Elizabeth yelled as she became aware of what was going on. "Do not touch me."

Despite their efforts to stay, the security guards escorted them out of the building. They were ejected out and stood outside, enraged. When they realized their attempt to re-enter the building was useless, they left the premises angrily.

Taylor then remembered what Ethan had said to him in the parking lot.

"How could this happen when Ethan appeared unexpectedly at the company?" Could he be involved?"

Elizabeth's forehead furrowed in surprise. "Ethan? What about that loser? Can you even hear yourself? He is powerless to act. He has nothing to do with anything unless it's a terrible omen because we saw him earlier. Demi would undoubtedly regret abandoning the partnership and ask us to rejoin."

Taylor nodded and prayed for the best. His family was heavily reliant on the Buddy Industry's income.

That, however, never happened. Taylor went home to find that word of the dissolved relationship had traveled throughout multiple companies and the country.

Their stock dropped from one of the top firms to a second-rate company. Their net worth had decreased to a few million dollars, and it was difficult for them to regain their losses soon.

When Grandpa Ronan Rogers heard the news, he was furious. He wanted to call off Taylor and Elizabeth's engagement, but he discovered that despite the dissolution of the partnership and the loss of their shares, the Kirks were still more prosperous than the Rogers. As a result, he resolved to be patient and keep a positive relationship with them.

…….

Meanwhile, Ethan remained at Demi's office, reviewing the company's data and partners. He was relieved that Demi responded promptly and terminated Kirk's partnership.

"I would like you to make two announcements on my behalf." He said to Demi as he flipped through some folders on her desk.

"Yes, please, go ahead."

"I would like you to announce the bidding for a multi-billion-dollar casino project that would be the Buddy Industry's primary investment. Companies with a high stock proportion will fare better."

Demi nodded as she typed the directions into her computer. "Should this announcement be made in your name?"

"Yes." Ethan paused for a few seconds to reflect. "However, you must not reveal my identity. Only my surname, Mr. White, should be used.”

Ethan was confident that Rogers, as a construction and commercial firm, would bid on the job. Whoever wins the bidding will vault to the top of the country's economic ladder.

He owned the Buddy Industry and controlled who won the casino project. He resolved to assist his wife in reviving the Rogers company and preventing them from humiliating her again.