Chapter 371
Caitlin had barely finished speaking when the whole room fell silent.
Everyone stared down at the table, as if afraid that even breathing too loudly might draw attention.
They’d all assumed Caitlin was just a naïve country girl-someone who could be dismissed with a few patronizing words.
But she’d walked in and, without hesitation, struck right at the heart of their weakness.
It was terrifying.
This young woman was downright terrifying.
Across the room, Keira stood watching her granddaughter, eyes shining with excitement and, even more, with pride.
She had fully expected the old foxes on the board to give her granddaughter a hard time.
She never imagined Caitlin would put them on the defensive from the very start.
Good!
Very good!
This was exactly what she’d hoped for from a true heir of the Gonzales family.
It took a long moment before Leo finally snapped out of his astonishment. He lifted his head and met Caitlin’s gaze. “Miss Gonzales,” he said, “you’re well aware of the company’s situation. The fact that we, the shareholders, managed to keep the books looking this good and the market stable—it hasn’t been easy! If not for our hard work, Gonzales Holdings’ stock would have crashed ages ago. The only reason you can still enjoy your life as the family heiress is because us old men are holding the line. Don’t bite the hand that feeds you p>
“Chairman Barrett, you really are a master at rewriting history,” Caitlin replied, her tone calm but sharp. “I call you ‘Chairman’ out of respect for your years working alongside my grandmother, but don’t think you can pull rank here. Is it really so hard to admit you’re out of your depth p>
Admit he couldn’t handle it?
Caitlin’s words made Leo’s blood boil.
He’d dedicated his entire career to Gonzales Holdings, and now this little upstart was calling him incompetent to his face.
Leo shot to his feet. “With the company in its current state, it wouldn’t matter if we brought in a miracle worker-no one could turn things around p>
Gonzales Holdings had enjoyed its glory days. That’s how the Gonzales family became the most powerful in the city.
But times had changed. With the digital age transforming the market by the day, many of their classic ē brands were being replaced by new products. And with Stuart’s untimely death, simply maintaining the status quo was an achievement in itself.
Pushing for new growth now? That was next to impossible.
“What if I could?” Caitlin said, not missing a beat. “What if I told you that, within six months, I could launch a household-name product and bring Gonzales Holdings into the international spotlight
Arrogant. Absolutely arrogant.
How could she even say something so outrageous?
Leo let out a cold laugh.
“If you can actually pull that off, I’II willingly give up all my shares and walk away from Gonzales Holdings for good.” He shot her a pointed look. “But, Freya, if you fail to deliver in six months, you leave the
company and reigh and renounce… to inherit. Do you dare make that wager with me p>
“Why wouldn’t I?” Caitlin answered without a flicker of hesitation. “But just promising isn’t enough. We need to put this in writing a formal wager agreement p>
A wager agreement?
The shareholders hadn’t expected Caitlin to go that far.
They glanced at one another, and the look in their eyes was unmistakable: ridicule.
If Caitlin was foolish enough to sign such a contract, she’d be packing her bags before the year was out.
Did she even understand what a wager agreement entailed?
Once she lost, there would be no way back. Gonzales Holdings would cut ties with her for good.
Leo could hardly believe Caitlin was so naïve one little trick and she’d walked right into his trap.
“Excellent,” Leo said, clapping his hands together. “You’re truly your father’s daughter, Caitlin-brave, just like Stuart p>
And Stuart had been a rare genius in the business world.