Chapter 176
Cynthia picked up the pen and offered it to Mason. She locked eyes with him and whispered, “Now you can sign.” The latter stood frozen, keeping his face straight.
“Mr. Larson, are you going keep holding onto something that isn’t rightfully yours?” Liam asked, his tone icy but controlled. Though his words seemed commonplace, Mason felt the underlying threat. He raised his head to meet Liam’s enigmatic stare, a sudden tightness constricting his throat.
“Mr. Larson, please, sign this. It’s the only way to rescue Larson Group,” urged one of the shareholders.
Another shareholder agreed, “Indeed. Without Sullivan Group’s assistance, Larson Group would vanish from Auroran within three months.”
“Moreover, it’s your daughter who has taken over your role. Think of this as an early retirement and enjoy your life,” another added encouragingly.
As Mason listened to the collective urging of the shareholders, realizing that none supported him, he accepted the inevitable. Slowly, he accepted the pen, meticulously reviewed the equity transfer provision in the document, and with reluctance, signed. The document was immediately duplicated and came into effect. Cynthia secured a 70 percent ownership of Larson Group, taking over as the majority shareholder and CEO. The shareholders offered their congratulations, while only Derek Quinn, closely allied with Mason, remained stunned and visibly upset by the turn of
events.
Cynthia was inwardly disgusted by the pandering of these opportunists, yet as shareholders, she could not simply dismiss them all. She recognized the need to appoint someone influential, and Derek emerged as a potential candidate. “Mr. Quinn, you’ve shown considerable loyalty to Mason. Perhaps you’d prefer not to follow my lead. You’re free to continue supporting Mr. Larson without any obligation to Larson Group henceforth,” she stated firmly.
“What do you mean? I am a shareholder here. You hav
no right to dismiss me,” Derek retorted angrily.
“You’re claiming to be a shareholder? It seems you’ve been deceived by Mason,” Cynthia replied with a sneer. Unlike larger conglomerates, there weren’t any particularly influential shareholders in Larson Group. Moreover, the company wasn’t originally established by the Larson family; it was renamed after Mason assumed control, and all shareholder shares were resold from the shares Mason owned. Cynthia turned to Bernard for confirmation. “Mr. Gibson, does Mason legally have the right to resell these shares?”
Bernard cleared his throat, responding gravely, “Per your mother’s will, 70 percent of the shares were allotted to you. The rest are divided among your father and grandfather. Mr. Larson is only permitted to sell his portion.”
Cynthia glanced at Mason and Derek, questioning, “So, Mr. Quinn, how much value do you think your shares actually hold?” Both men were visibly shocked by this revelation, and before long, blame began to fly.
“Mr. Larson, you sold me these shares. They’re mine
no
and
I won’t return them,” Derek asserted vehemently.
“The shares I sold weren’t actually mine. I’ve already returned the remaining shares to her. If you have any concerns, discuss them with her,” Mason shot back, pointing accusingly at Cynthia.
“I don’t care! You were the one who sold it to me then. You should take responsibility for it,” Derek snapped back.
“It’s not my problem,” Mason grumbled, his voice tinged with anxiety and frustration. The two argued incessantly, both aware that yielding even slightly could mean losing their shares. Though the quantity of shares was not substantial, they represented money. Mason seethed with anger. Previously, fearing Cynthia might reclaim the company one day, he hastily sold some of his shares upon receiving them. He utilized these shares to sway his loyal supporters and dilute Cynthia’s ownership. He hadn’t anticipated Cynthia would exploit this situation to pressure him. Back then, Mason had sold more shares than he currently possessed, and compensating with his own shares would reduce him to destitution. Mason’s mind raced; he couldn’t allow such a scenario. Other shareholders, initially detached from the matter, grew anxious witnessing the unfolding events.
“Mr. Larson, we’ve stood by you for years. Are you really going to abandon us now?” one of the shareholders asked earnestly.
Another added, “We obtained our shares legally from you. If anyone should consider returning shares, it shouldn’t be us.”
If the shares were of little value, there might have been room for negotiation. However, at present, they were far too valuable to forfeit, especially with Sullivan Group now involved. Mason bristled with fury, his frustration palpable. “Are you trying to bankrupt me?” he exclaimed, rising to his fert and pointing angrily. I’m not surrendering my shares. Take legal action if you must. At worst, I’ll lose some money, but I won’t just hand over my shares. With that, Mason turned to leave, realizing staying offered no protection against these adversaries. The shareholders became agitated, effectively blocking the exit. The situation escalated into chaos briefly, while Cynthia observed coldly, showing no intent to intervene.
Out of nowhere, a voice rang out through the tumult, “Watch out, Mr. Larson has collapsed!” At that shout, the people gathered around Mason instinctively stepped back. Cynthia, whose heart had momentarily stopped, couldn’t help but turn her gaze toward the commotion. She saw Mason, lying utterly still on the floor. Quickly getting to her feet, she made her way through the crowd to where he lay. She knelt beside him, gently lifted his eyelids to check his pupils, placed her ear close to his chest to listen for a heartbeat, and methodically examined him for any other signs of distress. After her swift but thorough check, she determined he was suffering from acute myocardial infarction. A wave of unease washed over her, and without any medical equipment at hand, she did her best to stabilize him with the basic first aid knowledge she possessed.
Suddenly, a man’s voice announced, “An ambulance is on its way. They’ll be here any minute.” Mason was promptly taken to the hospital. Cynthia, rather than follow, contacted Felicia and Roseanne. As she watched the ambulance drive away, her feelings were complex, neither sad nor gratified,
11:04 AM M
Chapter 176
just a cold detachment similar to witnessing a stranger’s mishap.
0
The dispute over shares was momentarily forgotten in light of Mason’s critical condition. Back in her office, Cynthia summoned the financial team to review past transactions. “Ms. Larson, we have quite a backlog of invoices here. I can outline the key issues right now,” the accountant suggested.
“Just bring them to me,” Cynthia replied sharply.
The accountant hesitated. “But…”
Cynthia frowned, her displeasure evident. “What? Aren’t my instructions clear?”
The accountant pressed her lips together in a tight line, a clear sign of reluctance, but ultimately she agreed. “Yes, Ms. Larson.” She then gathered the stack of invoices and placed them on Cynthia’s desk. As Cynthia began to flip through the paperwork, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She pondered, ‘Even the serial numbers on these invoices are incorrect. This could either be due to negligence, or it might indicate deliberate
manipulation of the records.‘
SEND GIFT