Jane had to go back and discuss with April on what they should do next. At this point, April was her only backbone.
Without her supportive best friend, Jane might not have been able to come this far.
“We can’t delay this matter for too long. If we take too much time, they might have already depleted the company,” April said, feeling a bit helpless. Although they were both intelligent, they lacked relevant experience.
After all, Patrick’s uncle was a cunning and sly individual.
“We can’t even enter the company right now. We have no visibility into the financial situation or what’s happening inside,” Jane replied, having calmed down in the past few days. She knew where the key issues lay, but she couldn’t find a way to resolve them.
“Why don’t we take a decisive measure and merge Patrick’s company with yours? Let’s strike at the root of the problem,” April suggested.
“I don’t know how to do it, but don’t we have a lawyer in our company? Maybe we can seek their advice,” Jane thought it was a good idea. So the next day, she went directly to the lawyer.
She explained her thoughts to the lawyer.
“Now, your greatest advantage is that you are Patrick’s wife. So merging the two companies might actually be feasible,” the lawyer said. “But we need to act quickly. If someone tries to obstruct it, it won’t be easy.”
When Jane heard the lawyer’s words, she had a bad feeling. She realized that she had been facing resistance from Patrick’s uncle all these days, and if she proceeded with the merger, she would likely encounter further obstacles.
If Patrick’s uncle was truly intent on emptying Patrick’s company, merging the companies would destroy his intentions. He would never allow Jane to proceed with the merger. Jane expressed her concerns.
She hoped the lawyer could come up with an alternative solution.
“Currently, you have shares in Patrick’s company, while his uncle is merely an employee. Regardless of the extent of your shareholding, you have more rights than him. So, before he realizes it, use your position as a shareholder to suppress him,” the lawyer suggested. He believed this was the only viable option for now. He also mentioned other means to safeguard shareholder rights and protect Jane.
The lawyer didn’t plan to disclose these details to Jane initially, as they were difficult to handle. There were many clauses involved, requiring careful consideration, which they didn’t have time for. So, the quickest way was to follow the lawyer’s advice.
The next day, Jane assembled the relevant personnel and began the necessary procedural changes. She had already prepared the relevant notices and was ready to send them out at any moment.
However, at this unexpected moment, Patrick’s aunt returned to the city. She immediately called a meeting with the senior staff at Patrick’s company, with his uncle by her side. He addressed all the employees.
“I have something important to tell all of you, and I hope everyone will comply. From today onwards, the company belongs to this lady beside me.”
“You must cooperate with her and take care of all internal matters in the company. I expect all of you to fulfill your duties diligently.”
The news spread that same evening. Some employees who had a good relationship with Jane called her directly to inform her of the details.
Jane only just realized that someone else was preparing to interfere with her affairs. That evening, Jane stayed up all night discussing with April about what to do next. They agreed on one thing: Jane had shares in the company, even if she didn’t hold the majority.
At least she had some say in the company.
So even if Patrick’s aunt returned, legally speaking, she had less authority than Jane.
“We can’t hesitate on this matter. Tomorrow, you must go and express your opposition and state your reasons,” April advised. “If they establish the inheritance as a fact, it will be much harder for you to merge the companies.”
April believed in the saying “Strike while the iron is hot.”
Since things had come to this point, they had to find out who the temporary owner of the company truly was.
“I know what to do now. I’m feeling tired, and we also need to reschedule your concert soon,” Jane said. April provided her with some additional methods, all revolving around Jane going to the company to demand an explanation.
“Okay, I understand. Tomorrow, during work hours, let’s go to Patrick’s company. I believe his aunt and uncle will be there,” Jane agreed.
The next morning, when they arrived at Patrick’s company, there were still unfamiliar security personnel guarding the entrance. They strictly followed the orders of the company’s management and didn’t allow any strangers inside.
Jane felt helpless but managed to intercept Patrick’s aunt and uncle when she saw them.
“What are you doing here again? Didn’t I tell you? You have no connection to the company,” Patrick’s uncle said angrily, feeling that Jane was disrupting their mood by repeatedly coming there.
“The company is Patrick’s company, and it’s also my company. Don’t forget that I have shares,” Jane responded. “I can’t let you take over the company and waste all of Patrick’s efforts.”
Patrick’s aunt looked down on Jane arrogantly and said disdainfully, “What does a small amount of shares represent? Do you have more shares than Patrick? If you have shares, just fulfill your duties as a shareholder and don’t involve yourself in the company’s management.”
“You are divorced from Patrick now, so from any perspective, you just need to fulfill your duties as a shareholder,” she continued. “You have no relation to the management of the company. When it’s time for the annual reports, financial statements, and dividends, you’ll still get your share.”
Jane felt extremely helpless. The fact that she was divorced from Patrick was acknowledged by legal documents. So his aunt used this point against her, and she didn’t have a good solution to counter it.