“Miss Woods secured a five billion dollar investment for us, just enough to keep the company running.”
“If we pay them a billion in compensation, our funds will be cut off again. What should we do now?”
The subordinate anxiously asked when Lilia remained silent.
Lilia sighed and said, “We must pay the penalty; otherwise, the company will lose its credibility.”
“Inform the suppliers that I’ll handle this matter tomorrow.”
“Also, notify the general managers of our subsidiaries to come to Niarak for a meeting!”
After giving these instructions, Lilia hung up the phone.
Layla, with her keen hearing, knew what they had discussed and frowned. “Why are you calling all the company heads to Niarak?”
“The Swanson’s Group has collapsed, and we are severely affected. We can only cut costs and save resources,” Lilia sighed.
Layla frowned even more deeply and said sternly, “Are you planning to lay off staff or close down some underperforming companies?”
Lilia nodded and smiled bitterly. “If you had told me in the past that Dragon Gate Group would face such a crisis, I would have laughed it off as a joke.”
“But now… sigh! We were caught off guard!”
For ten years, she had relied on Layla’s connections to conquer every challenge effortlessly. Despite Rose’s fierce resistance, they had still managed to devour the Sharp’s Group.
Now, with the three of them stronger than ever before, how could they not topple the resurgent Rose?
Watching Rose grow step by step into a giant ship was infuriating.
“No need to shut down factories. I can go back to Slatin and help you find more investments,” Layla said proudly.
Last time she went to Slatin for two days and helped Lilia raise five billion dollars. Raising another five billion was just a matter of her word; it was not difficult at all.
Such was the power of a Grandmaster in medicine and martial arts!
“Forget it. Let’s close down two companies and focus on developing profitable ones first.”
After saying this, Lilia’s eyes flashed coldly. “Layla, I’m not willing to give up.”
“I want to have a final showdown with Rose! If we win, we can make billions and turn things around!”
In her mind, Rose had always been a loser. But now that she had acquired Glowjoy Pharmaceuticals and Huirui Pharmaceuticals, the Sharp’s Group’s market value had reached eighty billion dollars, almost equal to hers.
Lilia was furious.
“A showdown? Do you mean shorting the Sharp’s Group?” Layla frowned.
Lilia nodded with determination. “Exactly. As long as we short the Sharp’s Group, Rose will bow down or even go bankrupt!”
Shorting meant finding flaws in the Sharp’s Group and amplifying negative impacts. For instance, alleging financial fraud, tax evasion, low product quality, cutting corners in production, or harmful side effects of their drugs.
Every company has some issues; no one is perfect.
Even if the Sharp’s Group had no problems at all, it didn’t matter. Bribing some high-level executives to smear the company would suffice. Once a rumor spread like wildfire, causing panic and plummeting stock prices, they could buy shares at low prices and then sell them when prices rose again.
The alliance of three companies would make a huge profit while causing retail investors to panic sell their shares. This would lead to another drop in stock prices and potentially bankruptcy for the Sharp’s Group.
When Soros shorted Southeast Asia back then, he used similar methods.
Rose could only break free by buying back shares at their lowest price or injecting more funds when the alliance sold large amounts of stock to stabilize the market and reassure investors.
“Currently, the Sharp’s Group’s market value exceeds eighty billion dollars. To short her company would require hundreds of billions.”
“Lilia, have you considered the risks involved?” Layla asked seriously.
A cash flow of hundreds of billions was an enormous figure. The alliance couldn’t come up with that much money alone; they needed other families to join them in forming an interest community for a one-time hunt on the Sharp’s Group.
Winning would be great; losing would spell doom for the alliance!
“What comes without risks? At first, we thought Acebegron Clear Relief was a sure bet; look how that turned out?”
“The greater the risk, the greater the reward!”
“If we win, just those two ancient formulas in Rose’s hands could generate billions in profit!”
Lilia was excited; her beautiful face glowed with determination.
Layla shook her head and said, “Lilia, after today’s events, I have an inexplicable sense of unease.”
“The Swanson’s Group is already miserable enough; let’s quit while we’re ahead! Maintain our current strength and plan gradually for the future.”
With continuous setbacks piling up one after another, it was time to pause and reflect rather than being too aggressive.
“Gradually?” Lilia shook her head and smiled bitterly. “Are we supposed to wait until Rose grows into a towering tree before making our move?”
“Will we even have a chance then?”
“Ten years ago, it was already a fight to the death between us and Rose!”
“There is no possibility of reconciliation!”
Layla fell silent.
Rose held two ancient formulas that hadn’t yet shown their full potential because she had just acquired them. But in two or three months when Bone-Cleansing Pill and Ancient Formula Returning Heart Pill hit the market extensively, Sharp’s Group’s name would resonate globally.
By then, it would be much harder to destroy Sharp’s Group.
Gradual plans were as dangerous as raising a tiger!
A showdown was just a matter of time.
“Shorting is essentially about who has more money.”
“If we press her with hundreds of billions in funds, Rose won’t stand a chance.”
Lilia smiled coldly with full confidence.
Rose had God of War behind her but Braiden had already reported him. Cruz would be too busy saving himself from demotion and couldn’t help Rose anymore.
As for Lilia herself? She not only had extensive connections but also Layla backing her up. Even though Braiden had severed his own arms, his influence combined with theirs was still formidable enough to rally support easily for raising hundreds of billions.
“Alright! I support you; it’s time this battle ends.”
“Tomorrow we’ll meet at Swanson family headquarters then head back separately to raise funds!”
Layla agreed after some thought.
Braiden caused Tinley’s death and framed Kevin leading him into prison while dividing up Sharp’s Group’s assets among themselves causing Rose’s family ruin hence turning into mortal enemies since then even if alliance wanted peace Rose wouldn’t forgive thus business war must end with one side’s defeat so let storm come earlier!
“In fact I admire Rose despite our combined attacks she held out ten years showing some business acumen but unfortunately met me wrong timing.”
“Oh right how could I forget Flynn wants face-off let’s see how he handles billion-dollar pressure!”