She had a brief moment of memory loss and stared blankly for a while. It wasn’t until she saw the man returning from a phone call on the balcony that she snapped back to reality. She quickly got out of bed. “Nelson, have you made up your mind?”
Nelson paused slightly, then gave her a short laugh, “You really are persistent.”
Without asking about her own condition, her first concern was Vanco.
Nelson saw a shadow of Maevelyn in Marilyn. Perhaps it was because they were sisters; they shared some similarities. Both were relentless, unyielding in harsh environments, never losing their original intent.
Such a character, from any perspective, earned Nelson’s respect.
He handed her a glass of water. “First of all, I never agreed to consider it.”
“Secondly, you’ve been questioning me all this time. Now it’s my turn to ask you.”
Nelson put his phone aside and shoved his hands into his pockets. When he got serious, few could withstand him.
“First, you want Scott Group to abandon the acquisition of Vanco. If Vanco survives, it will still be swept away in the current fierce competition. If I’m not mistaken, Vanco’s situation wasn’t great before either. So, how will you cope then?”
Marilyn’s mouth opened slightly.
“Second, even if Scott Group lets Vanco go and you appreciate the favor, others in the industry might not. Many companies are waiting to take advantage of your vulnerability. How will you deal with that?”
These two questions alone clearly laid out the predicament for Marilyn.
Both paths seemed like dead ends.
Marilyn was stumped. She wanted to say something but couldn’t find the right words.
Nelson showed no personal feelings as he walked past her. “If you can’t come up with a solution, I won’t help you.”
“Nelson!” Marilyn called out to stop him.
As she wished, he didn’t leave.
Marilyn turned around and stood in front of Nelson again, facing his composed demeanor with a very serious attitude. She seemed to muster up all her courage. “Although I haven’t figured out a solution yet, just like I told you earlier, Vanco’s potential is far beyond its current state. Its future is limitless. If it survives, even if it eventually goes down the e-commerce path, the leaders will keep your current position.”
Marilyn’s eyes sparkled. “Just because of their passion for Vanco, I chose to believe in them and my decision.”
Nelson had become numb to dealing with ruthless people and situations over the years. It had been a long time since he seen such pure passion.
She tried to sway him. “You agree with this solution, don’t you?”
Nelson smiled. “As far as I know, you haven’t been at Vanco for long. What makes you so willing to go to such lengths and plead with me? Besides, Jaquan treats you well; he probably wouldn’t go too hard on you.”
“Before I returned to the country, I said no when Jaquan confessed his feelings to me, so he’s likely not going to show me any mercy… As for Vanco, my father didn’t want me to stay there, but I insisted. It’s a matter of pride.”
Nelson thought for a moment. “I can help you, but there’s one condition.”
“Name it!”
“Let Oconnor Group invest in Vanco.” Nelson saw Vanco’s potential and seized this opportunity-it was a win-win situation.
Marilyn was stunned. Nelson was clearly trying to take advantage of the situation, but he was so forthright about it: Be led by me or be swallowed up by acquisition-your choice.