Early the next morning, the Montgomery Group convened a board meeting. Dressed in a professional suit, Aurora walked straight-backed into the conference room. She was met by Eric, towards whom her feelings had only worsened.
She regarded him as someone who took advantage of others’ misfortunes, a trait all too common in the business world. Her thoughts also turned to Julian, and she felt uncomfortable. She vowed that one day, once she had gained enough strength, she would personally reclaim everything Julian had lost.
She nodded coldly at Eric, considering it a sufficient greeting. Despite her dislike for him, she maintained the necessary courtesies. The board members gradually arrived, with Oswaldo taking his place at the head of the table, his face full of wrinkles yet beaming with joy.
“Everyone is here, please take your seats.”
Once seated, Oswaldo began to speak, “Since Paul resigned, the position of vice president has been temporarily vacant. As per our earlier agreement, whoever secured the order from Luminary would claim the vice presidency. Yesterday, the president of Luminary personally signed a contract with us. It’s time to uphold our agreement.”
This development had not yet been made public, so the board members were unaware of who had secured the contract. Regardless of who it was, everyone was surprised.
“Such a large order worth billions of dollars secured in just a few days? Chairman, you’re not joking with us, are you?”
one of the board members asked skeptically.
“Do you think I have so much free time that I would gather you here just to boast?”
Oswaldo said, tapping his cane, his expression changing.
The questioner was taken aback, “No, no, Chairman, I didn’t mean that. I’m just very surprised.”
“Not only you are surprised, but so am I,” Oswaldo continued.
“Securing such a large order in such a short time is unprecedented. Why don’t you guess who among them secured the order?”
Oswaldo’s lips curved into a mysterious smile, adding to the confusion.
“I think it must be Eric. He has been with the company for many years and has always developed good business. Aurora is also not bad, but in my view, she still lacks some experience.”
“That’s right, I think so too. Aurora certainly has a bright future ahead of her.”
Everyone spoke highly of Aurora’s future prospects, yet no one believed she was currently capable of much.
“I think Aurora is not bad either, and perhaps this order was secured by her,” another vice president, who had faith in Aurora, countered.
“Impossible,” another director interjected, “Aurora is young and ambitious, capable of handling smaller deals, but a deal this large requires real guts and skill, which she lacks. Besides, she’s just a young girl, how could she understand the intricacies of the business world?”
This director blatantly underestimated her, assuming her managerial position was simply due to Oswaldo’s influence.
She, like Ivy and Zachary, was considered a ‘showpiece’-good-looking but not practical. It was normal for her to be a manager since it was about supporting one’s own family.
Who would have thought she was genuinely capable and not just a simple young girl?
“Enough,” Magnus, always gentle, spoke up, unhappy as others disparaged his daughter.
“President, let me announce the results,” Aurora said, seeing Magnus’s mood beginning to sour, and she interjected.
Magnus had finally regained his composure as Aurora stood up, bringing the contract in front of her.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the board, you are all my uncles and aunts, and I know you see me as just a little girl who’s not yet ready for such a heavy responsibility. It’s normal for you to have such concerns, and I would probably think the same if I were in your shoes. However, I did secure this order, as you can see.”
Aurora opened the contract, which clearly bore her name in black and white.
“Eric, is this true? Did this little girl really secure the contract?”
Everyone turned to look at Eric, who had been with the company for several years and was considered a key player; it seemed unlikely that Aurora would be the one to do it. Eric glanced at Aurora, who wasn’t looking at him, and he turned away, a faint smile curling at the corners of his mouth.
“Yes, the order was secured by Aurora. Among the competition from several dozen other companies, she stood out and ultimately impressed Mr. Gilpin, who signed the order. Aurora is truly outstanding.”
With Eric’s confirmation, the others had to accept the reality.
“So it was you who got it. Truly, the student has surpassed the master.”
“I know this might seem unreasonable, but the results speak for themselves, and I hope you all can trust me in the future,” Aurora said calmly.
Oswaldo was pleased with the stunned expressions on everyone’s faces.
“Well, now that everyone is aware of the outcome, regarding the position of vice president…”
“It should definitely be Aurora who takes on the role. We underestimated her abilities before, but with this order, she has proven her strength.”
“I also agree that Aurora should be the vice president.”
“Yes, I agree too. I believe she will do well.”
“That settles it then, Aurora, I give you three days to complete the handover of your current duties, and you will assume the role of vice president in three days,” Oswaldo announced.
“Thank you, Chairman, and thank you to all the directors. I will certainly not let you down,” Aurora responded formally.
With that, the matter was concluded. Aurora headed towards her office; she had three days to choose a new manager. Meanwhile, Magnus hurriedly gathered his documents; he had a meeting about a new maritime project, an area with promising potential that had emerged in recent years.
Today, he was to meet with a well-established major company that had been seeking partners for the past six months. Many companies had been eager to collaborate with them, and after six months of selection, they had tentatively chosen Montgomery Group.
Today was the first face-to-face meeting between the two parties, scheduled at a high-end coffee shop. Magnus rushed towards the cafe.
“Mr. President, we’ve arrived,” the driver announced as he stopped the car. Magnus took a moment to straighten his attire before stepping out, always punctual and arriving early. Having heard that his business partner was a woman, he thoughtfully ordered her a mocha and some sweets that women often enjoy.
After sitting quietly for a moment, he heard the rhythmic sound of high heels approaching from outside, each step precisely timed. As the sound of the heels drew nearer, Magnus couldn’t explain why his heart began to beat faster, a sensation he had never experienced before.