A Moment in Destiny

"Uncle, hand over all your shares; Marley will leave you with 8% of the shares, and you don’t have to worry about company matters! I’m confident that, with his abilities, he can make the Hughes Group prosper to higher levels. You just retire and live out your life! But, if you won’t turn your shares over, then it’s no big deal. Worse comes to worse, we’ll just liquidate the assets and head out separate ways!”

“You said we each only keep 8% of the shares?” Teddie couldn’t help ask.

“Wrong, it’s only 3% for you!” Sylvie coldly snapped.

“3%? Why is it different for us?” “Why do you get preferential treatment?”

“Because you don’t know how to manage it. If you had all 8%, you’d only squander it all. So 5% will go to aunt for safekeeping! Then your whole family will be insured!”

Hearing Sylvie’s words, both Kasper and Teddie were quite surprised. Kasper asked, “Sylvie, so you mean to say that, your uncle also gets 8% of the shares, but it’s divided with your aunt? He gets 3%, and your aunt and cousins get 5%?”

“That’s right!” Sylvie knew that, over the past few years, Teddie blew all of his savings on excessive spending. Her aunt, however, was a frugal woman. Not only was she unhappily married to Teddie, she needed to raise two kids on her own. Sylvie really admired her aunt, so she had to look out for her best interests. “What I don’t know is whether Marley will accept our proposal, but I’ll do my best to persuade him. If you all surrendered your shares and control over Hughes Group, you can just live out the rest of your lives in comfort and collect dividends at the end of each year. It might even be more than what you get from 10%, 15%, even 25 of the shares you have on hand now…”

Kasper and Teddie exchanged glances; Sylvie could tell her persuasion was working.

However, Teddie was dissatisfied with his share of 3%. “But how come I only get 3%? That’s unfair!”

“I think it’s just!” An authoritative, low tone suddenly boomed out from outside as the conference room doors swung open.

Sylvie stared in awe as her family members stood outside the doors. Her mother smiled brilliantly at her. In a split second, Sylvie’s face turned red, and she said under her breath, “Mom, dad, why are you all doing here?”

“Brother?!” Even Teddie stood up in awe.

“Brother, your health…” Kasper said in a concerned tone.

Sylvie thought to herself; at least they still had a trace of some conscience left to worry about Aiden’s health.

Aiden’s wife helped him enter the conference room, and Sylvie quickly pulled a chair for her father-in-law to sit down.

Aiden took a quick glance at Sylvie with admiration, but he didn’t say anything. Miriam took her hand and said nothing as well. Sylvie pulled up another chair for her mother-in-law as well.

“Come, everyone, sit down. I want to make everything clear today.” Aiden said as he scanned across the room.

Kasper sat down first. Though he still felt pissed, Teddie eventually sat down.

didn’t know what her father-in-law thought. But from her

of silence, Sylvie bit her lip, then said,

you’re thinking!” Aiden cut her short, then looked at her with kindness. Sylvie then remained silent and awaited.

to his brothers, “What

pondered a

asked

I don’t agree!” Teddie stuttered as

reason!” Aiden looked at his brother without any expression on his face.

at all!” Teddie managed to sputter

to say that, it’s not enough for you to gamble,

he gently held and patted her hand. Miriam looked at him again to make sure he

was a testament of their years of longstanding relationship. There was no need for words; just a slight gesture between them was enough to communicate, and it made Sylvie really feel respect for them to the point

“Brother, you’re sick, so I don’t want you to worry. But I have too much

he go gamble again?” Aiden looked to

words to say, but nothing came

Aiden lowered his tone, “Tell me, how much does

“He and Ernie owe three

grew ill, “Ernie went as

worry about this; I will discipline my own son. As for the 8%, I accept the offer! So don’t you worry

much, so he does nothing productive all day. But she had only heard of these from word of mouth; she had never met Ernie herself, so she didn’t know him personally. Hearing Kasper speak about Ernie like this made Sylvie realized that he was doing all this to make amends for his impious son.

didn’t feel a hint of remorse at all; she felt sorry for

hundred million; where do you think we’re going to come up with that kind of money?” Aiden began to raise his voice. “Teddie, you’re getting out of

get nervous as she felt Aiden’s temper

grow concerned as well, “Dad,

himself and shook his head, “I’m

about Aiden, who had just managed to recover his health

get some leverage and try to make a quick buck. It was Marley who tried to force me out of the Hughes Group.

You always tried to leave things to chance and take on risks instead of doing any hard work. You just never learn. Brother, if you still can’t learn to reflect on yourself, I

don’t be so harsh! I did my share of the work

been doing these past few years? Regarding what Sylvie has said you’ve done, did you really that both Marley and I don’t know? If

was shocked; he never thought his brother would say

we have to have a conscience when we