Chapter 460:

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“She said she’d transfer every share in her name to Brandon immediately, free of charge, and make his identity as her eldest biological grandson public, openly backing him as the legitimate heir. She also said there are already plenty of people on the board unhappy with the way you run things, and when the time comes, they’ll stand on Brandon’s side. Once the board is restructured, you’ll lose your position as CEO, and everything you’ve built over the years will be handed to someone else. She said once you fall, everyone will rush in to trample you. And the people you offended before won’t let you go easily.”

Joslyn searched Connor’s face, watching for the slightest flicker in his expression.

“Connor, I did study business as part of my double degree, but everything I know came from textbooks. I’ve never actually been involved in running a company, and after all these years, I’ve forgotten most of it. Tell me honestly. Could what she said really happen at Zenith Group?”

Connor fell silent.

He didn’t refute it, and he didn’t feed her empty reassurance like “that’s impossible” or “don’t listen to my mother’s nonsense.”

After a few seconds, he gave a small nod. “Yes. It could.”

Joslyn’s heart dropped hard at those words.

“The shares my mother truly controls are enough to stir up serious trouble on the board. As for Brandon, his identity was never made public back then, but by blood, he is my late brother’s only son. That part can’t be denied. If my mother is determined to push him up, and she pulls in the other shareholders she can influence…”

He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to.

Evelyn hadn’t been trying to scare Joslyn with empty threats. She meant every word.

𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗋𝗎𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅𝗌.𝖼𝗈𝗆

“So… you really might…” Joslyn’s voice tightened, and she couldn’t force the rest out.

“…lose control of Zenith Group.” Connor completed the thought for her, calm to the point of coldness. “At the very least, my seat as CEO would become unstable. In the boardroom, capital and profit always come first. If my mother throws all her chips behind Brandon and adds his status as the eldest grandson, a lot of people will be tempted.”

Joslyn’s face turned even paler, her fingers tightening unconsciously around his sleeve.

So it was true. She really could destroy everything he had fought for.

“But,” Connor said, shifting the direction of the conversation as he wrapped her hand in his, “that’s only if I’m caught completely unprepared.”

Joslyn jerked her gaze back up to him.

“The core shares my mother inherited from my father amount to only around ten percent. The other ten percent comes from scattered shares she’s effectively controlled over the years through offshore companies, nominee arrangements, and her influence over smaller shareholders. That portion isn’t as solid as it looks. Moving it takes time, and the agreements involved place restrictions on it. She can’t simply transfer it to whoever she wants whenever she wants.”

Connor remained composed as he spoke.

“If I want to steady the situation, I need time, and I need more bargaining chips. In simple terms, I need the percentage of shares firmly backing me to exceed the percentage she can mobilize. This isn’t only about money. Zenith Group’s share structure is complicated, and too many interests are tied into it. Some shareholders are still wavering, and some share transfers come with harsh limitations. It takes negotiation, trade-offs, and time to slowly wear things into place.”

“How much more do you need?” Joslyn asked, her heartbeat drumming wildly in her chest.

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