Richard Smith noticed the two empty seats and asked, "Mr. Carter, is someone missing? The two seats here..."

Seats were normally arranged based on the number of attendees, and the two extra seats implied that there would be new members joining. New members meant new changes.

​​

Frank smiled optimistically.

"Let the media in." He said to the secretary.

"Yep." The secretary hurried away.

No one knew what he was plotting about. They waited patiently.

Frank took his time and glanced around with a victorious look on his face. He cleared his throat and said with excitement. "Gentlemen, I have an announcement to make. We have two new members joining us, Spencer Davidson of Davidson Group and Steve Walken of Walken Cooperation. They each own 1.5% of the shares."

Excitement exploded amongst the shareholders. It was possibly the best news that could ever happen to their company.

Both the Davidson Group and Walken Cooperation were world-known companies that owned numerous properties worldwide. Spencer and Steve, young and successful, rarely paid any attention to other companies, let alone making an investment.

However, they were joining Carter's Company! This was huge.

They must have seen something in the Carter's Company. To have them as shareholders, the company is definitely going to grow! Big!

Just the news of them joining will lift the stock price immensely.

That's great news!

"Mr. Carter, is this true?"

Frank tried to look calm and solemn, but he couldn't hide his excitement. "It is."

Though the fact was that the shares were given away, they were not purchased. Frank did so as a condition to ask Spencer and Steve to let him off, and so the Carter's company was saved. He knew very well what to say to the shareholders.

Everyone clapped. "That's wonderful!"

With the Davidson Group and Walken Cooperation as part of the company now, we don't need to worry about anything. We will just wait for the money to drop into our pockets!

"But where are they? Are they not attending the meeting?"

Frank felt like he was on top of the world. "We know they are very special members and have very tight schedules. Though they are not attending the meeting today, they have sent someone. Also, there's another important thing..."

Just then, someone exclaimed from outside, "Here they are."

Frank stood up, all smiles. The group followed. The door was pushed open and in walked a middle-aged man, smart and intelligent looking. Then a slim and pretty girl stepped in. Dressed in a light green dress, simple and elegant, she smiled confidently.

Frank was astonished to see her face. The group recognized her and were shocked as well. "How come? It's Miss Carter."

Ever since Nathalia and Spencer broke up, she had disappeared from the public, and people had gradually forgotten about her. Never had they expected to see her on this occasion.

They looked at each other, extremely puzzled. "How strange!"

"Perhaps she and Spencer Davidson are still together?" People murmured. There was no news about it at all. But who knows?

Frank hurried towards them furiously. He glared at Nathalia, "Why are you here? You shouldn't be here."

He had thought that Nathalia was completely defeated after the engagement cancellation. But she was looking radiant, glowing.

Nathalia smiled and said with an understanding tone, "Dad, I'm here to attend the meeting." She turned to the secretary and asked politely, "Where shall we sit?"

The secretary was at a loss. "Huh?" What's going on?

Frank was fuming, and he would give her a slap if he could. Every time! She's ruining everything!

"Don't be ridiculous. You can't take the shares your grandpa left for you yet. You are not allowed to be in the meeting." He said annoyingly. Then he looked at the secretary and demanded, "Take her out."

In front of the media, he had promised that he would return the ten percent of shares to Nathalia, but it was impossible for him. It's mine. He had been ignoring it, hoping people would just forget. Now he realized he had been too naïve.

"I have five percent of the shares. I'm a shareholder." Nathalia lifted her eyebrows and said plainly.

Frank's face went pale. Five percent? How come?

"What? What did you say?"

He had been very careful with the shares, and he had set the rule that if any directors wanted to sell the shares, they had to sell to him first. Normally, no one would disobey him. He was in complete charge of the shares.

Now he had 45% of the shares, including 10% from Nathalia.

"5%?!" The group exclaimed, shocked. Five percent was a lot. It's worth millions.

"Mr. Carter, What's this about? Have you given the shares to your daughter?" A shareholder asked.

Frank was more confused than anyone. He bellowed, "How did you get it?"

"Legally," Nathalia said with the same calm and confident smile. "I didn't steal or rob. I got it legally."

"Impossible." Frank snapped. He couldn't believe it.

Nathalia ignored him and went towards the empty seats. She stoked the table with her fingertips, smiled, and sat down. Her middle-aged companion stood behind her quietly. The secretary was still very confused, but he plucked up his courage and said to Nathalia, "Miss Carter, I'm afraid you can't sit here. These two seats are for Mr. Davidson and Mr. Walken."

Nathalia stroked her hair and spread it behind her shoulders, smiled, and said gently, "They are not coming." Her mannerism showed confidence. It was like she was in charge, and she belonged to this meeting room.

The shareholders stared at Nathalia, too shocked to utter a word, while the secretary felt somehow he had to take full responsibility now, and he had to ask the questions everyone was wondering about.

"What do you mean? You are the person they sent?"

Nathalia shrugged her shoulders, a bit puzzled, and said, "They sent me? I don't understand." Then she spoke to the man standing behind her. "Mr. Rushton, can you please explain to them?"

Sean Rushton stepped forward and stood next to Nathalia, "I'm Sean Rushton, Miss Nathalia Carter's lawyer. Here is the proof that shows Miss Carter owns 5% of the Carter's shares." He handed out some paper, and the shareholders passed it around.