Chapter 461 choice to make
On the other hand when Chairman Li was attending his relative's banquet, his daughter was working day and night planning her victory against her father. Since she knew that if she did not win, she would lose everything that she had worked hard to gain, she was taking all the steps to win that she had never even considered before.
Never had Amanda ever thought that the man who taught her all the strategies and tactics to survive in the corporate world would turn so against her because of his ego that she would have to use those strategies or tactics against him.
She felt bad. She felt immensely bad that her heart was shivering in her chest but she had no other alternative.
"Mr Lu?" Amanda said, looking up at him. "I didn't think I would see you at the office this late."
All day, she had been meeting one important person after another that she had booked. She had no time to even eat or drink. It was midnight when she was leaving the office. Not a single soul could be seen on her floor. But who would have thought she would see Lu Zhaolin working that late? She had heard that he was taking unofficial semi-retirement. Then , it was odd for her to see him here of all people.
Then again, An Xiulan's issue left a mark on everyone in the office. Everyone had been only talking about her. In this time, as a father, how could Mr Lu sit still and see everyone backbiting his daughter during her absence?
People forget all the good things about a person when one negative thing occurs. This had happened with An Xiulan in the office too. There was a time when she was people's favourite in the office because of her good nature. Now that she committed one single mistake, everyone was talking bad about her, seeing only the bad parts about her.
Amanda did not think that it was bad for An Xiulan as the latter would learn a lot of lessons in her corporate journey. Being a lawyer in the big firm which cared most about profits than any other thing would slap many lessons on everyone's face. It was so good that she got her first lesson sooner.
"Well, I had important work, "Lu Zhaolin said. Talking about work, he indeed has a lot of things to do but he could not do it. He came to the office to work today but seeing how things were happening here, it left a deep effect on him and he just could not start working. He spent the entire day staring at the files and his laptop screen. When the day ended and the sky started turning dark, the will insided that had died all day ignited a bit, telling him to be strong for his daughter's sake. He could feel bad but he could not leave his will to work. Thus, at night, he had a light dinner and began working on the cases.
Looking at Amanda who was now standing in his office, he asked, "I should ask you how is dealing with shareholders going?"
"How do you—" Amanda asked.
"How do I know?" Lu Zhaolin said with a huff. "I don't. I just assumed."
She stared at him. How did he know about the things that she was planning? Did he plant spies around her? Then again, Mr Lu had no interest in it. He was someone who would never partake in office politics and maintain a sharp distance from it too.
Her curiosity was on peak as to how much he knew about her. And of course, she was curious about his sources too.
Lu Zhaolin said, "CEO Li, unlike Chairman Li, you do not feel the need to follow the old traditions of morality. If you want something, you will get it by any means. You and the Chairman are very similar people. The only difference is that his dual personality comes behind people's back, yours is never hidden. Since I have worked with him for years, I could assume what you will be doing next."
Chairman Li was a greedy man. A power greedy man. He would do anything to acquire power and keep it in his hands only. He would not accept that he was greedy. He would put a mask of morality and then stab people behind their backs. When they started the company many years ago, he knew about his power seeking behaviour. Lu Zhaolin felt that one of them needed to be greedy to achieve big but he didn't wish to be the one who was greedy between the two. When Chairman Li took the role, he was burden ridden. However, Amanda knew and showed everyone that she lusted for power. Her behaviour was never hidden from anyone. She was not scared to be called sly and deceitful as it was what she always wanted to be.
Lu Zhaolin had worked with the Li family for decades, if he could not even guess their next move, then it meant he lived in vain. She was playing the same game of chess that her father would. There was not much difference between the both but it was always so hard for them to accept that they were similar kinds of people.
"Then, you will also know why I came to meet you?" Although she was merely passing by before. Now she had a reason to stop and talk to him. She had a huge favour to ask him. Something was telling him that it would be difficult to convince him.
Lu Zhaolin just smiled at her. He could read her thoughts in her eyes. He knew what she was here for. Actually, he was just waiting for the moment when she would leave the pretence and open the plan before him.
"How many shares did you accumulate until now?" Lu Zhaolin asked.
"Ten percent, "Amanda told him. She poured all her lifelong savings to buy those ten percent from the shareholders. It was not easy. She had to plan and plot a lot for this. However, all is well if it ends well. It did not even matter to her what means did she take to get this end.
"How?" Lu Zhaolin asked her. Who sold her shares? Who had ten percent shares to sell? Ten percent was a huge number and if someone sold it, why was it not made public until now?
It was Amanda's turn to smile, "I have my ways."
Lu Zhaolin nodded his head. "I assume that you want me to back you up with my 30 percent."
"Well…"It was clear that it was what she wanted from him.
Lu Zhaolin could not help but comment, "CEO Li, aren't you playing a hard game? Wanting to rule the company with just 10% shares by your side?"
Bizzare, wasn't it? She wanted to rule the company when she only had ten percent shares in her hand while her father had forty percent in his hands. If it was someone else, it would have been impossible for them to even think about it! But Amanda Li was working on it. It was hard to say if he was impressed or pissed at what she was trying to do.
Amanda replied to him, "Mr Lu, the person who dares to fight, wins the game. If you surrender your weapons even before starting, how will you dare to live? I want to survive the battle. So, I'm putting all my chips in the jar and hoping for a victory."
Mr Lu said, "I would just suggest that you beware of the consequences."
Amanda smiled and replied to him, "If I start fearing consequences, I will never be able to move from the starting point."
His words might sound offending but he was only warning her. "I hope this courage doesn't come to bite you in the end."
He also said, "I would suggest you to not put your chips in the single jar. If you fail, you won't be able to stand up, Miss Li."
"If you support me, Mr Lu—"
He held his hand and said, "No, Miss Li. I am not up to this discussion."
Amanda said, "Mr Lu, you will have to take a stand."
Mr Lu told her, "I never took any stand. I don't think that I need to take it now. What's wrong in being a neutral person?"
Amanda scoffed and said, "There is nothing right with neutrality. It only means silence. You care always supporting one group, either loudly or silently."
"Miss Li, I think the conversation is ended here,"Lu Zhaolin said.
"Mr LU, I just want an answer– who do you support? Me or my father,"Amanda asked. "This time, there is no neutrality this time. Silence means that you are agreeing with my father. So, whose camp are you in?"
"It's late, CEO Li should go home and get proper sleep."
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