It seemed they still had to wait for Grace to arrive before anything could begin.

Soon, Grace entered the conference room in a black suit, her polished heels clicking against the floor. Her eyes flickered slightly when she saw Aurora, but she said nothing about her being there. Tessa followed close behind her, dressed in a sweet yet formal little dress. Aurora, who had shown no reaction earlier, froze for a moment when she saw Tessa. Her hand tightened under the table. She hadn’t expected that even now, Grace would still bring Tessa along.

So, all her words yesterday – Grace hadn’t taken them to heart at all. Did she think Aurora was joking with her? What a joke.

And Aurora was right – Grace truly did think that way. After all, with such a bright future ahead, unless someone was a fool, they’d know which choice to make. Not to mention, Walton Corporation’s stock was at a very strong outlook now, its market price anything but low. So even now, Grace still believed Aurora had only been joking.

When Grace stood at the head of the table, everyone else rose with her, not sitting until she had taken her seat.

“Everyone should already know the purpose of today’s shareholders’ meeting,” Grace looked at the others. “As for what happened at the banquet yesterday, I have a few thoughts I’d like to share.”

The shareholders all understood very well what she intended to do. After all, things at the banquet had turned into quite an ugly scene. Even without her saying it, they all knew what was coming. Aurora’s expression didn’t change because she knew exactly what her mother was about to say.

After all, at the banquet yesterday she had only mentioned the matter briefly, without actually handing in her resignation. Seeing how late Grace arrived today, she likely hadn’t even noticed the resignation letter. She must still think Aurora was joking.

One of the major shareholders was the first to speak. “Madam Grace, we all know what you’re about to say, but this matter really requires careful thought. The general manager will absolutely not leave our company.”

“That’s right. She’s your daughter, after all. Working in the company not only hones her abilities but also brings more profit to us. Isn’t that a win–win situation?”

The other shareholders chimed in as well. After all, this was something that directly benefited them. How could they possibly change their stance? They weren’t fools. Anything that could bring them profit was something they would hold tightly in their hands. With Aurora in the company, its performance would certainly improve beyond what it had been. How could they possibly let go of her and instead choose Tessa? That was simply impossible. Business was business, and what they valued most was profit.

Watching this scene, Tessa clenched her palms tightly, biting down hard on her lip. These old men really didn’t know what was good for them. No matter how much she tried persuading them before, none of them ever changed their minds. And now Aurora had only just returned, was about to leave again, yet so many people were suddenly desperate to keep her. Back when she was at Walton Corporation, she had said so much to these people, but in the end, she never received a single good word from them.