Chapter 228
Aurora looked directly at him, her expression serious. “If we can secure the land, I’m seventy percent confident it will succeed.”
The moment those words left her mouth, the room fell into silence. Even Grace averted her gaze, already sensing that this project wasn’t going to gain traction. She knew all too well what kind of people sat around that table—conservative, cautious, unwilling to take risks.
Aurora noticed the sudden hush but didn’t quite know how to bridge the gap. So, she pressed on, forcing herself to reiterate the core of her proposal. Finally, she wrapped it up with a firm conclusion. “Partnering with Vanguard has already opened up the domestic market. If we truly want to grow, we have to look abroad. That’s all from me. If there are no further questions, I suggest we adjourn. Take some time to think it over.”
But no one moved. They just exchanged uncertain glances.
In the end, it was Grace who broke the silence. “Alright. Since you’ve finished, let’s leave it at that for now. Meeting adjourned. Everyone, take some time to think it through.”
Aurora sat quietly at her seat, watching everyone begin to gather their things. From Grace’s neutral tone, she could already tell that her mother wasn’t fully on board. If she were, she wouldn’t have given such a noncommittal response.
Still, Aurora had done her homework. She knew if Walton Corporation wanted to evolve, expansion was essential. She clenched her fist, ambition gleaming in her eyes. She wasn’t going to give up. Now that she was general manager, she had a responsibility to lead Walton Corporation to greater heights.
As the room slowly emptied, the murmur of voices followed. A few people walked past her awkwardly, offering polite nods before slipping out the door.
Once outside, the whispers began.
“What do you think? Does her proposal really stand a chance?”
Another senior board member replied, “Honestly? It’s really risky.”
“I thought so too. Walton Corporation already has enough going on here. Why take such a big risk?”
Tessa overheard the conversation and couldn’t help but insert herself. The group exchanged glances, each catching the subtle, knowing look in the others’ eyes. Clearly, the rumors about the Walton sisters not getting along weren’t baseless. Otherwise, why would Tessa openly side with them and echo their doubts in front of so many people?
“Why are you all looking at me like that?” Tessa smiled faintly. “Yes, she’s my sister, but I’m simply speaking objectively. After all, Walton Corporation doesn’t belong to just her—it belongs to all of us.”
That statement struck a chord. They began chatting with Tessa more freely, opening up as if she’d just voiced what they’d all been thinking. One by one, they called Aurora’s idea delusional , saying the plan was unrealistic from the start. Some even claimed that after landing the Vanguard project, Aurora had clearly let it get to her head, completely forgetting her limits.
“If you ask me,” someone said, “Miss Tessa is far more steady. She handles things with tact.”
The room hummed in agreement.
Tessa lowered her gaze, a modest smile on her lips, though a glint of triumph flickered in her eyes. “Oh, don’t say that. My sister did spend a lot of time on this proposal. She just might be a little too aggressive… forgetting that this company belongs to all of us.”
She said it casually, as though it meant nothing. But those listening read far more into it. And just like that, the impression of Aurora among the board members took another subtle turn—for the worse.