Chapter 34
“My eldest daughter, Sienna Hart,” Aiden announced, dead serious.
The moment the news broke, the room erupted in chaos. Hart Corporation’s old shareholders leaped to their feet, stunned beyond belief. One of them couldn’t hold back, exclaiming, “Sienna! You mean your eldest daughter Sienna?” They were over the moon to hear that Miss Sienna was still alive and kicking.
Alden’s face went rigid. These old-timers had always given him a hard time, but now they were practically grinning from ear to ear. “That’s right. She’s been studying abroad all these years. Now she’s back.”
“Sienna! Never heard of her,” one skeptic scoffed. “Mr. Hart, you’re not getting played, are you! Your eldest daughter died in that plane crash. No way anyone walked away from that!”
“Exactly!” another chimed in. “We can’t just hand the company over to some stranger.”
“Hart Corporation isn’t some joke. Mr. Hart, think carefully,”
“Even if she’s your daughter, that doesn’t automatically give her a seat at the table. What’s her track record!” another challenged.
“The fact that I’m the largest shareholder of Hart Corporation.” A cool, sharp voice cut through the chaos. Before anyone saw her, the words alone sent an icy ripple down every spine in the room.
The door swung open. A statuesque woman strode in, her gold-trimmed black dress catching the light with every measured step. She moved with the regal grace of a monarch commanding attention.
Though Aiden stood a solid six feet tall, her heels brought them nearly nose to nose. The entire room seemed to hold its breath under the weight of her presence.
“Miss Sienna, it really is you!” someone blurted out, eyes lighting up with surprise and joy.
Sienna gave a slight nod. Just then, Reno burst in, “Gentlemen, Hart Corporation belongs to Miss Sienna. If you don’t believe it, check the files. Mr. Hart was only managing it on her behalf.”
Aiden’s face clouded over at that. One of the objectors scoffed, “Who cares if the company’s yours? Mr. Hart has been running Hart Corporation all these years, and now you just waltz in and kick him out? What kind of daughter does that?”
“Exactly! Forget whether you’re capable of running this company. What right has a young woman like you got to sit in that chair?” another one chimed in.
“We won’t stand for her. Mr. Hart, you’re our only boss. If you don’t come back, we quit!” Several others jumped in with the threat.
Aiden was touched by their loyalty. But Sienna didn’t bat an eyelid. She already knew these were Linda’s people, crammed into the company over the years but doing nothing useful. She had been trying to figure out how to get rid of them, and now they handed her the perfect chance.
“Fine.” Her voice was ice. The objectors smirked, figuring a few threats would intimidate Sienna. But their smugness didn’t last a second.
“Everyone who just said ‘we quit,’ head straight to HR and hand in your resignations. No negotiating.” Sienna went on, leaving those objectors stunned. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing.
Sienna’s sharp gaze cut across the room. “You wanted to quit? Then quit.” Those men froze, suddenly realizing she meant every word. Panic set in as they scrambled for excuses.
Aiden opened his mouth to speak, but then his eyes fell on the name Selina Bayer written on the documents in front of him. His mind went blank.
“Mr. Hart, we’ve been with you for years. Now she’s actually firing us. How can you just stand there? Say something!” they begged Aiden desperately.
Aiden took a deep breath, ready to plead for them. But Sienna cut him off with a cold look. “Father, you got something to say?”
He hesitated, then started, “Sienna, they’ve worked at the company for a long time. Maybe you can take that into account…”
“Father, did you not hear them?” She tilted her head. “They said they quit. Loud and clear. Everyone here heard it.” Aiden had to shut his mouth.
Reno, meantime, was counting how many of them just quit. “Miss Sienna, twelve people in total.”
“You’re going too far. Firing us the second you walk in? You’re not here to run the company. You’re here to ruin it.”
“Go ahead, fire us. Let’s see how this place keeps running without us. You’ll be begging us to come back.” They were all shouting now, hurling threats like punches.
Sienna didn’t even blink. She leaned back in her chair, fingers steepled, her icy gaze sweeping over them. “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Fuming but stuck for words, the twelve stormed out, muttering curses under their breath. They were still dead sure the company would fall apart without them and that Sienna would end up begging them to come back.
The conference room was nearly empty now, with just a few old-timers left. These loyalists from Selina’s time had stayed on, waiting for Sienna to come back. Now that she really was here, their eyes misted over. “Miss Sienna,” they murmured softly, voices choked with emotion.
Sienna’s expression softened slightly. “I’m grateful you stayed all these years, uncles. This means everything to my mother and to me.”
The old-timers reaffirmed their loyalty to Sienna, saying they truly trusted she would lead Hart Corporation back to success. Seeing how deeply they believed in her, Sienna felt a swell of warm emotions. She silently vowed not to let them down.
Word of the leadership change spread like wildfire. While other employees huddled in hushed conversations, Reno buzzed around the workspace, arranging fresh flower bouquets and polishing every surface to a mirror shine.
Satisfied with her handiwork, she finally approached Sienna with a stack of documents. “Miss Sienna, the resignation paperwork is prepared for your approval,” she announced, and then hesitated.