Chubby Mommy: Scheming Daddy, Surrender Now!-Chapter 123: The Sullivan Group Shareholders’ Meeting

Early that morning, Howard dropped Ruby Sullivan off at the Lawson Group’s office building.

She remembered this building being bought when she was sixteen because back then she was round and chubby, refusing to stand beside her dad and sister during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, feeling that her appearance was too stark in contrast to her sister’s.

Now, Ruby Sullivan looked up at the Lawson Group’s weathered logo, no longer the shining emblem of its past, surprised that her return to the company was to duel with her sister.

Sister...

What a distant title that had become.

Howard followed her out of the car, "Mr. Sullivan, let’s go."

Ruby Sullivan retracted her gaze, walked forward with her head held high.

After acquiring the Lawson Group’s shares, Ethan Sterling must have reached some agreement with Rhonda Sullivan, which resulted in all the company’s operations being handed over to Ethan Sterling naturally.

Rhonda Sullivan made a high-profile comeback, boarding the Sterling Group’s big ship, which was quite an overnight sensation, and drawing in those small shareholders to force a shareholders’ meeting was merely an attempt to take back the power from Ethan Sterling.

Ruby Sullivan didn’t know if Ethan Sterling wanted her to handle this because he was afraid to face Rhonda Sullivan, or if he thought she was better at confronting people, but based on the rushed information she had crammed in the past two days since returning to the country, she didn’t think she’d have any advantage at the meeting.

Although she felt unsure, she couldn’t lose her momentum; when it came to putting up a front, Ruby Sullivan had ample experience.

Inside the elevator, Howard whispered from behind her, "Mr. Sullivan, you hold 51% of the Lawson Group’s shares, granting you absolute authority, so no matter what Rhonda Sullivan says, as long as you’re displeased, just go against it."

Ruby Sullivan sneered, "So, Ethan Sterling released me to do the biting?"

Howard squinted and chuckled awkwardly, not knowing how to respond, though he had heard about Ruby Sullivan’s strong-willed demeanor. According to Boss Sterling’s few sentiments, it seemed the daughter also had a sharp disposition, so today’s meeting likely wouldn’t disadvantage her too much.

Riding the elevator straight to the top, the largest conference room of Lawson Group was at the corridor’s end.

There were still two minutes until the meeting’s scheduled start; Ruby Sullivan paced over, making it the perfect time to make an entrance.

Sure enough, all the various shareholders were seated, including Rhonda Sullivan. Everyone seemed intrigued by her and the Sterling Group’s collaboration, and when Ruby Sullivan pushed open the door, she saw several shareholders engaged in lively conversation with her.

Rhonda Sullivan wore a black sleeveless Korean-style tank top, long enough to cover her thighs, concealing her waistline, but the flat shoes beneath her cropped pants seemed to tell their own tale.

Ruby Sullivan subconsciously glanced at her belly, although she saw nothing, a small flicker of anger ignited within her.

Including Rhonda Sullivan, no one expected Ruby Sullivan to show up today, leaving the room in temporary silence. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Ruby Sullivan was straightforward, raising her eyes, with an air of seeing no one as she quickly moved to the center of the conference table, standing firmly without hurry to sit, her exposed cold smile, "I don’t have much time, nor do I find this meeting meaningful; if anyone is dissatisfied with the Lawson Group’s management, feel free to walk straight out, no need for farewell."

She surveyed the room’s shareholders whose faces had darkened significantly, then switched to a sweet smile, "So, does anyone have any objections now?"

A bold one disgruntledly spoke up, "President Sullivan Sr. is now in a vegetative state, and suddenly someone claims to be his daughter, yet we can’t even verify the truth. After all, the one we’ve known managing the Lawson Group for years has only been Rhonda Sullivan."

His words quickly found support, "I attended the wedding of this Miss Sullivan with Ethan Sterling, and from what I remember, both her body and face differed significantly from this Mr. Sullivan."

At this, many people cast their gaze upon Rhonda Sullivan.

Being Ruby Sullivan’s sister, she surely had the most right to speak on whether this Miss Sullivan in the conference room was indeed President Sullivan Sr.’s daughter, and everyone whispered, hoping she would say something.

Even though the news of her and Ethan Sterling being exposed before dissatisfied these old men, who suggested the Lawson Group’s reputation and image suffered, today was different; what weight did the Sterling Group have? If the Lawson Group had such a partner, it would mean more than just doubled year-end dividends for them.

Rhonda Sullivan looked at Ruby Sullivan with a smile, speaking unhurriedly, "To be honest, even I, as her sister, can’t recognize if the person in front of me is my sister. She disappeared five years ago, and her figure was vastly different from now; as for her looks..." She paused, adding with sardonic laughter, "I’ve read online that shedding weight is akin to getting plastic surgery, I suppose...it’s because she slimmed down?"

With this said, everyone burst into laughter.

Ruby Sullivan had anticipated this scenario, knowing Rhonda Sullivan was deliberately provoking her, trying to anger her. She was, of course, angry, but putting herself in the shareholders’ shoes, she too would want more money; as for family feuds, it made for a post-tea-time joke, having little personal stake.

Rhonda Sullivan dared to call this shareholders’ meeting, well-prepared to embarrass her.

Ruby Sullivan darkened her gaze, her voice carrying weight as she spoke, "Whether you recognize me or not is irrelevant, what matters is the law recognizes me as Ruby Sullivan, giving me absolute authority over the shares I hold. As for this Mr. Sullivan’s inability to recognize his sister, that’s not surprising, as you and I are not blood-related anyway, merely a child adopted by our father out of goodwill to keep me company."

She glanced at Ruby Sullivan’s stiff expression, lifting her gaze to continue speaking, "The Lawson Group’s partnership with the Sterling Group will remain unchanged, no business collaboration with the Sterling Group will be pursued, and as for this Mr. Sullivan, since you’ve already resigned and left the Lawson Group voluntarily, behave as a proper shareholder, meeting adjourned."

With that, Ruby Sullivan fixed her gaze forward, briskly exiting the conference room without a pause.

All shareholders, left agape, immediately began whispering among themselves, none having expected Rhonda Sullivan to have no blood relation to President Sullivan Sr., suddenly understanding why, despite managing the Lawson Group, she only held five percent of the shares.

Regardless of whether President Sullivan Sr. awakens or passes away, the ten percent of shares she now manages should soon be compelled to be returned, it’s only a matter of time until she’s ousted from the Lawson Group.

Rhonda Sullivan didn’t anticipate Ruby Sullivan revealing her background, yet it was for the best, ridding her of the last sliver of vulnerability.

She knew Ruby Sullivan’s boldness was backed entirely by the Sterling Group; her daring to let shareholders withdraw investments was nothing more than entrusting Ethan Sterling to cover it. Fine, she thought she’d see just how big the Sterling Group’s appetite was, and whether it could swallow the Lawson Group whole!

No longer wasting time in the meeting room, she too left with a cold expression.

Back in her car, Rhonda Sullivan called Dr. L, eerily smiling, "The fish has taken the bait."