Chapter 87 Not Anymore!
Chapter Eighty-Six
“What loopholes?” Nathan uttered, looking pissed as hell. He glanced at the reports, his eyebrows drawn in a huge frown, “I can’t find anything.”
“Yes, we have gone through the reports many times.” The employee presenting, who was also the marketing manager, uttered in a monotone. It was obvious he was tired of the whole back and forth, “This report was put together by some of the best members on our team so we don’t know what it is you’re talking about.” He hesitated, “Team Leader.”
“Now, that just makes me more worried,” Aria uttered coldly, throwing the report down in the table with disgust, “If the best members on the team can only put up this mediocre project, then how are we supposed to make any progress?”
“We were progressing just fine before now, team leader.” A female employee replied curtly, her tone defensive.
Others nod, glancing defiantly at Aria.
Aria shot the employee a reproving look and the employee paled slightly, clearing her throat and lowering her eyes, trying to make herself invisible.
“Doing just fine?” Aria repeated, letting out a soft scoff, “Your market share dropped from 18% to 11% in two years.”
The room went quiet, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
Aria ignored them and went on, a small mocking smile on her lips, “Your customer acquisition cost went up by 40%, while your campaign ROI is down to 1.3x. For the Graves Capital Group, that’s embarrassing.”
The marketing manager shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other as he stammered, “Well, the economy…”
Aria cuts in, without missing a beat, “You missed three high-growth regions in the past year. Your biggest competitor entered two of them first. You didn’t even bid. What’s the meaning of that?”
Nathan’s jaw tightened, “We were being cautious,” He spat out.
“You were being slow!” Aria shot back and Nathan’s fists clenched.
“You know nothing about business so stop acting like some big shot here!”
“I know nothing about business?!” Elara laughed slightly, then tapped the table with her fingers, her eyes growing cold, “Your last five campaigns all targeted the same audience. No expansion. No innovation. No retention strategy.”
“Stop. Exaggerating.” Nathan uttered dragging out the words through his teeth, “If that were happening we would already know and not need you to tell us.”
Aria slammed her hand down on the table, causing everyone to jump in fright, while Nathan’s eyes widened in surprise.
“I’m quoting your own reports!” She yelled furiously, “What do you mean exaggerating?! Are you trying to run the company down after losing nine billion dollars already in the Belarus Project?!”
Everyone sucked in a huge breath, and Nathan closed his eyes as a dark fury engulfed him.
The Belarus Project was his biggest bane, a project he’d foolishly embarked upon even when all signs were telling him to pull out.
He’d stayed and made the company lose nine billion dollars. The Chairman had almost had his head on a platter.
It was only because Lucian was bedridden that he’d maintained his life and his position. This was because the chairman had no other heir apart from Nathan and Lucian.
When Aria had come into the Graves family, she had used that to mock him, making him seem inefficient in the Chairman’s eyes.
And now, she was saying it again in front of the marketing team?!
“Aria Beaumont,” Nathan called slowly, his fists clenched in fury, as he suddenly roared, “Do you have a death wish?!”
Aria turned away from him, dismissive disgust etched on her face. This time none of the team members dared to raise their eyes defiantly.
“Your team is lacking in so many ways, yet you dare to say you’re progressing just…fine??” She asked the female employee who had spoke earlier.
The female employee was practically shaking by now. She soon stood up abruptly and bowed multiple times, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, team leader. It’s my error.”
Nathan was breathing hard, enraged that he was being ignored, “And so what?” He said suddenly, pointing a stubby finger at Aria, “You think you can fix all that? Who do you think you are running your mouth and making us all feel incompetent?!”
Aria gave him a steady look, filled with quiet disgust, “The CEO just recovered,” she announced, and everyone stiffened, suddenly at alert.
They had heard about the accident three years ago. They had heard about the rumors of Lucian being bedridden and paralyzed. They had not beloved it and thought if to be mere speculation.
But Aria just announced that he’d recovered.
From what? The paralysis ?
If so, does that mean the other rumors were true, that Aria Beaumont the country bumpkin was the one who had actually healed him?
No wonder the CEO Lucian cherished her so much. She must be his lifesaver and therefore deserved all the good things, even the position of head of the marketing team.
It all made so much sense now.
Aria looked round at all of them noting their reaction, “Yes. What you’re thinking is correct,” she confirmed , “He was bedridden previously but like I said earlier, he’s recovered and whole. I mean, you all saw him at the company this morning.”
The employees oooed and ahhed, nodding their heads and shaking them in wonder as well.
Nathan was irritated, “Do you have to bring the family affairs out into the open?” He admonished her, “There’s a reason why it was kept a secret in the first place.”
Aria gave him a hard look, “Well, he’s whole now. And I’m only sharing the news because I think it’s a good thing,” she uttered, “Unless…” her tone turned darker, “…you don’t think it’s a good thing.”
Nathan was taken aback, bamboozled by the menacing stare which Aria was giving to him, “What?! What are you saying?!” He countered, red in the face, “I don’t mean that at all!”
Aria stared at him hard for long moments and the tension seemed to drag. Nathan’s face remained calm but internally he was panicking and his eyes were trying hard not to twitch behind his glasses.
“What the hell?” His thoughts screamed, “Does she know anything?!”
Suddenly Aria shrugged, “If you say so“ she turned back to her team, “Well, for three years he was absent. During that time, the company stalled because leadership stalled,” She looked at Nathan and smirked, “Well not anymore.”