Chapter 48 Taking Control
[Nyx]
"Thank you," I said. "What's your name?"
"Mia," she said. "Mia Ashton."
"Mia." I repeated her name.
"I... I've always admired you," Mia said, face flushing slightly. "I read all your papers from business school. You were first in your class for three consecutive years, won so many awards. I thought then, if I could work for you someday, that would be amazing."
She paused, voice filling with excitement. "Now you're finally back, taking back what should have been yours."
The elevator doors opened. I stepped inside.
"Mia," I said before the doors closed. "If you're interested, come to my office. I might need an assistant."
Mia's eyes lit up instantly. "Really? I—I'd love to! Thank you, Miss Verdant!"
The doors closed, and the elevator began ascending. I looked at my reflection in the mirrored walls, taking a deep breath.
Ready? Sylva asked.
"Ready."
---
Thirtieth floor.
The elevator doors opened to reveal at least twenty people standing in the corridor—from their attire and bearing, all senior management.
When they saw me, every single one bowed.
"Miss Verdant, welcome."
Not perfunctory courtesy, but genuine respect. I could smell it in their scents—nervousness, yes, but more than that: anticipation and relief.
Leading them was Mr. Anderson—a man in his fifties wearing gold-rimmed glasses and an impeccable suit. He approached quickly, extending his hand:
"I'm Alexander Anderson, interim CFO. It's an honor to finally meet you."
I gripped his hand firmly but not aggressively. "Mr. Anderson, thank you for your work during this period. I hear you've been keeping the company running."
Anderson's eyes flashed with surprise, then gratitude. "It's my duty, Miss. When Diana founded this company, I was just a junior accountant. Protecting her legacy is my honor."
He turned to introduce the others. "This is Dr. Sarah Mitchell, Director of R&D. This is James Torres, Director of Production. This is Linda Vaughn, Director of Marketing..."
A string of names and titles. I noted each face and reaction.
Most eyes showed curiosity and respect—Raymond's firing had clearly given them hope. Some of the older employees had tears in their eyes, as if seeing Diana Verdant's shadow.
But a few had shifty gazes. Particularly that marketing director, Linda Vaughn. Her smile was stiff.
Isla's people, I thought.
"Is the conference room ready?" I asked.
"Yes, please follow me," Anderson said, gesturing toward the double doors at the corridor's end.
But I stopped. "Wait. I want to see my mother's office first."
Anderson blinked, then nodded. "Of course. This way, please."
---
Mother's office was at the other end of the corridor.
When Anderson opened the door, sunlight poured through floor-to-ceiling windows. It was a spacious room—solid wood desk, leather sofa, bookshelves lined with medical texts and business books. The walls displayed Eclipse's research achievements over the years.
But what caught my attention most was the enormous photograph behind the desk—Mother standing at this building's groundbreaking ceremony, shovel in hand, smile confident and warm.
I approached, reaching out to gently touch the frame's edge.
"When Diana founded Eclipse, I was just a junior accountant," Anderson said softly from the doorway. "She was the most visionary businesswoman I've ever known. Not just pursuing profit, but caring about how many lives our drugs could save."
He paused, voice catching. "After Raymond took over, everything changed. He only cared about numbers, not Eclipse's original purpose. Many old employees left because they couldn't bear watching Diana's life's work being ruined."
I turned to Anderson. "So when I asked to review the NorthStar materials, you cooperated immediately."
"Yes," Anderson adjusted his glasses. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time."
I walked to the desk, gently running my hand over its surface. Clean, but clearly unused for some time. The drawer still held Mother's personal items—an old pen, a leather notebook, a photo of me as a child.
"Mr. Anderson, I need to know," I turned to face him. "How many people in the company are Isla's plants?"
Anderson hesitated, then said, "At least five executives. Marketing Director Linda Vaughn, Legal Director Kevin Ashford, plus a few middle managers. All Raymond appointees, loyal to the Hyde family."
"Do they know I'm coming today?"
"They know. The whole company knows," Anderson said. "After Raymond was fired, many people are watching. They want to know if you're really here to take control, or just for show."
I nodded, sitting in Mother's chair.
This chair had borne her weight, witnessed her decisions. Now, it was my turn.
"Then let them watch," I said. "The meeting starts now."
---
In the conference room, over twenty executives were already seated.
When I entered, everyone stood again. I walked straight to the head of the table—Mother's position, empty for three years.
I sat. Set down my briefcase. Surveyed the room.
The air was thick with tension and anticipation.
"Everyone, I know you have many questions about me," I said directly. "So let me make a few things clear. First, I am Diana Verdant's daughter and Eclipse's sole legal heir. Second, I'm not here to be a puppet. I will personally manage this company. Third, anyone who betrays Eclipse's interests, regardless of position, will be removed."
Silence filled the conference room.
I could see several faces change color—Linda Vaughn, Kevin Ashford, plus two middle managers I didn't recognize.
"Now, Mr. Anderson," I turned to the interim CFO. "Please report on the current financial situation."
Anderson opened his laptop, charts appearing on the projection screen. His voice was professional and clear:
"During Raymond's tenure as CFO, Eclipse's net profit declined 42%. The main reason was abnormally increased procurement costs—materials we purchased from NorthStar Supply Co. were priced 15-20% above market rate."
He switched to the next chart. "More seriously, these overpriced materials were far below standard quality. We've received three customer complaints about ineffective products. If this continues, Eclipse's reputation will suffer severe damage."
Dr. Sarah Mitchell—the R&D Director—suddenly spoke, voice filled with long-suppressed anger. "I reported material quality issues to Raymond multiple times. He always said it was a 'necessary cost of optimization.' But Diana would never sacrifice quality to save money. Never."
Several other old employees nodded in agreement.
"What's the solution now?" I asked.
"I've already contacted five reputable suppliers," Anderson replied. "They're all willing to supply high-quality materials at reasonable prices. After switching suppliers, we estimate costs will drop 30%, and profit margins will recover."
"Good," I nodded. "Execute immediately. Terminate all contracts with NorthStar."
Linda Vaughn suddenly spoke. "But Miss Verdant, NorthStar is Hyde family property. Suddenly terminating contracts might cause... political complications."