Chapter 100 Someone Pulled Strings!
Chapter Ninety-Nine
There was only the tentative sound of applause, started by the Host and Zach as Aria moved towards the stage to get the bid.
Zach’s clapping increased as Aria’s name appeared on the screen.
“Whooo!” He called loudly and excitedly as he bounded to his feet and continued clapping exuberantly.
Aria flashed him a grateful smile as she continued on her way to the stage.
Zach was very much elated for her. He could also not wait to tell this news to Lucian. He knew he must be overjoyed as well.
“Yes, we have the goldmine!” He thought to himself triumphantly, watching Aria with pride.
The cameras swung toward her as she walked to the stage, flashing wildly as they aimed to capture every part of her.
This was going to be a sensational news.
A country bumpkin whom the Graves capital group had just given her position only recently, had managed to snag a bid right under the nose of another conglomerate?
Kurt could still not believe it.
Hell, even he did not know that Aria had made a bid for it. If he had, he wouldn’t have remained calm the way he was throughout.
He would have fought to make sure that things did not go well, even if it was by greasing the palms of the people in the company.
He needed that startup, damn it!
Why on earth would this Aria Beaumont appear now to ruin his plans?
He turned his attention back to her as she walked on, with her heels steady and her expression calm and unreadable.
“Wow! This is really happening?! She actually won the bid!” Someone whistled.
“What on earth…wait, are you saying she managed to go against the Vaughn empire?” Another whispered.
“Are you saying she is even better than Kurt Eugene?”
Nathan, who had been so shocked when Aria’s name was called, could only listen to this with fury and hatred.
He stared as though the ground had shifted beneath him.
What the hell is going on? She actually won the bid and bought Nexus!
Damn, how did that happen?
He was sure Aria’s proposal was not half as good as Kurt’s own.
How then had it worked?
It made no sense to Nathan.
Unless…
He narrowed his eyes in deep thought.
Unless, someone was pulling the strings from behind the scene.
His eyes widened the moment he realized this and he could not help but let out a disdainful scoff.
So that was it, eh?
“This must be Lucian’s work!” He thought vindictively to himself, “I will never allow this to happen!”
Suddenly, he slapped his thighs in anger and stood up, causing everyone to look at him in astonishment.
“This is absurd,” he barked loudly at the stage, “This person here is Aria Beaumont, the country bumpkin daughter in law of the Graves family. She has no acquisition history. Are you saying she can just buy a company like this?!”
There was another round of murmuring as everyone started discussing this amongst themselves. They looked at Aria and then at Nathan, wondering what on earth was going on.
Zach sighed in exasperation, his hands on his hips as he faced Nathan, “Nathan Graves, what nonsense is this that you’re spouting?” He asked the odious man.
Nathan eyed him disdainfully, then smirked, “Don’t think I don’t know what is going on. Everyone here knows! We all know it was the Vaughn Empire that ought to have won the bid. But then, you all pulled strings behind us, right?!”
Another voice joined in.
This was the female employee, Layla, who had challenged Aria and had walked out with Director Nathan earlier in the week.
“She’s clearly being favored.” Layla’s uttered, “There’s no way she was able to outbid everyone fairly.”
At this, the hall erupted with murmurs once more. Everyone whispered behind their palms and looked from both Nathan and his employees to Aria on the stage.
“What the hell is going on?” They muttered to themselves, “Aren’t they like from the same company?”
“Exactly! Why is Aria Beaumont facing so much animosity from the Graves Empire itself?!”
“She must have been a terrible woman. And given her background, I’m sure she was not the one who was able to pull this off.”
“Yea, something did happen definitely. Aria Beaumont must have pulled strings.”
Selena could not help but smirk as she listened to the words of the guests all around her.
She stood up foolishly and also said, “Director Nathan is right. I am Selena Beaumont, Aria Beaumont’s sister. I can tell you that she knows nothing about business and had only grown up on pig farms . How can she then win the bid without any help?!”
The crowds increased in their murmuring.
“What? Even her own sister is against her? This Aria must be a very terrible person!”
“I would not want to be her when my own people are so against me like this.”
Selena smiled victoriously, “The Vaughn Empire should be the one to win the bid. They deserved it and worked so hard for it , not some country bumpkin!”
Kurt and Vera sat back on their seats, watching everything with pleasure. They had not thought things would go the way it was going and was extremely pleased at the outcome.
How could Aria have so many enemies, both in the Graves Empire and in her family?
It was splendid!
Aria looked unfazed from where she stood on the stage. She gave Nathan a direct look, “You say I pulled strings. Do you have proof?”
Nathan scoff, “Your existence alone is proof!” he yelled back at her, “How can someone like you get the bid if you did not have help?!”
Aria and the host looked at each other.
The man himself did not look rattled at all.
He adjusted the microphone, and spoke into it.
“Everyone, this was a sealed acquisition process,” he said evenly. “No one here saw anyone else’s offer.”
There was complete silence after that statement, and the host took it as a go ahead to continue.
“Every competing bid focused on stripping assets and short-term resale,” he continued. “Ms. Aria’s offer was the only one that preserved the company’s core structure, retained its staff, and projected sustainable growth within eighteen months.”
He paused, looking round at them all as his voice became higher and higher, as he became more indignant.
He was aware of what had been said about his company all along and he did not appreciate it.
Now, not only were they hoping to see the company fail but now they were also trying to strip him of his dignity and credibility.
He was not having that.