Return Of The Prodigy
Return of the Prodigy Chapter 190

After returning to her office, Katie said with a bitter expression, "Adam, do you think everyone will be happier if I dissolve the new Chamber of Commerce?" Adam did not reply and asked instead, "Are you afraid?"

Katie's body stiffened. "With you here, I'm not afraid of anyone. It's just that I don't want to involve other people in this mess."

Adam shook his head and said, "This is the wrong mindset. You aren't doing them a disservice; you're helping them. The Camdens won't allow them to remain neutral. Those guys can either stick with you or defect to the Camdens' camp. Regardless of what they do, they'll face the wrath of the other side. After all, even if I don't do anything, the Hamiltons won't just stand and watch as the Camdens bring more and more companies to their side."

Katie was stunned at his remarks.

Adam continued, "This is how things work in the world of business. People don't have the luxury to choose and can only go along with the flow. Only a small number of individuals have the power to go against the flow and choose their path. If I take action, the Camdens will either back off or be destroyed. They won't have much of a choice either. This is how life is. You have to work hard if you want to succeed, as only after the storm will there be a rainbow."

Katie looked at Adam in surprise. She nodded and said, "I understand. I know what to do now."

She grabbed her phone and started giving orders. "Notify all the members of the new Chamber of Commerce that I'm holding a meeting."

-

In the room where the emergency meeting was being held.

The various members sat in their chairs. Their faces were devoid of the glow they had in the past. Their brows were furrowed, and they lacked any sort of enthusiasm.

"Johan, how are things going on your end?"

"Don't even mention it. My company suffered losses of over 5 million dollars, and we've lost a third of our market share. What about you?"

"I'm doing fine for now. I've lost 2 million dollars, which is still within an acceptable range, but I might be unable to hold on if this continues..."

"Yeah, Leroy Ortiz seems determined to take all of us down. I wish I could kick that bastard in the face!"

The grumpy businessmen complained to one another while comparing their losses.

At this moment, Katie entered the room. Without wasting time, she said, "I know that none of you is doing well right now. As we don't have much time, I'll get straight to the point.

"I want all of you to withdraw from the new Chamber of Commerce."

The businessmen were shocked at her remarks.

"Ms. Hartley, what do you mean?"

"Ms. Hartley, you're looking down on us! Even if we have suffered some losses, we aren't going to give up on our allies. That Leroy is a fiend, and I would rather take a loss than live under his thumb."

A smile appeared on her face when she saw their reaction. She hinted at them to calm down and continued, "Please, wait a moment. I'm not finished yet.

"Let me correct myself, you're going to pretend to withdraw from the new Chamber of Commerce. The plan is to fool Leroy Ortiz and make him lower his guard.

"The man is blinded by his arrogance and thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he has the support of the Camdens. Since you're in a tight spot at the moment, it'd make sense for you to want out of our alliance. For this reason, he won't find your actions suspicious.

"Leroy Ortiz wants to isolate Hartley Group. Once you're out, you'll no longer be targeted as his objective would've been reached."

The businessmen in the room were stunned. They looked at each other, unsure as to what Katie was planning.

"Ms. Hartley, this might help us get some room to breathe, but what about your company?"

"When we created this new Chamber of Commerce, it was because we wanted to support each other and grow together. If we just leave at the first sign of trouble, I'll be too ashamed to show my face around!"

"Ms. Hartley, I know you want to help everyone, but this plan won't work long-term."

Katie smiled and continued, "Don't worry, I have a plan. Our first step is to fool Leroy Ortiz. Once you 'withdraw' from the new Chamber of Commerce, you'll have your duties to perform."

Next, Katie explained in detail the plan she had come up with.

The businessmen at the table listened in silence.

After a short while, they nodded. "I see, we fool them into thinking that we're doing one thing while we're doing the opposite. I think Ms. Hartley's plan might work."

"Indeed. We can use this period to get a good grasp of the situation so that we don't have any problems later."

"Yeah, by following Ms. Hartley's plan, we can make Leroy Ortiz lower his guard and catch him with his pants down when he least expects it."

Their eyes lit up, and the downcast expressions from before vanished, replaced by excitement. Some of them could already see Leroy Ortiz's fall. If Katie's plan worked, not only would they recover from their losses, but they would also make a profit. Considering the advantages they might gain in the future, the businessmen felt less aggrieved when they recalled their current losses.

After a short moment of elation, someone asked, "Ms. Hartley, this move of yours will help us solve our problems, but what about your company?"

Katie said with a smile, "I've secured all the building materials we need, so none of our projects will be slowed down. Moreover, as long as we move fast and find the proof we're looking for, Hartley Group's crisis will be resolved. In other words, you guys will determine how fast Hartley Group can resume its normal operations."

The businessmen all hurried to reassure her.

"Ms. Hartley, you don't have to worry. We'll not forget all the sacrifices you've made to help us."

"Ms. Hartley, just tell us what to do, and we'll do it!"

They had made her the President of the new Chamber of Commerce because she was acquainted with the Hamiltons. However, these gentlemen had started to admire Katie for real now. She had shown them through her actions that she truly cared about their partnership.

Moreover, she turned out to be an excellent businesswoman. All of them could barely resist Leroy Ortiz's onslaught, yet Katie was able to come up with a counterattack while keeping their losses to a minimum.

Other than that, Katie's methods were legal. She did not use underhanded tricks like Leroy.

Katie was delighted when she received the approval of the other members. It proved that she was not the president because of her connections. In addition, she proved to herself that she could handle the situation without Adam's help. She felt that she had grown and was a bit closer to standing shoulder to shoulder with her husband one day.

It was a small step, but it was a step nonetheless.

Adam, who had been watching from the sidelines, smiled. Even without his help, Katie was able to find a method that satisfied all the members. And her approach was vastly different than his, who would simply steamroll everything in his way.

"All right, this will be our plan moving forward. Everybody, it's time to get back to work," concluded Katie.

The meeting was over, and Adam drove Katie back to the company.

Katie was much more relaxed than before. The gloominess that surrounded her had vanished.

"The next few days will be turbulent for Hartley Group. Mr. Drake, I hope you'll take care of your daughter. As a reward, I'll invite you out for dinner."

Adam smiled and said, "I'm afraid that a meal won't be enough."

Katie knew what Adam was thinking. Her cheeks reddened, and she craned her neck, lightly kissing his cheek.

She said coyly, "Will that do?"

Adam shook his head, unsatisfied. "Was that all?"

Katie looked at him vigilantly and said, "General Drake, aren't you being too frivolous?"

"Mm, I was just thinking about what to order tonight."