Chapter 92

At exactly 4:00 PM, Aiden Thompson walked into the meeting room with a calm and confident stride. The attendees were all senior executives at the company, dressed in well-tailored suits, their every movement exuding professionalism and confidence.

David, the Executive Vice President, stood up first and addressed the room in a professional tone: "As I'm sure everyone knows, Mr. Rex Thompson has been hospitalized due to a sudden heart attack and will need some time to recover. As a result, he has appointed Aiden Thompson as the Acting Chairman during his recovery. We've called this meeting to officially introduce our Acting Chairman. From now on, if anyone encounters any issues, you can communicate directly with Aiden Thompson."

At this point, Garth, the Marketing Director, leaned forward slightly, hands clasped on the table, with a tone that was both skeptical and challenging: "David, as I understand it, Aiden Thompson has been away from the company for over a year. Now, he's suddenly back and expected to take on the Chairman's duties. No offense, but I think even the receptionist is probably more familiar with the current operations than he is."

Just as David was about to respond, Aiden smiled and raised his hand, signaling to speak first: "Garth, you're right. I've been away for a year. But rest assured, before making any decisions, I will conduct a thorough and in-depth review of everything. I also sincerely hope to receive your full support and oversight in the work ahead." Aiden's response was polite yet confident, showing great professionalism.

Garth, clearly trying to challenge him, leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, and pressed further: "Well, in that case, I have a tough question for you. Regarding the complaint from TechGen, they've reported that the new batch of refrigerators they produced has a high-temperature resistance issue, and they suspect that the chips we provided are defective. The customer is pressing for full compensation. What do you think, Mr. Aiden Thompson?"

Aiden knew full well that TechGen was adamant that the problem was with the chips and was demanding full compensation from the get-go. According to the usual complaint handling process, Garth, being an experienced Marketing Director, should have known exactly how to handle it. By bringing this issue up in front of the senior team, he was clearly trying to make Aiden look bad in front of the others and undermine his authority as Acting Chairman. Yesterday, Rex had warned him that many people in the company had been secretly swayed by Henry Morgan, and it seemed that Garth was likely one of them.

However, what Garth didn't know was that Aiden had spent the entire day locked in his office, having a quick lunch at his desk, specifically to get up to speed with the company's latest developments—this complaint from TechGen included.

Aiden took a slow sip of coffee from the cup on the table, then answered in a calm and clear manner: "I've already reviewed the situation in detail today. As of now, this complaint lacks solid testing reports to back it up. TechGen is primarily focused on the appliance industry, and their expertise in chip technology is clearly not on the same level as Silverstone's. So, my suggestion is to form a dedicated TechGen Complaint Response Team, pulling one senior member from the R&D, Quality Control, and Production departments. This team's task will be to investigate the entire production process of the chip in question, as well as every detail in the assembly process on the customer's end. Additionally, we will conduct a comprehensive internal test of the chips in question to ensure all performance indicators meet the required standards. Once internal testing is complete and results are confirmed, we will engage a respected third-party testing agency, such as Intertek or SGS, to perform more rigorous performance tests and provide a legally valid test report. Once we have the report, we can then proceed with a rational and objective compensation discussion with TechGen's representatives based on the findings."

Aiden's answer was logical, fluent, and seamless—he made it sound as though he had been deeply involved in the issue all along, not just stepping in today.

Garth was left speechless, a hint of embarrassment crossing his face as he reluctantly nodded, agreeing to arrange things according to Aiden's suggestion.

Aiden glanced around the room and smiled. "Any other questions?"

At this moment, Amy, the Sales Director, raised her hand slightly. After being given permission, she spoke up: "Mr. Aiden Thompson, have you been following the stock price today?"

"I have."

"Clearly, after the news of Mr. Rex Thompson's health issues came out, the market reacted, causing the stock price to drop. This needs to be addressed as soon as possible, or it could damage investor confidence," Amy said, her voice tinged with concern.

Aiden remained calm and composed as he responded in a steady tone: "Amy, I understand your concern. While there has been some market fluctuation, it's still within the normal range for market movements. We will form a dedicated financial analysis team to closely monitor the market and prepare a detailed company performance report to disclose to investors at the right time. This will help stabilize market confidence. Please trust that we have the ability to handle these challenges."

At 9:00 PM, the office building was still brightly lit. Aiden Thompson wrapped up a long day at work and hurried out of the office.

Rex Thompson had been moved from the ICU to a regular ward, and family members were allowed to visit at any time. Yesterday, Mabel Thompson had stayed up all night outside the ICU, keeping vigil the entire night. Today, she was physically exhausted and had gone home to rest. In American family culture, when one person becomes overly tired, the others step in to help them recover their strength.

In the hospital room, the nurse was on duty. Aiden gently pushed open the door and walked in. Rex, lying in the bed, lifted his eyelids slightly, looking at Aiden with concern and curiosity. "Hey, son, how was your day at the office? Did those sneaky guys try to throw any roadblocks in your way?"

Aiden pulled up a chair next to the bed, sitting down calmly. "It was fine. Everything's under control."

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Even if you can't control everything, you still have to carry the weight. This whole mess started because of you."

Aiden tilted his head, confused. "How did I become the villain here?"

"If you hadn't turned down the Porter family's marriage proposal last year and pissed off old Porter, do you think he would've turned against us? He's the second-largest shareholder, and without him, there's no way Henry Morgan would be so bold as to go up against me." In American business culture, family businesses often use marriage alliances to strengthen their partnerships, and when those fall apart, it can have a ripple effect.

Aiden knew that his father had been upset about the marriage refusal, and it was because of that issue that the relationship between the Thompsons and the Porters had soured, leading to Elijah Porterjoining forces with Henry Morgan to target them. Given that Rex had just suffered a heart attack and was still weak, Aiden bit back his frustration. He didn't want to continue the conversation, as it always ended in an argument. He glanced at the fruit basket on the table and asked gently, "Dad, want me to peel an apple or peel an orange for you?"

"I don't have an appetite," Rex replied, his tone still firm and stubborn.

"Then I'll eat it." Aiden smiled and picked up an orange, skillfully peeling it. He had never been interested in fruit, but Grace loved it. They often sat together on the sunny balcony, chatting and sharing fruit. Over time, Aiden had picked up the habit.

Rex glanced at him and asked, "The company's stock price dropped a lot today, right?"

Aiden replied slowly, "It's fine, it didn't hit the limit down."

Rex exhaled heavily through his nose, clearly displeased. "You're happy it didn't hit the limit down?"

"At least it shows the company's situation is still under control."

Rex's expression grew serious. "When the stock price drops, be careful of someone trying to do a hostile takeover."

Aiden put a slice of orange in his mouth and confidently said, "Don't worry, I've already got a professional legal and financial team keeping an eye on it. If anyone tries anything underhanded and crosses the legal line, we'll send them straight to jail."

Rex looked at Aiden and, seeing his calm demeanor, knew he was prepared. He had always recognized Aiden's abilities, or else he wouldn't have invested heavily in the AgroTech project.

"Also, find some time to apologize to old Porter." Rex's tone was firm, not open to debate.

Aiden looked at him in confusion. "Apologize for what?"

"We'd already arranged a marriage alliance, and Miss Porter has had feelings for you for years. But you just disappeared without a trace. How do you think that makes them feel?"

After finishing the orange, Aiden took a tissue and calmly wiped his hands. "I never agreed to the marriage."

"You…"

"Dad, let's not talk about this right now. I don't want to upset you again." Aiden quickly interrupted. "But I'll go see Elijah Porte rand have a good talk with him."

"Even though he's close to the Morgan family now, he's been my old friend for many years. When you go, be polite and know your boundaries."

"I know, Dad."

"And next Friday, there's a charity dinner hosted by the East Coast Business Association and the New York Chamber of Commerce. Well-known business leaders from all industries will attend. It's a great opportunity to network. You'll come with me, and I'll introduce you as my successor."

Aiden sighed, speaking softly, "At least ask me what I think about it first."

"What's the matter? You don't want to go?"

"There are plenty of talented managers out there, and there are many potential leaders in the company. Why does it have to be me to take over?"

Hearing this, Rex's emotions flared, and he suddenly clutched his chest, his breath becoming shallow. "You... are you trying to kill me?"

Aiden was startled, quickly pressing the emergency button by the bed. He stood up and placed both hands firmly on his father's shoulders, anxiously saying, "Dad, I didn't mean to upset you. Please calm down!"

The doctor quickly rushed into the room and carefully checked Rex. After confirming that there was no major issue, the doctor gave Aiden a reproachful look, as if judging him for being unfilial, and said, "Mr. Thompson, your father's health is still very fragile. Please avoid any further stress, and take better care of him."

Aiden felt helpless. He had been as careful as possible but could only respond, "Okay, Doctor. I understand, thank you."

Once the doctor left, Aiden gave Rex some warm water, tucked him in more carefully, and finally relented. "Alright, I'll go with you to the dinner. You can arrange it however you want, okay?"

"Hmph!" Rex snorted and said proudly, "Just don't say I'm forcing you later."

Aiden gave a helpless smile and sighed. "No, I'm doing this willingly."

Aiden knew he shouldn't stay in the room any longer. Their differences in opinion made it difficult to have a pleasant conversation. Instead of staying here as an emotional trigger for his father, he decided it was better to leave.

As he walked out of the room, he ran into Vera Thompson. She must've come to the hospital while he was inside, and her face wore a mischievous smile. She teased, "Looks like you couldn't resist Dad's pressure, huh? He's got you wrapped around his finger." The tone was clearly mocking.

Aiden noticed she was already in comfortable loungewear, so he guessed she had gone home and changed. "Sis, you take care of Dad. I'm heading out now."

"Alright, take care," Vera waved, watching Aiden leave.