Chapter 263: Chapter 263

After leaving the mall, Anna instructed Mary to find a hotel first for some rest and to drop off the luggage.

She, feeling energetic and with time to spare, headed straight to the Thornton Family’s company.

"Excuse me, miss, do you have an appointment?"

Anna was stopped by the receptionist, she turned back helplessly: "Is it that my appearance lacks distinct features? Or is your memory too poor that Anna Thornton needs an appointment to visit her own family’s company?"

Anna’s recent film was quite popular in Veridia.

The receptionist could not truly claim not to recognize her, it was just a professional habit to routinely ask.

The main reason was that after Anna’s last visit, Holly Sutton hadn’t officially announced Anna’s return nor mentioned any position for her, so the staff still saw her as an outsider!

"Miss Thornton, President Sutton is currently in a meeting, if you need to see her, you still have to make an appointment." The receptionist explained.

"A meeting? Perfect, I’d like to listen in too!"

Anna was too familiar with her family’s company, even though she hadn’t been back for more than four years, there was no one who could stop her from entering the meeting room.

Anna pushed open the meeting room door and found it was indeed a board meeting, so she walked in with justified confidence.

Holly Sutton was sitting at the head of the conference table, and her speech was interrupted by Anna, prompting her to shoot an annoyed glance at her.

Including the other shareholders in the meeting room, although during the time Anna’s dad was alive, she used to call them all uncles, now there was barely any friendship left that could summon even a smile at meeting.

"Anna, when did you return?"

"No longer a little star in Aethelgard?"

"Just returned today! My next movie will be shot in Veridia, I’m here to inform everyone, coming to the office in future will be convenient, and for any important meetings, don’t forget to inform me."

"Aren’t you just fooling around? This is a shareholders’ meeting, what are you trying to meddle in?" Fourth Uncle criticized her, "Even though you’re Kenneth’s natural daughter, your dad didn’t leave any shares to you when he died, what qualification do you have to sit here?"

Fourth Uncle was always at the forefront of defending Holly Sutton’s position, Anna found his words really amusing.

Given that Anna is indeed Dad Thornton’s biological and only daughter, yet after Dad Thornton’s death, nothing was left to Anna, instead, it was all left to a young wife married for just a couple of years; don’t they find it odd?

Perhaps, whatever the truth might be, people aren’t really that concerned.

For Holly Sutton to smoothly inherit and settle into today’s position, she certainly must’ve given them a lot of benefits.

People tend to start with their own interests; looks like it was wise for Anna not to rush back to Veridia to claim what belongs to her after returning home,

"What is it you are discussing in today’s meeting?" Anna found a seat and sat down as she asked.

"Anna, the content of the shareholders’ meeting has nothing to do with you, please stop fooling around." Holly Sutton tried to gently persuade her, "If you are really bored, I could have an assistant take you out for a walk. Didn’t you always love shopping the most? Having been away from home for so long, you should really enjoy yourself this time."

"I had already visited the children’s section of various big malls before coming here, seems like our company has not done well in profits these past two years. Is your meeting today about this issue too? Recently because of problems with clothing quality, many customers lodged complaints, leading to a financial shortfall now, isn’t it?"

Anna surprisingly hit the nail on the head with every point, leaving Holly Sutton momentarily speechless.

"Dear Sirs, I know previously everyone might think of me as still a child. But Anna has grown up now, and since I’ve mentioned coming back to the company, I’ve of course shown sincerity by meticulously researching the market; not a superficial ambition. Moreover, there’s something I forgot to inform everyone! Previously, I bought significant shares during the company’s stock low, and altogether it equates to about fifteen percent now."

"What? Where did you get the money to buy fifteen percent of the company’s stock?" Holly Sutton looked at her in surprise, then remarked with a slightly disdainful tone, "Was it President Sterling who gave it to you?"

"I recently invested in a movie and made the money myself."

Anna refused to let Holly Sutton steer the conversation towards ambiguity, and returned to the topic: "I remember when Dad was still around, he stipulated that exceeding ten percent of shares grants entrance to the board."

"Fourth Uncle, do you think I’m qualified to sit here now?"

"Since no one has further objections, then I’d appreciate it if everyone remembers to notify me before future meetings."

Holly Sutton didn’t anticipate that Anna could silently, yet significantly accumulate enough shares to enter the board.

In fact, the ability to have fifteen percent of the shares was largely thanks to Anna quietly following and amassing her family company’s stock over the years, catching Holly Sutton off guard.

Four years ago, the reason Anna lost to Holly Sutton was because she didn’t have any leverage.

Four years later, Anna certainly won’t repeat the same mistake.

"Where did your meeting leave off? If you can’t recall after being interrupted, how about I say something!" Anna proactively suggested, "Has anyone heard about a children’s clothing brand called ’Little Seagull’ recently making strong strides?"

While Anna spoke, she paid attention to Holly Sutton’s reaction.

When she mentioned ’Little Seagull’, Holly Sutton’s hand tensed slightly on the table.

Holly Sutton picked up her cup and took a sip of water to cover her unease.

"Anna, what exactly do you want to say?"

"Nothing, just sharing my observations of the Veridia children’s clothing market with everyone. According to my observations, this ’Little Seagull’ is likely to become our biggest competitor in the children’s clothing market."

"Impossible, we are a long-established enterprise. That so-called ’Little Seagull’, having just popped up from nowhere in recent years, clearly looks like a small, shady brand, it couldn’t possibly become a major player."

"Not necessarily! Ever since this children’s brand appeared, our company’s profits have been steadily declining while they rapidly seize the market. Clinging to the old dream of being a big brand in a legacy enterprise, but actually earning less and less, if only you thought carefully, you’d realize the crisis has silently crept in."

Anna said this, and most people in the meeting room went silent.

"But rest assured, everyone, I absolutely won’t watch our company go downhill without doing anything. President Sutton has recently assigned me a new children’s brand, and since I intend to do it, I plan to build the brand properly, I definitely won’t fail her ’expectations’!"

After the meeting ended, other shareholders gradually left.

In the meeting room, only Anna and Holly Sutton were left.

"Anna, I never expected you’d care so much about the company’s situation. If your dad could see you now, he would definitely feel very gratified."

"Is that so? I feel the same!" Anna shrugged helplessly, "But my dad can’t see anymore, how about you do it for him."

Seeing she was no longer the little girl who’d get hot-headed at provocation, Holly Sutton straightforwardly asked, "Isn’t being a little star in Aethelgard good? Why must you come back to fight with me?"

"Being a star is great, as for why I came back... maybe because I’ve been dreaming of you a lot lately." Anna smiled at Holly Sutton with a deeper meaning.

It was definitely not a good dream!

Anna was ready to leave the meeting room when she suddenly turned and said to Holly Sutton: "By the way, I’m here early, the film crew hasn’t arrived yet. I happen to have a few days of free time. Didn’t you say you’d have your assistant accompany me around?"

After saying this, Anna walked out of the meeting room, even casting a flirty glance at Holly Sutton’s slick male assistant.

Little wench! Little vixen!

Having just been given trouble by Anna at the company, Holly Sutton returned home to a phone call from William Sutton.

"You want to visit my house tomorrow?" Holly Sutton rubbed her temples in frustration.

Though siblings, William Sutton was like a debt collector, never visiting except to borrow money.

"Fine, but you must bring that little brat along!"

The brat seemed to come prepared, surprisingly mentioning ’Little Seagull Children’s Wear’ in the meeting today, causing Holly Sutton’s eyelids to twitch even now.

Could it be that Anna knows Holly Sutton is the hidden owner of this brand?

If she truly knows, there would be no reason not to expose if she wants to reclaim the Thornton Family’s company! Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs ɴovelfire.net

Holly Sutton temporarily wasn’t clear about Anna’s intentions upon returning, but she held a trump card in hand, unfearing Anna setting herself against her.

Anna, the little wench, probably couldn’t imagine that the baby boy, presumed stillborn and delivered at the psychiatric hospital, is still alive now...