Chapter 9

The air in the CEO's office at Corestone Real Estate was stifling. The core executives barely dared to breathe. The bolder ones stole glances at Axel's grim expression before quickly lowering their heads. The only sound in the massive office came from the secretary, reading a notice aloud. "That concludes the matter. Schmidt Group has decided to suspend all partnerships with us, even at the cost of paying heavy penalties." The marketing director hesitated before chiming in, "Their stance is firm with no room for negotiation, which means the cash flow for several of our key projects would be significantly impacted." The CFO swallowed hard. "Several bank partners have called to inquire. Though they haven't explicitly stated anything, it doesn't sound promising." "Strategic adjustment?" Axel sneered, not buying the excuse. He closed his eyes briefly before quickly issuing orders. "Find out what internal changes have happened at Schmidt Group and who pushed the decision. "Assess t