Chapter 268

Charles Hart’s eyes narrowed sharply, slicing through Grace Carter’s interruption like a blade. His tone was icy. “Give Stella Johnson time to prove herself. Anyone got a problem with that?” The boardroom instantly fell dead silent. The shareholders glanced at each other but no one dared to speak up—poking the bear wasn’t on anyone’s to-do list, especially when his last threat about buying out stocks and taking the company public again was still fresh in everyone’s minds. No one wanted to risk their own interests just to back Grace’s personal vendetta. Realizing she was being left hanging, Grace’s face turned an unflattering shade of gray. She’d plotted all this so carefully, and now her plan was unraveling right in front of her. Even so, she wasn’t ready to give up that easily. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself to speak. “Mr. Hart, even if we give her time, the company’s already taken hits from the bad press tied to her. Who’s going to cover that loss?” Charles let out a low, col