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Chapter 268
Chapter 268
Chapter 268
Chapter 268
Having spent a week in the hospital, Winnie was adamant about getting discharged the moment she started recovering. After all, she cared about Zachary greatly. Unable to handle her mother’s complaints, Layla asked Jared to deal with the discharge process and drive Winnie back to the Solace residence.
However, Layla was worried about Winnie being alone at home since Joyce was still absent. In the end, Yuliana took Alex, Rowan, Hailey, and the maternity matron back to the Solace residence.
The company still had to continue operating, even after Kendrick went missing. Layla was the only one who could deal with work matters in his stead.
Layla had to deal with work matters while duking it out with malicious people in the company at the same time. It wasn’t an exaggeration to describe her as an overworked worker bee that didn’t have a second to rest. For the past half a month, she didn’t go home at all. She took all of her meals in the company and even slept there.
There were occasions when Layla was too exhausted from work and allowed herself a brief moment to space out. When she thought of the events that had yet to come, she felt as if more weights were placed atop her head, making her unable to breathe.
Unlike other companies, Solace Corporation was a family business. There existed a family law where the eldest son of the first wife was always the one inheriting the company in the past 200 years. Even though it wasn’t properly established during the modern age, the Solace family still followed this law out of propriety.
No one broke that law. Then again, no one dared to break it.
About 20 years ago, something happened. After a series of events, the Solace family managed to restore order to their hierarchy.
However, Zachary was still around at that time. As long as he was there, the other Solace members wouldn’t dare to dream of usurping the position from him.
However, Kendrick’s whereabouts were still a mystery, whereas Zachary remained unconscious till who knew when. The only one who had the right to become the Solace family’s heir was Alex.
Alex was only eight years old. How could he manage a huge company such as Solace Corporation?
Kendrick’s accident wasn’t just spread throughout Solace Corporation. Everyone in the business circle also found out about it. Truthfully speaking, the Solace family’s situation was considered a public secret at this point.
Everyone watched the drama unfold with bated breaths, waiting for the chaos to erupt from within Solace Corporation. Once that happened, they would do their best to grab a slice of pie from the behemoth known as Solace Corporation.
16:05
The higher-ups of the company could no longer suppress their desires. The meetings that occurred over the past few days consisted of only demands toward Layla. The higher-ups wanted her to give them a straightforward answer; they wanted to know if something had really happened to Kendrick.
The thing was, everyone knew the truth very well. All they wanted was a clear answer from Layla. If she were to provide them with what they wanted, they would be able to plan out their next move.
Since Layla was unable to keep the news under wraps, she could only announce the news to the public. However, her utmost priority was to figure out how she should announce the news while
reassuring the other employees.
The night before Christopher and Joyce returned to the country, Layla spent the whole night sitting in her office after she was done with everything work-related. When it was almost dawn, she finally took a short nap on the chair.
However, as soon as she closed her eyes, she dreamed of Kendrick.
In that dream, Layla was submerged in icy water. The beasts had preyed upon her body, leaving her in disfigured chunks. She had lost half of her face to those beasts as well. Immediately after that, she woke up in fright. The sky looked hazy since it was only dawn. There were still a little more than three hours before it was time for work.
Layla gulped down half a bottle of iced water and planned to continue sleeping since she had a rough day ahead. Unfortunately, she was still unable to rest fitfully, seeing as she started having numerous dreams. She dreamed that Solace. Corporation was in total chaos. Factions belonging to different higher-ups. appeared out of nowhere and divided the entire company. In the end, the other companies split Solace Corporation up and engulfed them happily, leaving nothing behind.
Solace Corporation was ruined all thanks to them.
When Layla woke up again, she could no longer fall asleep.
She stood by the window and watched the sunrise quietly.
It was already half past nine when Christopher and Joyce arrived at Solace Corporation.
A last-minute meeting was held at ten o’clock. The participants of the meeting included the higher-ups and important members of the Solace family.
There was still half an hour before the meeting, so Christopher and Joyce hurried toward Layla’s office.
The trio was extremely fatigued, having to deal with countless matters over the past half a month. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes before Layla finally opened her mouth. “Christopher, now that Kendrick’s missing, the family law dictates that Alex should be the one inheriting the position as the head of th
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Solace family, but he’s only an eight-year-old. It’s impossible to demand him to take on the burden right now.”
She paused for a moment as she gazed at Christopher. “You’re the only one who can support the Solace family right now.”
Christopher didn’t respond to Layla’s words.
He lowered his gaze while maintaining a poker face. No one knew what he was thinking.
During the half-month period in Nardor, Christopher had followed the search-and-rescue team into the river valley countless times. He even dove into the water a couple of times in search of Kendrick. At first, he was filled with hope, but as time passed, that flame gradually diminished and flickered to nothing. On the flight home, Christopher kept his eyes wide open, not wanting to rest even for a moment. He kept thinking about Kendrick’s accident over and over again.
How was it possible for everyone to not locate Kendrick?
“Chris,” Layla called out to Christopher, having noticed his prolonged silence. Christopher snapped back to reality as he looked up at her. “What?”
Taking note of Christopher’s reaction, Layla paused for two seconds before continuing, “What I’m saying is, you’ll be taking over Ken’s position temporarily after I announce the news of his accident to
everyone during the meeting.”
After she was done speaking, Layla then looked at Joyce. “What do you think, Joyce?”
Joyce replied, “I’m okay with it.”
It was a problem that affected everyone’s reality. Solace Corporation was the product that the past generations of the Solace family had devoted their efforts to creating. It was also a destined duty that Kendrick had to accept the moment he was born. Even if he was no longer here, Joyce still wanted to help him protect what was left of his life.
It was true that Alex was too young, as Layla said. Joyce couldn’t bear to see her son being forced to handle everything during the present time.
Hence, Christopher was the most suitable candidate in this case.
Christopher frowned slightly when he listened to the women’s conversation. He remained silent for a moment before saying, “I’m not familiar with Solace Corporation’s current situation. Why don’t you take over, Layla?”
He was being truthful. The only time he spent analyzing Solace Corporation’s situation was when he supervised the branch in Romdale. Other than that, he had. no idea what was going on in the company. If he were to be forced into Kendrick’s position, it would undoubtedly produce only detrimental results.
Layla could only squeeze out a helpless smile. “Chris, it’s not like I don’t want to take on the responsibility. There’s no way everyone would let an outsider like me lead Solace Corporation.”
Even if society nowadays kept on emphasizing that gender equality was to be prioritized, there were still many times when there could never be equality among genders.
For example, once a woman got married, she would automatically become a member of her husband’s family and had to take on that family’s surname.
Besides, this was the Solace family Layla was talking about. No matter how modernized the family looked on the outside, their core beliefs were still outdated and restrictive.
Joyce looked at Christopher and said, “Layla is right. Chris, you’re the most suitable candidate to lead the company at the moment.”
Sometimes, the most suitable thing might not be the one the situation needs.
At ten o’clock, Joyce entered the conference room with Layla and Christopher, followed by Hazel from the Secretarial Department. Kendrick’s other vice-assistant and Layla’s assistant also entered the room with them.
The small group entered the conference room swiftly.
The participants who had arrived at the conference room before all looked at them.
Joyce walked to Kendrick’s seat and sat down. Christopher and Layla went to their respective seats and sat there. Immediately after that, Joyce surveyed the conference room, soon spotting a few vacant seats.
She placed her hands on the table and laced her fingers together, a serious expression on her face. “Is everyone here?”
At that moment, she was no longer Mrs. Solace of the Administrative Department. She was currently Mrs. Solace, the chairman’s wife who represented Kendrick in the meeting.