Chapter 362: Chapter 362 The Drama King, Zade Radcliffe_1
Gonzalez City, Radcliffe Group office building.
Since the Willson Group banquet, many well-known large groups within the province had sought cooperation with the Radcliffe Group.
As chairman of the group, Quella Radcliffe had no choice but to become busy.
“Chairman, today two more groups have cancelled their cooperation with us and have also refused to pay the penalty.”
“Manager Leocadia of Blue Sky Real Estate called this morning, asking to terminate the cooperation on the West City project, and they do not plan to pay the remaining balance either.”
“The general manager of the International Trade Electronic Technology Co., Ltd. from Five-river Province called half an hour ago, saying that the company is in financial difficulties, and the fifty million payment for goods that was originally due at the end of the month is now postponed indefinitely…”
Dempsey Davenport stood in front of Quella Radcliffe, reciting one piece of bad news after another.
There were more than a dozen messages in total, all without exception seeking to cancel cooperation.
Some were polite, expressing their intentions in a very tactful way.
As for others, they were arrogant, showing none of the humility they had before.
And all this had started after Miguel Abbott and Stanislaus Potter’s sudden deaths.
“All bad news?”
Leaning back in the chairman’s chair, Quella Radcliffe took a deep breath, “If this continues, the large investment made by the company initially will likely be completely lost. And the vast business we have worked so hard to build up will also have to be cut back significantly.”
Once business is reduced, it means that the Radcliffe family’s dividends will decrease.
If there is infighting in the family, it often leads to the rapid disintegration of the group.
Although Quella Radcliffe had always been committed to restructuring the Radcliffe Group, intending to transform the family business into a purely private enterprise, the path to reform was fraught with difficulties.
Members of the Radcliffe clan had been in the company for many years and had their unique networks, with many even controlling resources worth tens of millions.
If the reforms were too radical and pushed these people to the opposite side of the Radcliffe Group, it would only benefit the competitors for free.
In the past two days, Quella Radcliffe had heard nothing but bad news, not a single piece of good news.
If this had happened before, she might have fallen apart.
But now, having experienced so much, her resistance to pressure had also greatly increased.
“The only good news might be that I want to invite you to dinner tonight,” said Dempsey Davenport with a helpless shrug, unable to muster any happiness on her face.
Officially, she and Quella Radcliffe had a superior-subordinate relationship.
But in reality, the two of them got along very well, more like friends who could talk about anything.
Originally Dempsey Davenport had rejected a high salary to come here and fight alongside Quella Radcliffe. She had to deal with various internal obstacles and take on the risks of her own choices.
She had already offended a large group of people by joining the Radcliffe Group, and if the Radcliffe Group collapsed, she would definitely receive a lot of cold shoulders if she went to the same industry.
“That is indeed good news!” Quella Radcliffe snapped the file in her hand shut and stretched, “Then let’s have dinner together tonight.”
“With the company in this state, you still have the appetite to eat. Forget it, a relieved mood is important; everything will get better,” sighed Dempsey Davenport as she turned and left the chairman’s office.
She had to deal with so many contract terminations every day, it was practically making her head explode.
Ding Dong!
Just as Quella Radcliffe was preparing to continue with the company’s business, a message arrived on her mobile phone.
The moment Quella Radcliffe saw who the message was from, her heart skipped a beat.
Because the message was from Zade Radcliffe, her grandfather!
The two of them barely had any contact, especially after Julius Reed helped her seize the chairman’s position, the blood-related grandfather and granddaughter had completely turned against each other.
“What could it be?”
Quella Radcliffe, curious, unlocked her phone, only to discover that it was a video message.
“Quella Radcliffe, is it a surprise to receive such a message from your grandfather? Don’t be. Grandfather’s ill and might not wake up again.”
“A man on his deathbed will speak good words. Reflecting on my brief life, I’ve realized the person I’ve wronged the most is you.”
“I think you’re well aware that Grandpa was very fond of you when you were young, and his love for you was no less than that for Otis. However, you were ultimately a girl, and Grandpa couldn’t pass the company on to you. I also had to consider the dozens of Radcliffe Clan members who have dedicated their lives to the company and are an inseparable part of it.”
“I know you hate me for agreeing to your marriage to Julius Reed, making you the laughingstock of Gonzalez City. Grandpa is sorry and wants to apologize to you.”
“You are my favorite among all my granddaughters, but I couldn’t show it. Once I did, it would have brought many against you, making your journey difficult.”
“Now Grandpa is not doing well, and I can finally tell you the truth. I’ve saved tens of millions in assets, all of which are in a bank account, and the password is your birthday.”
“The bank card is in my pocket, and Otis doesn’t know about this. Don’t tell anyone else; let it be Grandpa’s compensation to you.”
“If possible, I would like to see you one last time. I don’t want to leave with regrets, not having your forgiveness before I die…”
“I don’t want others to know, and I certainly don’t want Julius Reed to know. Although he’s your husband, I just can’t forgive him.”
“If you’re not too busy, please come to see me one last time, so Grandpa can depart peacefully knowing he has seen you.”
In the video, Zade Radcliffe was dressed in hospital garb, leaning against the wall with a smile on his face, but his expression was one of extreme pain.
His pale face was full of guilt and self-reproach.
There were many instances during the video when the elderly gentleman, in his seventies, was overwhelmed with tears and couldn’t speak.
“Grandpa!”
Quella Radcliffe’s eyes welled up, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.
Although she harbored resentment towards Zade Radcliffe, at the moment she learned of his critical illness, all the resentment vanished into thin air.
Swallowing her pain, she dialed the phone.
“Hello?”
On the other side of the telephone, Otis answered.
“Where’s Grandpa?” Quella asked anxiously.
Having experienced Knox Ridge’s feigned illness, Quella hoped Zade was deceiving her too, meaning the old man’s health might still be fine.
“Grandpa just passed out, and the doctor says he might never wake up again!”
Otis said with a choked voice, then couldn’t hold back his tears any longer and began to sob.
“Where is Grandpa!”
Quella felt a tightness in her chest, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness.
The old man… was he really at his end?
“I’ll send it to you right now.” After hanging up, Otis sent several pictures to Quella via WeChat.
One picture showed Zade Radcliffe with his eyes closed, lying on the hospital bed.
Another was Zade Radcliffe’s medical report.
And every other detail was there to prove, Zade Radcliffe was really not doing well.
Thinking of what Zade had just said, Quella hesitated but then decided to go alone.
The old man’s last wish, for his final journey, she as his granddaughter hoped to be by his side.
Moreover, Julius Reed and Zade Radcliffe had irreconcilable differences, and seeing Julius at this time might worsen Zade’s condition.
She picked up her phone and called Cosmo, who was in charge of security: “Cosmo, take some people and check on Anna Harris. I don’t feel comfortable leaving her alone at home. As for me, don’t worry; Julius has already sent several experts to protect me.”
To leave quietly, Quella had to send Cosmo away.
“But…”
“There are no buts, follow my orders.”
Quella rarely asserted herself this way.
