"Seriously, what's his deal? You know exactly what Ryder is up to, don't you? He's just trying to corner you into making a move. The guy's gone off the deep end, and he won't listen to a word I say. But come on, the Tim Group is too big to be caught in the crossfire of your squabble. I haven't even dared to bring this up with Dad. You know how his heart's been. If things keep going this way, I can't even imagine what will become of the Tim Group."
Jared remained silent through it all.
Alyssa let out a sigh, "Jared, I know you don't want to hear this, but I have to say it. The Tim Group is your life's work, Dad's legacy. We can't let it crumble because of Ryder. To be honest, seeing you two at odds like this breaks my heart the most."
Jared's expression was dark.
But his voice softened a bit, "I understand, sis. I'll head back to the office later."
Hearing this seemed to give Alyssa some peace of mind.
Agnes, who had appeared out of nowhere, chimed in, "Hey, Jared, let's grab some breakfast at the diner."
Alyssa replied, "I've already eaten. You two go ahead. I was just passing by and saw your cars parked outside. Wanted to have a word with Jared. Alright, I'm off."
With that, Alyssa left.
Agnes moved closer to Jared, "What's going on?"
Jared exhaled, "She wants me back at the office."
After a moment's thought, Agnes encouraged, "You should really check in at the office. Even though you're not the chairman anymore, you still own 20% of the Tim Group. You're the largest shareholder, after all. You've got every reason to be there."
Jared didn't respond.
After breakfast, Agnes headed off to the TV station.
Jared made his way to Tim Tower.
The Tim Group had undergone a complete transformation.
Even the receptionists at the front desk were all new faces, none of whom recognized Jared.
As Jared entered, one of the receptionists stopped him, "Sir, do you have an appointment?"
Jared stepped inside.
The elevator doors closed, and he vanished from their view.
The receptionists were stunned, "Who is he, to have access to the CEO's VIP elevator?"
Upon reaching his destination, Jared stepped out into the secretary's office outside the CEO's suite.
The secretarial team hadn't changed much, with the exception of Leo. Everyone else was still there.
Seeing Jared, they were all visibly surprised.
For them, Jared had been off the radar for far too long.
Since the last shareholder meeting, where Ryder had been named chairman, Jared had seemingly disappeared without a trace.
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