Ben felt embarrassed and enraged, but he had to hold it back and stay calm. Cunning little bitch. He cursed silently.

He took a few deep breaths to help swallow the anger. Then he stood up and excused himself. When he returned to the room about five minutes later, he looked calm and confident. However, if one was a bit more observant, they could not miss the slight disappointment shown in his eyes.

​​

"I agree to the conditions. I will prove to everyone here about my competence." He said clearly as if he was making an announcement while thinking I want to be a dictator, not just a CEO! The conditions felt like chains attached to his legs. He came with ambition and confidence, and now he felt defeated, defeated by the same young girl again.

Hearing Ben's agreement, the shareholders' faces lit up. Wonderful!

Nathalia smiled. "Great. That's it then. Congratulations." Everyone applauded cheerfully. Ben smiled reluctantly in return.

He was wondering how he was going to face his enraged boss. He had lost the first game. Why every time, every time, when she's around, I end up losing! It's so embarrassing. I just don't understand. It's like I'm paying for a debt I owed her from last life or something.

Nathalia smiled thoughtfully. You don't have a chance to take advantage of me. I've beaten you before, and I will beat you again and every time.

Would Ben Johnson be so lucky again? We would see.

Richard slapped the desk and exclaimed, "Alright! Let's follow the procedure and vote."

The result was as expected. Richard smiled delightedly as he announced, "Our new president, Miss Nathalia Carter, and our new CEO, Mr. Ben Johnson. Congratulations!"

Nathalia stood up, smiled elegantly, and nodded confidently. Richard couldn't help noticing the serenity shown on Nathalia's face. She's a smart girl. It's exactly what she has predicted, and it went the way she planned. Impressive. Impressive.

Ben Johnson, by contract, looked rather awkward. He had a rigid smile on as he said correctly, "Thanks for your trust. From now on, I will do the best I can and make as much profit as possible for the company and the board."

It sounded too correct and impersonal.

Suddenly, Maria stood up and proposed, "I think we should also have Miss Nathalia Carter as the vice president. I believe that having her here, our company will grow bigger and better."

She's the president now. It doesn't sound right that she should take the position as the vice president too. The shareholders thought.

Nathalia looked at Maria and frowned. What does she want now? Does she have to make things difficult?

Maria smiled and persuaded courteously, "We all know that Miss Nathalia Carter is young and talented. If she can be both the president and vice president of the company, we will probably make a profit with an increase of 100% next year!" Maria had never liked Nathalia.

On hearing so, the shareholders exclaimed in agreement, "That sounds wonderful."

"I agree."

"Me too."

Ben looked at Nathalia with a sly smile and said, "100%. I'm looking forward to it."

It was an unexpected punch. It took Nathalia by surprise, but she didn't show a slight bit of it on her face. "I'm honored and grateful to have your trust, but I'm still a student, and now my priority is my academic study. I will be more than happy to work with you all here when I finish university." She said gracefully.

Ben knitted his brows disappointedly, "Miss Nathalia Carter, I hope you are not rejecting the proposal because you still bear a grudge against me."

Nathalia replied casually, "As long as you are just and have your priority on the benefits of the company and the shareholders, I'm sure everyone will support you. But if you consider your own profit more important than the company's, then surely we will object. Business is business. We are talking about the general benefit of the company here, nothing personal, Mr. Johnson." Sharp and to the point.

Ben was taken aback. He thought it over and said, "Well, well. It sounds like Miss Nathalia Carter still can't forgive me. But, you see, we are now a team and we will probably be seeing each other often from now on. Would you please accept my apologies and forget the past?"

To the shareholders and the public, what had happened between Ben and Nathalia, especially the engagement incident, was a nonsensical show, and Ben was a joke, though a rather lucky one with his lonely rich mistresses.

Now that he was the CEO of the company, the shareholders had no choice but to hide their disdain towards him. They exchanged looks, and all agreed silently to play the peacemaker.

"Miss Nathalia Carter, I think Mr. Johnson does have a point here. I mean, we will be working together from now on, so we might as well work together peacefully." A shareholder said, rather timidly.

"Indeed. We are a team now."

Nathalia didn't answer. She just smiled quietly, a hand holding her chin, elbow on the desk, looking indifferent.

Ben watched her closely and though she's not giving anything away. "There's nothing more I can do if Miss Nathalia Carter can't forgive me. I appreciate everyone's help and understanding. Thank you very much. By the way, I've thought that we should change the name of the company."

"Huh?" Everyone turned to look at Ben, surprised. The company name had lived a few decades, and it had become as natural as breathing to everyone. People said the name without even thinking about it.

Some were tempted by the suggestion.

Ben kept his eyes on Nathalia. He pushed, "What do you think about it, Miss Nathalia Carter?"

It sounded revengeful. The shareholders couldn't help feeling disdainful towards Spencer.

The indifferent look remained on Nathalia's face. She replied calmly, "What do I think about it? I don't think about it. A name is just a name." She had expected that the meeting would not be a smooth one, and she had prepared herself.

"But this has been a family business to you, hasn't it? Don't you care?" Ben was taken aback by Nathalia's indifference. Why is she so calm? Any normal person would be angry or at least express their objection. I can't understand her way of thinking at all.

Nathalia leaned back, her back supported by the back of the chair. She looked relaxed.

Nathalia found it a rather amusing situation. She was still a Carter, yet to some, she probably didn't deserve to be, considering the relationship between her and her father.

"As you said, those that are competent do. If the Carter can't keep their family business, others will take over. If you want to know whether they care or not, you can ask Mr. Frank Carter himself." Nathalia said it clearly as if she had nothing to do with Carter anymore. If you really think you can get me with change the name of the company, you have underestimated me.

Ben felt frustratingly defeated, but he pushed further, "Aren't you also a Carter yourself? Don't you feel upset at all?"

Isn't he pushing too far? What does he want?

Why is he making such a big deal about it?

The shareholders complained silently.