The meeting room went quiet when a tall, imposing figure walked in with an air of authority.
Ruth felt relieved to see some support and hurried over to whisper, "Why are you so late?"
Daniel's eyes were smiling, but the smile faded when he saw Maeve, replaced by an icy glare.
Ruth cleared her throat and said loudly, "Today, we're not just revealing the vote count, but I'd also like to announce
something."
She produced a document with the school's seal and Daniel's signature on the final page.
"Mr. Quimby has invested 700,000 dollars in our kindergarten and is now the largest shareholder! We appreciate his
contribution to early childhood education. We will stick to our original vision and not let Mr. Quimby down."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtThe crowd exchanged puzzled looks, took a moment to absorb the surprising news, and then erupted in applause.
Maisie, still trying to understand, felt her heart racing. Her cheeks flushed discreetly. When she met Daniel's intense
gaze, she turned her face away, though her subtle smile betrayed her feelings.
Daniel smiled faintly, his gaze shifting to the others. "Now that I'm a shareholder, every action I take should be in
the best interest of the international kindergarten. So..." He fixed his eyes on Maeve. "I intend to reorganize the
teaching staff."
Maeve took a step back involuntarily, anxiety in her eyes.
"Some may not be suitable for this team," Daniel declared sternly. "Their values are skewed and could have a
detrimental influence on the children."
"Is that aimed at me?" Maeve's voice trembled.
"Why would you assume I meant you?" Daniel coldly replied. "Since you're aware, though, I won't need to say
more."
"Mr. Quimby, you—"
"This is meant to be a fair competition," Daniel interrupted, his gaze piercing. "If you find it unfair, it might be your
own inner demons clouding your judgment. An individual harboring such demons is unfit to be an educator."
Maeve's legs turned weak, and she shuffled toward the door, supported by the wall. Her trembling hands clenched
into fists. She dared not voice her anger before Daniel.
"Mr. Quimby, I merely questioned the voting results—"
"No problem," Daniel replied nonchalantly. "You can challenge any part you want, and my assistant will help you
review every aspect until you accept the result. However, after your inquiry, I hope to see your resignation as well.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAfter all, you've been a teacher in this field for many years. Getting dismissed might be embarrassing."
Maeve turned pale, and she moved stiffly as she made her way to the exit.
The atmosphere in the meeting room quickly returned to normal.
Ruth finished the vote tally, announcing Maisie as the winner.
Colleagues offered their congratulations.
Maisie felt a bit embarrassed as she smiled back. Through the crowd, she caught sight of that gentle and
passionate gaze.
Her heart fluttered as if a kitten was playfully pawing at her emotions.
At that moment, her phone buzzed with a message from Daniel.
[Let's celebrate tonight, my treat.]