Chapter 117: We Need To Stop Meeting Like This
The home office in Lily Van Doren’s house felt charged with tension. Chris stood before her, his mind reeling from the revelation she had just dropped. Brandon. CEO. The words echoed in his mind, a jarring dissonance against everything.
"Brandon?" Chris repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. "You are making Brandon interim CEO?"
Lily sat relaxed behind the massive mahogany desk, her expression resolute. "Yes, Chris," she confirmed, her voice firm. "I have made the decision. It is the best course of action for the company at this time, since my son is unable to perform his duties."
Chris struggled to find the words to express his astonishment. He barely knew Brandon, but from the very little he had seen, he was not leadership material. The idea of him running a multinational corporation like Van Doren was simply absurd.
Brandon seemed like a man who was easily influenced, most especially by his mother. He had no experience in the cutthroat world of high finance.
"But Lily," Chris began, trying to keep his voice calm, "with all due respect, Brandon has no experience. He is not qualified to run a company of this magnitude."
Lily’s expression remained unchanged. "He has the Van Doren blood in him, Chris," she said, her voice unwavering. "That is more important than any experience. He will learn. He has the potential, and I will guide him."
Chris sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew arguing with Lily was usually futile. Once she made up her mind, there was very little anyone could do to change it. But this decision was so drastic, so potentially damaging to the company, that he felt compelled to try.
"Lily, this is a huge risk," he said, his voice laced with concern. "The company is facing some critical challenges right now, with the scandal and share prices plummeting. The shareholders are complaining and we need someone with experience, someone who understands the intricacies of the business, to lead us through this. Brandon might be a Van Doren, but he is not ready for this."