After uttering the last word, he began to cough violently.

　　Mrs. Parker picked up the breathing mask that had been tossed aside and carefully helped him breathe.

　　Nathaniel Grant had always been a man of few words, and now he only said one sentence: “Uncle Parker, don’t worry.”

　　“Ah, ah.” Gavin Parker responded repeatedly, “I’m not worried…”

　　By the time the medical staff came in to help the patient put the breathing mask back on, the first fifteen-minute visiting period had already ended. Mrs. Parker and Nathaniel Grant walked out, and the executives who had been pacing outside hurried forward. Just as they were about to compete for the second visiting slot, they were suddenly blocked by a group of men in black suits who had appeared out of nowhere.

　　Before the executives could react, they were already being forcibly escorted out of the waiting area. The corridor was cleared in an instant, and soon, several plainclothes officers led the way, escorting in a kindly elder with a smiling face.

　　The newcomer stepped forward to shake hands with Mrs. Parker, who bowed slightly: “Thank you for your concern, sir.”

　　The elder smiled and said, “It’s only right. Old Mr. Parker has made such a great contribution to our economy.”

　　Nathaniel Grant didn’t listen to the rest of the conversation.

　　He left the waiting area, went downstairs, and the long-waiting special assistant Samuel Ford immediately came up to him.

　　“Attorney Clark is waiting for you in the top-floor office of Taiping Building. The transfer agreement can be signed right now.”

　　“The announcement of the chairman’s resignation has already been issued…”

　　Samuel Ford quietly reported each matter in turn, quickly following Nathaniel Grant toward the parking lot.

　　After finishing his report, Samuel Ford paused for a moment, then spoke again: “Do you need…”

　　Before he could finish, Nathaniel Grant had already given his answer: “No need.”

　　His voice was low and calm, as still as a deep well.

　　“Follow the procedure.”

　　According to procedure, after next Monday’s board meeting, the news of the new chairman’s appointment would be officially announced and made public both inside and outside the group.

　　That was enough.

　　Nathaniel Grant had no need to create a buzz in advance.

　　Though only thirty years old, Nathaniel Grant’s path to becoming chairman of Taiping Group had been nothing if not steady—every step legitimate and beyond question.

　　Nathaniel Grant originally held eight percent of Taiping Group’s shares. With the thirty-six percent held by Gavin Parker’s three foundations and investment companies, his total shareholding was close to half. With this, he would leap to become the controlling shareholder of Taiping Group, holding the largest real stake.

　　Gavin Parker was right.

　　—Taiping could only belong to Nathaniel Grant.

　　Samuel Ford bowed his head and respectfully acknowledged.

　　They walked out of the hospital. Outside, the sky was dim and gray, and the chill had set in.

　　Autumn was bleak, the cool wind rising, whistling through the air.

　　It truly felt like the world was about to change.

　　*

　　News of the leadership change at Taiping Group spread quickly. As soon as word came that Nathaniel Grant had been promoted to chairman, Ivy Harris’s expression changed.

　　In the latest Fortune Global 500 rankings, Taiping Group had already broken into the top 100. Its development in recent years had actually outpaced that of the Lu family, who remained in Hong Kong. Although Taiping was founded and built up by Nathaniel Grant’s father, Hugh Grant, Lu Sr. passed away early, and for all these years, Taiping had actually been overseen by Gavin Parker, who held real power.

　　Thirteen years ago, when Hugh Grant’s only son Nathaniel Grant came of age, he received the shares left by his father. Later, although he entered Taiping Group, his position was always neither high nor low—quite awkward. Moreover, Nathaniel Grant had never been favored by the Lu family, so his situation was actually quite difficult.

　　There were even persistent rumors that this former crown prince was Gavin Parker’s biggest threat, and that Liu “would not rest easy until he was eliminated.”

　　But no one expected that, in the end, Gavin Parker would leave every single one of his shares—without exception—to Nathaniel Grant!

　　Looking back at Nathaniel Grant’s low-key but wide-ranging work experience within the group over the years, it was clear that, contrary to the rumors of being sidelined, he had actually been methodically trained, step by step.

　　—As if Gavin Parker had planned it all from the start, deliberately paving the way for Nathaniel Grant.

　　The news spread, causing a stir up and down the ranks. But no matter how shocked or unsettled people inside or outside the group were, the shares in Nathaniel Grant’s hands were now secure. He had leapt from being the most overlooked member of the Lu family to the chairman of a financial giant.

　　The status of the marriage partner soared overnight, but Ivy Harris’s first reaction upon hearing the news was not joy, but regret.

　　This was Taiping Group! The taxes it paid in a single day were dozens of times the total assets of the The Harris Family.

　　Even the Lu family in Hong Kong was not in the same league.

　　Ivy Harris couldn’t help but regret bitterly.

　　If only she had known… If only she had known, she would have married off her own daughter, instead of pushing Ethan Carter into the marriage.

　　But now, Nathaniel Grant’s people had already reviewed Ethan Carter’s information, the marriage was set, and Ivy Harris had no chance to change the candidate.

　　She could only comfort herself with the age gap between her daughter and Nathaniel Grant, and the rumors about Nathaniel Grant’s terrible reputation.

　　Glancing once more at Ethan Carter, who sat quietly across from her, Ivy Harris forced herself to calm down.