Chapter 36: The Power Shift

Ever since Summer showed up, everything had changed. Margaret felt like the world was spinning. She bit her lip hard, her teeth pressing against her bright red lips. Just moments ago, she had been so proud. Now, she had never felt more humiliated.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Margaret reached out to grab Jasper’s arm. “Dad, I was the one who secured the investment!”

Jasper frowned and ignored her, lowering his voice. “Get off the stage. Stop embarrassing yourself.”

Margaret had no choice. Clenching her fists, she stomped back to her seat, her high heels clicking sharply against the floor, her face filled with resentment. She grabbed her purse, shot Summer a glare filled with hatred, and then stormed out of the banquet hall, her eyes red with frustration.

Julia watched Margaret’s retreating figure. For the first time, she didn’t run after her. Making a scene like this in public… The Stewart family had become a laughingstock. Just thinking about tomorrow’s headlines made Julia’s head pound. There was no way she had the energy to deal with Margaret’s tantrum right now.

Jasper took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain composed as he addressed the audience and Delia. “The earlier misunderstanding was an internal mistake at Stewart Group. Both Margaret and Summer are my daughters, and either of them is fully capable of representing Stewart Group. Ms. Delia, I’ll have Summer come up now to sign the contract with you.”

Jasper turned to Jim and ordered coldly, “What are you waiting for? Go get her.”

Standing off to the side, Jim felt a chill run down his spine. He never saw this coming—Summer was the real ace in the hole. Had he unknowingly offended her today? He had even personally invited her to attend the banquet meeting earlier…

Jim quickly made his way to Summer’s table, lowering his stance, his attitude noticeably humble. “Ms. Stewart, Mr. Stewart has asked you to go up and sign the contract with Graham Group on behalf of Stewart Group.”

Hearing this, Summer remained indifferent. She took a small sip of champagne and smiled, but there was no warmth in her eyes. “Dad didn’t even want me at this banquet, but now he suddenly needs me?”

“It was just a misunderstanding, Ms. Stewart. Right now, we need to focus on the bigger picture.”

Summer lifted her gaze slightly. Her voice was soft yet firm. “A misunderstanding? Jim, do you really believe that?”

Jim was at a loss. He glanced towards Julia, subtly signaling for her to step in and help. Julia cleared her throat. Realizing that she had just misunderstood Summer earlier, Julia hesitated. She also knew Summer’s temper lately—stepping in to persuade her now would be like walking straight into the fire.

But she had no choice. A billion-dollar investment was on the line. That was real money. Forcing a smile, Julia tried a coaxing tone. “Summer, the Stewart family needs you. Don’t be stubborn now, sweetheart. Just go up and sign the contract.”

Summer glanced at Julia’s pleading expression. Well, this was a rare sight. Summer, feigning a touch of sadness, deliberately let a hint of disappointment show on her face.

“Mom, that’s not what you said earlier. You told me I was incompetent, that I’d never be as good as Margaret. You said I was just trying to go against her on purpose. You even told me not to be rude to Margaret. But now, hearing you say this, I feel so sad. Then again, this isn’t the first time. Margaret has always been your favorite. And me? I’m just the extra, the one nobody cares about. Every time I argue with Margaret, you always take her side.”

Julia’s head throbbed. She cut Summer off before she could drag it out any longer. “Alright, alright—I’m sorry, okay? From now on, I promise to be fair. I won’t take my frustrations out on you anymore. Just this once, can you let it go?”

Summer felt a wave of satisfaction. Julia had always carried herself like a proud, high-society woman—sometimes even with a sharp, almost domineering edge. Hearing her apologize? Now that was a first.

Sensing the tension had eased slightly, Jim quickly jumped in. “Ms. Stewart, why don’t you come up and sign the contract now?”

Summer’s gaze remained cold as she looked towards the stage, where Jasper stood, anxious and embarrassed. She took her time before casually uttering two words. “Not going.”

The moment Julia heard Summer refuse, a sharp headache set in—her stress levels were through the roof. But she took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay composed. “Summer, just tell us—what do you want? What will it take for you to sign the contract? If it’s within our power, we’ll make it happen.”

Summer turned to Jim. “Jim, tell my father I’ll go up and sign the contract in exchange for 30% of Stewart Group’s shares. Ten percent was already promised to me if I secured the investment, and the other twenty percent is for the stress and nonsense I’ve had to deal with tonight.”

Julia sucked in a sharp breath. Most people wouldn’t understand just how much 30% of Stewart Group was worth. But she knew exactly what it meant. It would make Summer the second-largest shareholder, right after Jasper, giving her real power over the company’s decisions. This wasn’t just some casual request. But there was no way around it. Graham Group had made it clear—they wouldn’t release the 1-billion-dollar investment unless Summer was the one to sign the contract.