Chapter 178

Soon enough, Hall Corporation's shareholders began trickling in. Their postures were upright in their sharp suits, their faces carrying smiles. Ever since Antin took over the company, every meeting had brought good news. The atmosphere in the room was light, almost expectant. One by one, they took their seats. Only then did Randall and Walter step inside.

Randall, clad in a deep gray suit, carried himself with authority. His sharp gaze swept the room, but when he saw no sign of Austin, his brows instantly knitted together. With a displeased expression, he tossed the folder in his hand onto the conference table. The thud instantly drew the attention of every shareholder. As Austin's uncle and one of the major shareholders, Randall commanded respect.

After checking his watch, Randall let out a scoff. Irritation laced his tone as he asked, “It’s already this late, and he’s still not here?!” To him, Austin was becoming increasingly undisciplined.

Walter pulled out a chair beside him and sat down, letting out a cold chuckle. “Our dear Mr. Austin certainly knows how to make an entrance, keeping us all waiting.” A flicker of disdain flashed in his eyes. He was eager to see just how long Austin planned to keep this act up. This time, he had come fully prepared.

Across the table, Pierre sat with his hands resting on the table. In an even tone, he began, “If I’m not mistaken, it’s currently 8:58 am. There are still two minutes until the…” His deep blue suit gave him an air of refinement, but the pressure he exerted was undeniable.

His expression darkened at his words. His cold stare locked on Pierre as he gritted his teeth. “You’re always so good at defending him, aren’t you.” He and Randall had never seen eye to eye. Pierre’s loyalty to Austin made that impossible. Likewise, Pierre despised Walter, who strutted around the company and threw his weight around despite holding only minor shares.

Meeting Walter’s glare head-on, Pierre didn’t bother mincing words. “Not as good as you are at protecting yourself.” The tension in the room thickened instantly. Sensing it, a few shareholders quickly stepped in.

“Come on, let’s not ruin the atmosphere. We’re all on the same side,” one said.

“Let’s all take a step back,” another chimed in.

Randall’s cold gaze swept across the room before settling on Pierre. His voice carried a warning. “Aren’t such remarks inappropriate, Mr. Graham?”

It was clear this meeting wouldn’t proceed peacefully. Everyone in the room was shrewd—they knew when to pick their battles. No one was ordered to stop. Instead, they lowered their heads, feigning distraction.

Pierre, however, remained unfazed. Just as he was about to respond, Austin strode toward the conference room. At precisely 9:00 am, he stepped inside the room with Gabriel following closely behind. Without a word, he walked straight to the head seat and sat down.

Randall’s sharp gaze was fixed on him. Before Austin could even speak, he threw the folder in front of him. His voice was heavy with accusation. “Austin, I expect a reasonable explanation for this billion-dollar loss. If you can’t provide one, I won’t hesitate to replace you as the company’s CEO.”

The tension in the room tightened instantly. Walter leaned back, smirking. He was eager to see how Austin planned to get out of this one.

Austin leaned forward, picked up the folder, and flipped it open. Silence settled over the room as everyone watched him. He skimmed the data quickly. Then, a faint smirk played on his lips as he remarked coolly, “You want me to step down over the Eastside project’s losses?”

He had known Randall and Walter wouldn’t come empty-handed today. And sure enough, they didn’t disappoint.

Randall scoffed, looking at him with disdain. “With losses this massive, you still have the nerve to talk…?”

Austin tossed the folder onto the table. His tone calm but firm, he said, “Uncle Randall, there’s no need to rush. I’ll explain everything, one by one!” There was an unmistakable sharpness in his demeanor.

For a brief moment, the room was struck by an odd realization. Who was really at a disadvantage here? It almost felt like Randall was the one losing ground. Randall’s gaze darkened as he looked at the folder Austin had just discarded.

“I hope your explanation is satisfactory,” he snapped, crossing his arms.

Austin didn’t even spare him a glance. His voice turned ice-cold as he called out, “Gabriel.” Gabriel immediately stepped forward and turned on the projector. All eyes turned to the screen.