Chapter 485
Now everyone was even more fired up. They were genuinely curious to hear Aubree’s vision for the project. Back in the day, people used to knock her for being so young, but after she single-handedly built GrabCheap into a billion-dollar empire, her age just made her shine even brighter.
“When this project first hit the scene, I was honestly pretty interested. To tell the truth, before I even knew who was behind it, the thought of teaming up definitely crossed my mind,” Aubree said with a smile.
Everyone started getting excited. If even Aubree was talking about teaming up, it meant that this project was a real money-maker.
Carmen’s expression tightened with a hint of nerves. ‘Is Aubree actually trying to help me? What is she really up to?’ she wondered, frowning in confusion.
Someone with sharp eyes handed Aubree a mic right away, and her voice rang out across the room. Aubree chuckled quietly and continued, “So, I’ve done quite a bit of research on the BeeShare project and gathered some data…”
She deliberately left her sentence unfinished, keeping everyone in suspense.
The crowd was on the edge of their seats, practically begging for more.
“Ms. Miller, don’t stop there! What did you find out? Is this project actually worth our money or not?” someone called out, unable to hold back any longer.
Aubree’s achievements gave her serious pull in the investment world, and whatever she said could have a big impact on whether Carmen managed to secure funding or not.
Meanwhile, Oliver was watching her closely.
After the last incident, he’d been punished and told to reflect on his actions. Only then did he really start looking into Aubree. He found out that she was a real powerhouse and way beyond what he’d expected.
Now, seeing her here again, Lucas absentmindedly twirled his fingers.
Suddenly, he couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous of Bowen. ‘How did he manage to land such a treasure?’ he thought.
“Yeah, Ms. Miller, what did you find out? So, is this project worth it or not?” someone else chimed in, eager for answers.
Aubree took her time, letting her gaze sweep across the room before she finally spoke, her tone unhurried and a little teasing. “You know, after looking into it, I’ve realized there are still quite a few problems with e-scooter sharing.”
As soon as she heard that, Carmen couldn’t stay quiet any longer. She straightened her back, her tone righteous and unyielding. “Aubree, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t just stand in my way like this, can you?
“No project is perfect, but just because you have influence doesn’t mean you can badmouth my project for no reason.”
Everyone’s gaze kept bouncing between the two of them. People wondered if the project was actually a flop, or if Aubree was just there to stir up some drama for Carmen.
Aubree just shrugged. “Carmen, you’ve been talking up this project nonstop, but let me ask you—how much of your investment have you actually gotten back so far?”
She paused for a moment, then added, “Or to put it another way, right now, is BeeShare really seeing any real growth?”
The mood in the room shifted in an instant.
Carmen’s face fell, her expression changing dramatically.
At this point, getting her investment back was the least of her worries. She wasn’t even sure if she could get out of this whole mess unscathed.
With problems piling up left and right, all Carmen could do was keep throwing money at the project, desperately trying to buy more market share and users. She was betting everything on one last shot at survival.
She’d deliberately glossed over these problems during her pitch just moments ago.
Aubree said, “From what I’ve seen, bike-sharing companies are now offering zero-deposit rides. When it comes to grabbing market share, BeeShare just isn’t ahead anymore.
“No new users, no frequent riders–so with e-scooters costing way more than bikes, how are you supposed to turn a profit?
“If you’re not making money, how do you expect this to go anywhere?
“This so-called grand vision of yours is just about pulling in more investment to fight a price war. But e-scooters have been at a cost disadvantage from day one. Can you really promise all that money won’t just go down the drain?”
Aubree didn’t sugarcoat a thing. She burst the pretty bubble and put all the real problems out in the open.
Faced with Aubree’s pointed questions, Carmen couldn’t get a single word out.
Aubree said, her voice unwavering. “This is just a money grab. Nobody’s money comes easy. Why should I risk my cash on something this shaky with you?
“If it were up to me, I wouldn’t put a dime into this project right now.”