Chapter 5: When Fates Collide

"He brought me here!" Sophie shot back at Ella with an icy glare. The two had a shared history of mutual disdain. As Sophie took a seat next to the head of the table – reserved for her grandfather, Joseph Mitchell, who was presiding over the meeting – Henry sat down beside her. "What do you think you're doing?" Ella sneered, missing no chance to belittle him. "Is this a place for some backwater bumpkin like you?" "Exactly, what gives him the right to be here?" chimed in Theo Roberts, Ella's equally snobbish husband. As an inheritor of the Roberts family, a third-tier name in King City, he did have some standing. Yet, to Henry, this was all mere noise. "Get out!" demanded Daniel Mitchell, Sophie's paternal uncle, his face a shade of darkened anger. "I can't fathom why you'd bring such a disgrace into our midst, Sophie." Challenged, Sophie retorted, "If Theo can be here, why can't my husband?" Her voice had an edge of suppressed anger. This remark drew a mixture of chuckles and sneers from the room, underscoring the underestimation of Sophie's achievements. "That's enough!" The stern reprimand came from Edward Mitchell, seated across Sophie. As Joseph Mitchell's eldest son and given his own child's promising future, Edward was second only to Joseph in family influence. Edward's words were met with immediate silence, but his reprimanding gaze was locked on Sophie. "Do you even realize the significance of today's meeting?" he chided, clearly enjoying the momentary upper hand. With no room to retort, Sophie's cheeks flushed in humiliation. The atmosphere grew more suffocating by the second, with Ella and Theo wearing smug expressions. At that moment, the conference room doors swung open. Every head turned, every voice hushed. "Dad..." "Grandfather..." It was none other than the family's patriarch, Joseph Mitchell. He radiated an aura of authority, commanding respect from everyone present. "I could hear your quarreling from the hallway. What a disgrace!" He remarked coldly as he took his seat at the head of the table. "Grandfather, it wasn't our intention," Ella rushed to defend herself. "Sophie brought this... this nobody to such an essential meeting!" Joseph's sharp eyes darted to Henry, as if noticing him for the first time. This indifference itself was a testament to Henry's non-existent stature in the patriarch's eyes. "You, move to the back," Joseph commanded, his voice colder than ice. Sophie's face flushed with embarrassment. Glancing sideways at Henry, she bit her lip and whispered, "Maybe... you should move to the back." Used to such dismissals, Henry simply flashed a comforting smile at Sophie, then rose from his seat. He pulled a chair from the side and settled himself in a secluded corner. "All right, let's get this meeting underway," Joseph declared. "We're all aware that our subsidiary, the cosmetics division, distributed counterfeit products. Customers who've used them have suffered varying degrees of allergic reactions, casting a dark shadow on both the company and our family's reputation." His steely gaze fell on Sophie. "Sophie, as the general manager, the primary responsibility falls on you. What steps have you taken to address this?" Joseph's tone held a distinct edge of frustration. "I visited the hospital yesterday to console the affected customers," Sophie replied, "and have filed a report. The authorities are investigating, but I've yet to hear back." Joseph retorted, "Those are all reactive measures. Have you considered public relations? If the media gets wind of this, can you fathom the repercussions for our family?" As Joseph concluded, the room filled with murmurs of agreement. Seizing the moment, Ella chimed in, smugly, "Grandfather, rest assured. I've already liaised with the media. For now, they've agreed to withhold the story." "Furthermore, by tomorrow, I'll ensure not only is this issue resolved but also turned to our advantage. The media will give our company free publicity." Joseph, visibly impressed, replied, "Well done, Ella. Containing the media and preventing further escalation is indeed crucial. But how do you propose turning this to our advantage?" With a mysterious grin, Ella replied, "Let me keep you in suspense, Grandfather. You'll find out tomorrow. But I do have a small request." Joseph chuckled heartily, "Of course! If you can navigate our family through this crisis, name your price." Clearing her throat, Ella said, "I believe Sophie isn't fit to run a company. If we go by her recent actions, she'll only bring losses and potential disgrace to our family. Thus, I suggest she be relieved of her managerial duties. With her capabilities, she's only wasting company resources." Instantly, all eyes in the room shifted to Sophie.