Chapter 149: The Show Begins
The following morning...
Luca stepped out of the villa with Vivienne beside him, their hands naturally intertwined.
Waiting beside the executive sedan was Phoebe Gates.
"Good morning, Mr. Hale. Miss Day."
"Good morning, Phoebe," Luca replied with an easy smile.
Watching her efficiently coordinate the morning schedule once again, he couldn’t help but admire her professionalism.
She was intelligent, composed, and astonishingly capable.
The more his business empire expanded across different industries, the more he realized how indispensable a first-rate executive assistant truly was.
’Looks like it’s finally time to recruit a proper chief of staff...’
The thought lingered in his mind for a moment before he quietly filed it away.
---
Even in a city as prosperous as New Orleans, a custom-built luxury sedan rolling through downtown still attracted countless curious glances.
Vivienne leaned comfortably against Luca’s shoulder, a teasing smile dancing in her eyes.
"You really know how to enjoy life."
She looked him up and down dramatically.
"Custom cars, vintage champagne, beautiful women wherever you go..."
"The lifestyle of a conglomerate chairman really is something else."
Luca laughed.
"Coming from you?"
He gently ruffled her silky crimson hair.
"You’re the one who keeps an entire fleet of hypercars at East Mountain Pass Raceway."
Driving at high speed had always been Vivienne’s greatest hobby.
Ever since they reunited, she’d practically claimed his Koenigsegg One:1 as her own, while her Ferrari 599 sat untouched in the underground garage collecting dust.
She narrowed her beautiful eyes.
"What?"
"Do you have a problem with my collection, my darling?"
"Not even slightly."
He chuckled before carefully straightening the diamond brooch pinned to her lapel.
"This suits you perfectly."
"I picked it out myself."
He stepped back to admire it.
"My taste isn’t bad, is it?"
Her lips curled upward.
"Your taste is impeccable."
Then she looked at him with mock accusation.
"But don’t think you can distract me with sweet words."
"I already know you bought five identical brooches."
She leaned closer, her cool lips brushing lightly across his cheek.
"Still..."
"I love mine."
"Thank you, my darling."
"Mwah."
The faint floral fragrance lingering around her mixed with the cool touch of her lips, leaving Luca momentarily speechless.
’This woman...’
’She’s absolutely enchanting.’
Every smile...
Every glance...
Every tiny expression carried effortless elegance.
Combined with her breathtaking beauty and graceful figure, she was dangerously captivating.
Even Phoebe, seated quietly in the front passenger seat, couldn’t help stealing another glance through the rearview mirror.
No wonder Miss Day was regarded as one of New Orleans’ most untouchable goddesses.
---
Not long afterward, the sedan rolled to a stop beneath the towering entrance of Luiz Tower.
Luca stepped out first before offering Vivienne his hand.
He looked up at the gleaming glass skyscraper towering over the plaza.
"As expected of one of the Gulf’s oldest business empires."
A faint smile appeared.
"Maintaining a headquarters like this isn’t cheap."
Although this was his first visit, the building’s management was impeccable.
Just then...
"Hahaha!"
A cheerful laugh drifted across the plaza.
A middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped out of a black Bentley Mulsanne parked nearby.
His tailored suit fit perfectly, giving him the appearance of an elegant corporate gentleman.
Following close behind was an attractive woman in her early thirties.
She wore a navy blazer over a fitted pencil skirt, dark stockings, high heels, and carried an executive leather briefcase.
Luca recognized them immediately.
Gordon Luiz.
And beside him...
Secretary Cecelia.
"President Luiz."
He smiled politely.
"You’re running a little late."
Gordon adjusted his cuffs before returning the smile, though the chill in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"I’m exactly on time, Director Hale."
He glanced at Luca meaningfully.
"If anyone arrived early..."
"...it would appear to be you."
"Afraid there won’t be a seat left at the board table?"
Luca laughed softly.
"Not at all."
"I simply didn’t want to miss the main performance."
A muscle twitched beneath Gordon’s eye.
"Director Hale is still young."
His smile became noticeably colder.
"Young people should avoid creating unnecessary chaos..."
"...or they may find themselves caught in the consequences."
Before the conversation could continue, Gordon suddenly noticed someone arriving behind Luca.
His entire demeanor changed instantly.
Without another word, he hurried toward the VIP entrance, Secretary Cecelia following close behind.
Curious, Luca turned around.
A long-wheelbase Rolls-Royce Phantom had just pulled up along the red carpet.
The rear door opened.
An elderly foreign gentleman with neatly groomed white hair and a tailored suit stepped out, followed by a striking blonde woman with blue eyes carrying several folders.
Luca recognized him immediately.
George Vanderbilt.
The senior board representative of Vanderbilt Global Maritime Group.
Despite the authority naturally radiating from him, George greeted every shareholder with an approachable smile, shaking hands one after another.
The blonde woman beside him, Alice, served as both his executive assistant and interpreter.
Gordon hurried forward, practically beaming.
"Mr. Vanderbilt! Ms. Alice!"
He extended both hands enthusiastically.
"On behalf of the entire board of the Luiz Conglomerate, welcome to New Orleans!"
George smiled warmly.
"Gordon."
"It’s good to see you again."
For years, Vanderbilt Global Maritime Group had remained the largest institutional shareholder of the Luiz Conglomerate.
As long as annual returns remained excellent, they rarely interfered with Gordon’s day-to-day management.
Likewise, Gordon had consistently rewarded Vanderbilt with lucrative international shipping contracts, creating a mutually beneficial partnership.
After exchanging a few pleasantries...
George suddenly stopped.
His eyes wandered across the plaza as though searching for someone.
Noticing this, Gordon looked puzzled.
"Mr. Vanderbilt?"
"Are you looking for someone?"
"I am."
George smiled.
"I’m looking for Mr. Hale."
"...Hale?"
Gordon froze.
The next second, George’s eyes lit up.
"There he is!"
Without another thought, he completely ignored the reception line.
Ignoring Gordon.
Ignoring every waiting executive.
He briskly walked—almost jogged—straight toward Luca.
The moment Gordon saw the direction George was heading, a chill spread through his entire body.
His confident smile disappeared.
In its place...
Pure disbelief.
George Vanderbilt...
The representative of one of the world’s largest maritime groups...
Was practically hurrying over to greet Luca.
Not as an equal.
But almost like a subordinate greeting his superior.
Only moments earlier, Gordon and the other directors had been doing everything possible to flatter George.
Now...
George himself was eagerly approaching Luca.
The shareholders watching nearby erupted into whispered conversations.
"Who is that young man?"
"Why is Mr. Vanderbilt running toward him?"
"You don’t know?"
"That’s Director Hale... the new third-largest shareholder."
"But..."
"...why is Mr. Vanderbilt treating him with so much respect?"
"Look at his attitude."
"That isn’t ordinary familiarity."
"He looks like he’s reporting to him."
"My God..."
"What exactly is Director Hale’s background?"
"We should distance ourselves from Gordon immediately."
One by one...
Several major shareholders quietly stepped backward.
Only days earlier, many of them had privately agreed to support Gordon’s plan to strip Luca of his voting rights during today’s board meeting.
Now...
That plan had completely fallen apart.
If Vanderbilt Global Maritime Group and Luca stood together...
Their combined voting power exceeded sixty percent of the company’s total shares.
Against an absolute controlling majority like that...
What exactly was Gordon Luiz supposed to fight with?