Chapter 171: You’re One of Luca’s People?
"Gregory Hess, does Iris Port Facility really intend to stand against the Day Family?"
By now, Arthur had already realized Gregory and his son had come here for one purpose only... to tear today’s gathering apart. There was never any intention of negotiating.
The Day Family wasn’t afraid of Iris Port Facility itself.
What worried him was the possibility that the port would openly side with Vanderbilt Global Maritime Group. If that happened, every plan they’d painstakingly prepared would fall apart.
When dealing with Luca, there could be no room for mistakes.
Every possibility had to be eliminated before it had a chance to become a threat.
Gregory merely smiled, the corners of his lips curling with obvious mockery.
"Stand against you?" he repeated with a chuckle. "CEO Day, you think far too highly of yourself. Just because you’re the Day Family?"
"Then what if you add my Sapphire-Vanguard Group from Rose City?"
Lady Francine finally found an opportunity to speak.
She stood proudly with her hands on her hips, chin raised high.
The banquet had gone on for quite some time, yet apart from exchanging greetings at the beginning, she’d spent the entire evening watching Arthur toast everyone while she sat quietly at the side.
Who was she?
She represented Sapphire-Vanguard Group.
She was one of today’s hosts.
How could she allow someone else to dominate the conversation from beginning to end?
In her eyes, once Sapphire-Vanguard’s name was mentioned, the Hess father and son would naturally back down.
After all, Sapphire-Vanguard held tremendous influence throughout Rose City. Its power there wasn’t the least bit inferior to Hale-Viv Conglomerate’s.
As long as the Hess family possessed even a shred of common sense, they would surely give her some face.
Gregory simply laughed.
"I’ll admit Sapphire-Vanguard is impressive."
"But since when did your influence stretch this far?"
He knew exactly how powerful Sapphire-Vanguard was.
He simply didn’t care.
First, no matter how wealthy the group was, expanding into New Orleans wasn’t something that could happen overnight.
Second...
And far more importantly...
The president of Hale-Viv Conglomerate happened to be his boss.
Why would he ever side against his own employer?
Gregory’s words immediately cooled the enthusiasm that Arthur had worked so hard to build.
He was right.
Everyone present had spent years operating within New Orleans.
No one understood this market better than they did.
No matter how much money the Rose City consortium possessed, forcing its way into New Orleans would never be easy.
There were simply too many powerful corporations rooted here already.
An outsider trying to muscle into the market could easily end up losing everything.
Some might even walk away with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
The executives silently weighed the risks again.
Perhaps cooperation was still possible...
But only after the battle between Hale-Viv Conglomerate and Sapphire-Vanguard reached a clear conclusion.
As for Arthur and the Day Family...
Compared to those true giants, they suddenly seemed much less important.
One after another, several executives exchanged glances before standing.
"I’m afraid I have another meeting."
"I’ve remembered an urgent matter."
"I should be leaving."
Excuse after excuse filled the room.
Seeing the others move, more people rose from their seats.
Arthur watched silently.
He understood perfectly.
Nobody wanted to burn bridges completely, but neither did they want to gamble on an uncertain outcome.
Only a handful of port operators with no existing business ties to Vanderbilt still expressed interest in cooperating.
Unfortunately...
Without everyone else, the plan to cripple Luca’s shipping business had already failed.
The banquet had effectively become meaningless.
And the reason...
Sat calmly at the dining table.
Gregory Hess and Maximilian were still enjoying their food as though nothing had happened.
"Gregory."
Arthur’s voice grew colder.
"My Day Family has never had any conflict with the Hess family."
"So why sabotage us?"
His fists clenched tightly beneath the table until his fingernails dug into his palms.
Gregory slowly finished cracking a crab shell before casually tossing it onto his plate.
After wiping his hands with a napkin, he stood.
His posture remained relaxed.
His eyes, however, had become cold.
"There isn’t any personal grudge."
"But today wasn’t me picking a fight with you."
"It’s you who gathered half the shipping industry to challenge my side."
"If I sat back quietly..."
"Wouldn’t everyone think Gregory Hess was easy to bully?"
Arthur instinctively frowned.
"When did I ever provoke—"
His voice stopped abruptly.
A frightening thought flashed through his mind.
His pupils shrank violently.
Looking at Gregory’s faint smile...
Everything suddenly clicked.
"...You’re..."
His breathing became noticeably heavier.
"...You’re one of Luca Hale’s people?"
Even asking the question felt unbelievable.
Deep down...
He desperately hoped he’d misunderstood.
Gregory smiled.
Then slowly applauded.
"Impressive."
"As expected of CEO Day."
"You figured it out very quickly."
Arthur’s face gradually turned pale.
Only now did he truly understand just how terrifying Luca really was.
Everything people had witnessed before...
Had merely been the tip of the iceberg.
At last...
He understood the despair Gordon had experienced.
How could a family like the Days possibly compete with someone like that?
"Hmph!"
Lady Francine suddenly slammed her hand against the table.
"So you’re working for Luca!"
"Just wait."
"Our Luiz Conglomerate will never allow another shipment through Iris Port Facility!"
The moment Luca’s name was mentioned, every ounce of hatred she’d been suppressing surged back to the surface.
She hated anyone connected to him.
Gregory didn’t even bother looking at her.
"I don’t believe you."
His tone remained completely indifferent.
"President Hale already owns the overwhelming majority of the group’s shares."
"What exactly can you interfere with?"
"And besides..."
He smiled faintly.
"The company is called Hale-Viv Conglomerate."
"What Luiz Conglomerate still exists in New Orleans?"
Those words struck Lady Francine harder than a slap.
She froze.
Because it was true.
The Luiz Conglomerate no longer existed.
Under Hale-Viv’s restructuring...
Even internet searches barely returned the old company’s name anymore.
Gregory adjusted his coat.
"Arthur."
"I’ve said everything I came here to say."
"Let’s go."
He and Maximilian walked toward the door.
Their bodyguards immediately stepped forward and helped them into their coats.
Just before leaving...
Gregory glanced back over his shoulder.
"The food tonight wasn’t bad."
"Thank you for the hospitality, CEO Day."
"Hahaha!"
His laughter echoed through the private room as father and son disappeared outside.
Arthur and Lady Francine remained standing where they were.
Their expressions were darker than ever.
Only two small port owners still lingered awkwardly inside.
One of them cautiously spoke.
"CEO Day..."
"About the cooperation we discussed earlier..."
"GET OUT!"
Arthur suddenly grabbed the porcelain plate in front of him and hurled it onto the floor.
Crash!
The plate exploded into countless fragments.
The two executives jumped in fright.
Neither dared say another word.
Although they cursed him inwardly...
Their companies still relied on the Day Family.
They could only swallow their frustration and leave.
Once outside...
Perhaps they’d vent their anger elsewhere.
Inside the room...
Silence returned.
The banquet had ended in complete failure.
Less than ten minutes after Gregory left, Luca received a call.
"Mr. Hale."
Cecelia’s calm voice came through the speaker.
"Someone claiming to be Gregory Hess from Iris Port Facility has sent you an email."
Luca sighed.
"I’ve told you already."
"When it’s just the two of us, you don’t have to be so formal."
"This is work, Mr. Hale."
Her tone remained perfectly professional.
"Personal feelings shouldn’t interfere with business."
She had barely finished speaking when Luca stood, walked over, and wrapped an arm around her waist before pulling her gently onto his lap.
"Honey..."
"If you’re this dedicated to work..."
"How about wearing that outfit tonight?"
"W-What?"
Her eyes widened.
A faint blush instantly spread across her cheeks.
"That’s impossible!"
Luca looked completely serious.
"You’re my personal secretary."
"I’m your boss."
"I believe I have the right to make reasonable requests."
"Reasonable... requests?"
Cecelia blinked.
Then, as though she’d suddenly remembered something, her face became even redder.