Chapter 581

Patrick squinted as he sat in his wheelchair, his gaze slowly fixing on Winnie's arrival. A gentle smile formed on his lips. "Winnie, what brings you here? Do you have something to discuss with me, or is there an emergency?"

His tone carried the natural concern of an elder for a younger one.

At the gathering, everyone's gaze unconsciously swept over the shareholders of the Blanchet family and directly noticed Winnie.

Winnie chuckled inwardly, taking the initiative. She slowly raised her chin, walked in confidently, and spoke out without fear, "If my father had an emergency, Uncle Patrick should be happy, shouldn't he?"

"What misunderstanding do you have about me, child?" Patrick's tone was helpless but calm and lazy.

Winnie positioned herself by the door, gestured with a subtle motion, closed the door halfway, and spoke up, "If we talk about misunderstandings, then these shareholders of the Blanchet family who were dismissed from their positions by you within a week have a great misunderstanding about you."

As the meeting progressed, shareholders took turns expressing their concerns.

"You just want the chairman dead!" one shareholder accused, her voice filled with frustration. "In just a month, everyone sees through you, Patrick. On the surface, you're disabled, but in reality, you're probably just waiting for the day when Chairman Xie gets into trouble."

Another shareholder, his tone edged with bitterness, added, "At the Blanchet family, you've been scheming to dismiss us, the older shareholders who have contributed a lot! Shareholders, especially the boss of Horizon Tech, open your eyes and see clearly. Patrick is an unscrupulous hypocrite, his abilities are far inferior to the chairman's, his methods are vicious, forcing us, the older shareholders who have contributed a lot, out of our positions, he's dominating everything!"

The sentiment in the room grew tense as another shareholder chimed in, "Such a person, even if you sign contracts with him, you won't be able to get the dividends that were available when the chairman was in charge!"

Another shareholder joined the chorus of discontent, his voice resonating with conviction. "Yes, Patrick has no business acumen, he only cares about his own interests. It's better for you to not cooperate with him. We would rather damage the interests of the Blanchet family than stay silent. Think about how despicable he is and his recent reputation in the business world!"

The bosses at the table looked embarrassed. The boss of Horizon Tech pondered slightly, looking at the group of shareholders who came to confront Patrick, knowing that there must be some truth to it. Patrick may offer Horizon Tech a five percent discount, but once they cooperate, he might make a hundredfold profit. The boss of Horizon Tech decided to put away the contract. "Mr. Nelson, it seems you have some internal matters to deal with today. Shall we discuss our cooperation another day?"

Patrick's handsome yet insidious features remained unchanged as he surveyed the bosses at the table, then exchanged a knowing glance with his secretary standing beside him. "I'm sorry, everyone," he began smoothly, his voice carrying an air of practiced sincerity. "Winnie instigated a few shareholders to come cause trouble for me. As the new leader, I didn't want to take on such a heavy responsibility for my big brother, but my old man forced me. I knew Winnie would be dissatisfied; after all, she thought the Blanchet family was in her pocket!" Patrick smoothly transitioned, directing his focus squarely on Winnie.

As the secretary escorted the bosses away from the table, many of them curiously stared at Winnie. It seemed like Patrick's words had an effect on them, portraying Patrick as innocent.

Winnie allowed them to scrutinize her. After all, her goal today was not about her reputation.

She turned her gaze toward Patrick, focusing on his hair, and with a cold smile, she said, "Anday is quite eloquent. Clearly, it's the shareholders you dismissed who are dissatisfied with you. I'm just standing in for my father, taking responsibility for their departure.

"After all, like my father, if he had the company's best interests at heart, he would never dismiss any of the older shareholders who have contributed a lot. Without these shareholders, how could the Blanchet family have risen to become the third largest company in the country? Even if we support them, it's not excessive! Yet, for the sake of seizing power, you fired them at will?"

Her calm words stirred up the emotions of some shareholders.

The intensity in one of their gazes flared, his eyes turning crimson. "Patrick, you were the one we overlooked! From the hands of the old man to the chairmanship of the Blanchet family, what have you contributed in these forty years? Nothing! Your brother has shown you kindness, allowing you to share in our dividends each year. Yet, you, this ingrate, dare to turn against the chairman. Have you listened to Ms. Blanchet's words? She's young, but her foresight far surpasses yours! She's the true heir to the chairman's legacy. When the old man tasked you with aiding the company, we should have objected. It would have been wiser to let Ms. Blanchet take the helm!"

Patrick looked at his legs covered by a blanket. His deformed legs were unsightly, something Eleanor disliked. He chuckled slowly, his gaze turning toward the shareholder who spoke.

"We understand now. You, the cripple, just want to swallow the Blanchet family whole," another shareholder interjected. "The chairman isn't dead yet, so you won't succeed. If you don't give us the ten years' worth of dividends from the Blanchet family today, don't even think about leaving through that door."

"Patrick, the chairman will soon wake up," chimed in yet another shareholder, his voice tinged with warning. "You better revoke our dismissal decision, or when the chairman wakes up and sees how you've treated us, the older shareholders who have contributed a lot, he won't let you off!"

A wave of agreement rippled through the room as another shareholder added fiercely, "Let's all teach this heartless creature a lesson!"

Winnie stood a few steps away, watching as the shareholders, filled with anger, surrounded Patrick. Regardless of the outcome of this provocation, she only needed Patrick's hair.

She signaled discreetly to Lysander. His bodyguards took advantage of the situation and skillfully blended into the crowd.

"Stay calm, let's talk. Do you want to fight me? That won't solve anything." Patrick remained composed, with a hint of disdain in his voice.

However, the shareholders were not convinced. "We've dedicated our lives to the Blanchet family, and struggled for a lifetime, how can a cripple like you dismiss us? You're withholding tens of billions of dollars in dividends from us each year, and you say you won't give them?"

Suddenly, one of the shareholders shouted, "Everyone, attack!"

Patrick's bodyguards quickly separated him from the shareholders, with the secretary also standing in front of him.

Patrick looked at the group of people, then glanced outside the crowd, clearly overseeing the situation tonight, with Winnie not directly involved.

What was her purpose? Surely, it wasn't just to incite these old stubborn folks to curse at him, venting their anger harmlessly.

Patrick stared at Winnie, and suddenly a pair of hands reached for his head. He was momentarily surprised, then smirked and snapped his fingers.

The door beside Winnie was swiftly pushed open, and more than twenty bodyguards streamed in! The situation quickly turned around.

Winnie and a few shareholders were caught off guard by the bodyguards Patrick had ambushed in advance. The older shareholders' faces turned pale, looking secretly at Lysander and Winnie.

Winnie was forcefully pressed down on the table by the bodyguards, only able to look at Patrick with one eye.

Patrick then wheeled over to her, stopped in front of her, and slowly stood up with the help of a cane. He was almost as tall as Carlos, and this was the first time Winnie had seen him stand up!

She didn't know that Patrick, the cripple, could still stand. The two elders of the Blanchet family seemed unaware as well. Patrick had hidden his abilities well!

Patrick approached her, his head tilted as he regarded Winnie with interest. Then, he turned to his bodyguards and issued a cold command, "Take these people out, search them thoroughly one by one, especially their hands, and see if they have anything extra."

Upon hearing this, Winnie's expression shifted subtly.

Lysander cast a worried glance at Winnie, sensing there was more to Patrick's words than met the eye. Had he detected something?

The group of people escorted Lysander and his bodyguards out, leaving Patrick's secretary to close the door to the private room.

Winnie stood still, her composure unbroken.

Leaning on his cane, Patrick fixed his gaze on her with a hint of cruelty. "Winnie, you seem burdened with thoughts. Are you here to snatch my hair? You've attempted to divert my attention, but I almost fell for it. What's your next move? You didn't obtain my hair. However, Winnie, I'm afraid I won't be lenient."

Patrick's smile faded, replaced by a fierce look in his eyes, reminiscent of Ishara's gaze.

Winnie clenched her lips, recalling the scene where Lysander's bodyguards were taken away.

Her heart sank. She had obtained Patrick's hair, but she didn't know if she could keep it.

What about her safety and what to do next? Patrick had trapped her here, seen through her intentions, and she couldn't possibly walk out alive!