Disbelief washed over the room. Her father had tried to get the money back from Chris for years to no avail.

The attitudes in the room shifted palpably, with a newfound respect directed toward Lilah. Excitement kindled in Gladys' eyes, bolstering her belief that Lilah's leadership would herald a new era for the Phillips Group.

The senior executives regarded Lilah with a renewed solemnity as she laid out her plan.

It was evident that she had invested considerable thought into her strategy; it was both logical and well-articulated.

Their projects, once teetering on the brink due to financial constraints, now had the promise of continuity.

Post-meeting, the department heads huddled, a mix of astonishment and revelation in the air as they realized the investment totaled a staggering 5@ million dollars. The entirety of the sum Chris returned had been distributed among them. For the senior executives who neglected to attend the meeting, there was no share to claim.

Howard was reveling in a particularly buoyant mood today, his office now a hub for an impromptu gathering with his closest colleagues.

The clock had just chimed half past ten when a wave of anxiety rippled through the group. "Mr. Brown, we've been overlooked for the meeting-could it be that Lilah has proceeded without us?" questioned one of his uneasy colleagues.

With a dismissive snort, Howard replied, "Should she have advanced without us, it would be a bold declaration. We could then claim that her actions are pointedly exclusionary." Cradling his cup of coffee, Howard's spirits soared.

His tenure under Matthew had been long, with aspirations for advancement simmering beneath the surface.

Now, with Lilah stepping into the role of CEO amidst skepticism, Howard harbored ambitions of taking over, especially if Lilah stumbled in her efforts to reclaim the funds from Chris.

In such a scenario, he was confident that Lance's support would solidify his path to the position of CEO.

Howard's anticipation of his bright future was almost palpable, the edges of his mouth stretching into an increasingly self-assured smile.

But then, an unexpected knock interrupted his reverie, and the door swung open to reveal Emma.

"Good morning, Emma. Is there something you need? We're in the middle of something here. My apologies for not keeping an eye on the time."

Howard feigned a glance at his watch.

Emma fixed Howard with a stern gaze and responded with grace, "Miss Phillips has tasked me with delivering a message."

Howard, displaying an apologetic tone, interjected, "My apologies for keeping her waiting. We'll be there soon.”

He harbored an unwavering determination to make things difficult for Lilah.

Emma, maintaining her poise, countered, “No need to rush. The meeting has drawn to a close."

Her declaration sent shockwaves through the office, leaving the assembled executives wide-eyed and wholly unprepared for the abrupt end of the meeting.

Historically, Matthew's meetings had always extended for a minimum of an hour.

Howard, undeterred and believing that Lilah couldn't proceed without them, remarked calmly, “I understand. We shall resume our duties, then."

He paid little heed to Lilah's authority.