Daisy Buchanan woke up from her nightmare, her body drenched in cold sweat. She took a moment to compose herself, the haunting memories of her dream still fresh in her mind. There was nothing more foolish than her past self, who always believed that people had moral boundaries and that her repeated compromises and concessions would bring temporary peace. However, she failed to realize that humans are creatures that tend to bully the weak and become more aggressive the more you give in. The weaker you are, the more you are bullied; the more you compromise, the less the other party knows how to restrain themselves.
She rose from her bed, stumbled around the bedroom in the dark, and found the cold water on the table. She gulped down a glass, finally starting to calm down. The chill of the night seeped through her thin silk pajamas, causing her to shiver uncontrollably. After standing for a moment, she made her way to the dressing table and opened the locked drawer. Inside was a photograph.
The curtains had not been fully closed before bed, and moonlight slipped through the gap, casting a beam on the photograph. The picture showed three people鈥攁 graceful and beautiful woman seated in a chair, a girl standing behind her, and a young boy, no more than six years old, cradled in her arms. The boy was adorable, with features resembling the girls. All three were smiling at the camera, radiating happiness and contentment.
Daisy gently traced the photograph, then placed it back. She reached for a crumpled drawing from the drawer. The watercolors had smeared due to being soaked in pool water, but it was still discernible that the drawing depicted the same trio鈥攎other seated, with her children standing and sitting beside her.
"Phil, its your sister who failed to protect you, who failed to protect Mom..." Daisys voice caught, her tears dripping onto the drawing as she whispered, "Rest assured, soon, your sister will avenge you..."
Daisy Buchanan steeled herself for the day ahead. The morning sun was already quite strong as she stepped out of her car at precisely 8:40 am. The driver opened the door for her, and she extended her slender, fair legs from the vehicle, then checked her watch. In a short while, a board meeting would commence, one that was to address the recent uproar over a facial mask issue that had spread like wildfire online. The meeting had been called by her father, George Wilson, who had always had faith in her capabilities. Although this was the first board meeting she would be leading on her fathers behalf, the innate confidence and fearlessness within her carried no significant burden.
However, there were certain board members with close ties to Myrtle Wilson and her daughter, and it was uncertain what kind of drama they might unfold this time. Yet, Daisy remained unfazed by such concerns.
Pausing briefly by the car door, she allowed the paparazzi hiding in the shadows ample time to snap their photos before turning to stride towards the companys entrance.
"Are you planning to take on the battlefield on behalf of Mr. Buchanan, Miss Buchanan?" A mans magnetic voice echoed from behind, causing Daisy to halt in her tracks.
Without turning around, she knew exactly who it was鈥攁fter all, this man had shared a bed with her for three months.
Jay Gatsby emerged from his car, a luxurious Bentley gleaming in the sunlight, with two foreign bodyguards trailing behind him. A smirk played on his lips as he approached Daisy, hands casually tucked into his Armani suit trousers. "Mr. Gatsby, what brings you here? Are you interested in the绛圭爜 I proposed last time?" Daisy Buchanan maintained a polite smile, though a flicker of unease stirred within her. She wasnt sure why Jay had shown up so unexpectedly, but she kept her composure, her expression revealing none of her inner turmoil.
"Arent you the one who should be asking that question? Miss Daisy Buchanan, I think you should seriously consider the... not chips, but treasures Ive mentioned to you." Jay Gatsby leaned in close, his breath warm against her ear, causing her to startle momentarily.
However, Daisy quickly stepped back, asserting, "Mr. Gatsby, please understand, this is a public place!"
"How so? A reunion of the Gatsby couple would surely stir up quite a wave online, wouldnt it? It would be just the thing to help Buchanan Enterprises draw some attention, wouldnt it?" Jay Gatsbys smile was devilish, capable of captivating any woman.
But Daisy Buchanan was not one of those women. She turned and walked away, her expression cold.
As Daisy entered the boardroom, most of the major shareholders of the company had already arrived.
"Such arrogance, making us, her elders, wait for her, a younger one. She truly overestimates herself," an elderly shareholder with white hair, dressed in a tailored suit, muttered under his breath, his tone dripping with disdain as he glanced at Daisy.
Without any change in her expression, Daisy took the file from her secretary and began, "I apologize for the delay, esteemed shareholders. Lets get down to business and discuss the issue with our product."
Before she could continue, the boardroom door was suddenly pushed open from outside. A young man, unfamiliar to all, bowed respectfully and stepped aside to allow entry. In walked none other than Jay Gatsby.
Despite the scrutinizing gazes of the veteran shareholders, he maintained a warm smile, walking at a leisurely pace with his eyes fixed on Daisy from the moment he entered.
It was as if no one else in the room mattered.
"Mr. Wilson, if I may, my tardiness is far more egregious. Do you also find me to be overconfident?" The words flowed casually from Jay Gatsbys lips, filled with disdain. The atmosphere in the boardroom plummeted to freezing point.
Jay Gatsby pulled up a chair and sat down, his gaze playful as he surveyed the room filled with individuals harboring ulterior motives.
Unaware onlookers might have thought he was there to support Daisy Buchanan.
"No..." The elderly shareholder, upon seeing Jay Gatsby, changed his demeanor, clearly discontented yet forced to utter these two words.
Daisy, well aware that Jay was standing up for her, did not appreciate the gesture. She continued, "I believe everyone here is already aware of the issue with our facial mask product. It was caused by a substandard product manufactured by a minor celebrity whose company is affiliated with ours. This meeting is to discuss how we, as Buchanan Enterprises, should address this matter."
As soon as Daisy finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room became restless.
"Of course, we should let that nobody take all the blame."
"Yes! Otherwise, our company will suffer tremendous losses."
The shareholders began to murmur amongst themselves, all except for Jay Gatsby, who remained unperturbed, his gaze fixed on Daisy throughout.
Daisy could sense his unwavering attention and felt a bit uneasy, but she maintained her composure and avoided meeting his gaze. As the shareholders debated, she smoothed her sleeves and said, "I understand that everyone here wishes for the direct party to bear the consequences, but I believe that will not help restore our companys reputation. On the contrary, it might create an impression that Buchanan Enterprises is irresponsible and shifts the blame onto others. After all, that company operates under our name, and if not for our negligence, such an outcome would not have occurred. Therefore, I personally think that while the direct party must be held accountable, our company should also take some responsibility, maintain the rights and interests of the affected consumers afterward, and provide appropriate compensation."
As soon as Daisy finished speaking, the shareholders could no longer contain their objections.
"You know how much loss this facial mask has caused. This mistake was not ours to make; why should we bear the brunt?"
"Once the company admits fault, it implies that our products are indeed problematic. Have you considered the repercussions?"
Daisy had anticipated some resistance from the shareholders but was taken aback by the intensity of their reactions.
"Applause, applause, applause..." The sound of clapping echoed through the room. Jay Gatsby stood up from his chair and said, "Miss Buchanan is truly a principled businesswoman. In business, regardless of scale, trust is key. I wholeheartedly support you!" He then walked over to Daisy, placing a hand on her shoulder as he addressed the shareholders. "I am willing to sell 10% of my shares in Buchanan Enterprises, and all the proceeds will be used to cover the losses from this incident. Additionally, I will make efforts to uphold the image of your company. I wonder what the esteemed shareholders think of this proposal."
Once Jay Gatsby finished speaking, the heated arguments in the room fell silent. An opportunity to restore the companys image without harming their own interests was something the shareholders would not refuse.
But why would the president of Gatsby Holdings do such a thing?
There had been rumors for years about a connection between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Could it be that...?
Daisy looked back at Jay, her expression complex.