Chapter 12 Tit For Tat

• The chart presented by Skylar silenced the crowd. However, the tactless and unknowledgeable Aaron let out a cold huff.
• “You're worrying over nothing. For the past few decades, this is just how our family has been getting by. The real estate cycle is indeed very long, and the investment is substantial, but we can rely on loans. As long as the properties go on sale, we can earn back all the money we put in!”
• Skylar glanced at Aaron, his gaze carrying a hint of mockery. This look made Aaron feel extremely uneasy, as if he was being looked down upon by this young man.
• “Twenty years ago, everything Mr. Aaron said would have been spot on. However, the issue is that times have changed. The domestic real estate market is saturated now, with an increasing volume of unsold properties. Housing prices have been plummeting year after year, a trend that seems impossible to reverse. Conservatively speaking, nearly half of Platinum Real Estate's properties, once completed, either won't sell or will have to be sold at a loss!”
• “Nonsense!” Aaron stubbornly retorted, revealing his hooligan demeanor. Seeing this, Bianca, who had been silent until now, finally said, “Uncle Aaron, if you had spent some of the time you used for night clubs and horse races on financial news, you wouldn't have made such a statement!”
• Everyone was taken aback. In their eyes, Bianca was usually respectful to her elders and known for her gentleness and virtue. However, she had shockingly made such aggressive remarks for the sake of her fiancé.
• “What did you say? Say it to me again!”
• Publicly humiliated by a junior, Aaron abruptly stood up, slamming the table in the process. He glared fiercely at Bianca, then swiftly turned his gaze toward Trevor.
• “Trevor, is this how you raised your daughter? Now that you're married, have you forgotten your own surname and even thrown manners and etiquette out the window?”
• At that moment, there was a swift “whoosh” as a dark shadow hurtled directly toward Aaron.
• Thud! Crash! “Ouch!”
• This sudden turn of events startled everyone. As they turned their heads to see what had happened, they found that a teacup had solidly hit Aaron's forehead before falling and shattering on the ground.
• The tea, still hot in the cup, splashed all over Aaron, causing him to cry out in pain.
• And on Aaron's forehead, blood had already started to trickle down.
• Only then did everyone notice that Wallace's teacup was missing.
• It turned out that Aaron's rant had completely enraged Wallace, prompting him to throw the teacup at him.
• Wallace pointed a finger at Aaron, his beard quivering with anger.
• “Get out, get out of here! You good-for-nothing, what else can you do other than loafing around? Hand over your shares. From now on, the family will give you a few million every year. That should be enough to keep you from starving!”
• Upon hearing the news, Aaron was instantly filled with panic. He fell to his knees with a thud and continuously slapped his own face in distress.
• “Dad, Dad, everything I said earlier was nonsense. I beg you, give me another chance, I won't spout nonsense again...”
• A three percent stake in the Weiss family's business represented assets worth over a billion. The annual dividends alone amounted to tens of millions at the very least.
• Over the years, he had been spending money lavishly all those years, living a life of luxury. He was given millions every year for discretionary spending. Asking him to live without it was like forcing him to live on nothing.
• “Maxim, throw him out!”
• “Yes, Old Mr. Weiss.”
• Maxim agreed. Then, he brought along two guards and made his way to Aaron's side.
• “Mr. Aaron, please leave!”
• “Get lost! Stop bothering me!” Aaron said with a harsh yet restrained tone. He was continuously waving his arms, not wanting the guard to grab him.
• “Apologies for the offense, Mr. Aaron!”
• Before Maxim had even finished speaking, he swiftly raised his hand and struck Aaron's neck. The blow interrupted the blood supply to his carotid artery, causing him to faint on the spot. He was then dragged away like a lifeless body.
• In that instant, no one else in the room dared to attack Skylar.
• Wallace had always doted on Bianca immensely. Now, with the addition of a grandson-in-law, it seemed his affection had doubled.
• Although it wasn't uncommon for Aaron to spout nonsense in previous meetings, it was the first time Wallace had lost his temper to such an extent.
• “Sky, please continue.” Wallace gestured with his hand.
• “Yes, Grandpa Wallace!”
• With the backing of Wallace, Skylar became more confident. He cast a glance over everyone present.
• “Even if we take a step back and assume that the housing prices don't plummet as dramatically, by the time our properties are up for sale, if the Burton family plays dirty and does something like spreading rumors about the quality of our buildings or promoting price reductions in neighboring properties, then forget about recouping our investment or making a profit...”
• Everyone was speechless and utterly stunned. Even thinking with their heels, they could understand that if they didn't divide the company shares, such a thing was bound to happen!
• “Go on!” Wallace broke the silence.
• “Let's talk about Platinum Home Appliances. With the rise of e-commerce and the yearly increase in rent, the home appliance retail industry has become a sunset industry. Looking at the numbers, although Platinum Home Appliances is turning a profit, the annual earnings are significantly shrinking each year. In another year or two, a significant number of store leases will gradually expire. If they are renewed, the rent will increase exponentially, eating into the profits and potentially leading to losses! By that time, we'll either be struggling to keep the business alive or gritting our teeth and closing down stores. Rather than that, it's better to just get rid of this burden right away!”
• After Skylar finished speaking, he picked up his tea cup and took a sip. Bianca watched her fiancé from the side, her eyes brimming with adoration.
• Bianca's father, Trevor, was also quietly nodding in approval at Skylar's excellence. He thought Wallace's discernment was incredibly sharp and that he had stumbled upon a treasure.
• It was worth noting that Skylar had only spent a full day at the Weiss family's residence. In just a few hours, after reviewing the reports from the Weiss family's businesses, he had gained such a comprehensive understanding of the family's situation and the dangerous predicament they were facing.
• Trevor believed that none of his siblings possessed such a skill.
• “All right, let's hear your thoughts!” Wallace spoke up once again.
• “I think Sky has a point. I agree with his proposal,” Trevor firmly expressed his support. Naturally, he had to back his own son-in-law.
• “From a financial perspective, I think Skylar's argument is quite logical. The revenue from Platinum Real Estate and Platinum Home Appliances has indeed shrunk significantly year by year, and the income from our other industries hasn't been sufficient to support continuous investment. Making a clean break now might not be such a bad idea!” Jolynn also voiced her opinion.
• “I object! The current economic environment may be tough for real estate developers, but if we weather this period, the property market will rebound sooner or later! Moreover, apart from Platinum Real Estate and Platinum Home Appliances, almost none of our businesses have ever made a profit of over a hundred million! In fact, more than half of them are operating at a loss!” Finnegan began to voice his dissent.