Suddenly, Sophie recalled something Odie had once told her.


    "It''s easy for someone like you, born with a silver spoon, to talk about dignity. But what do you really know? You value your pride over your life. The underdogs have their own way of surviving-they don''t need dignity, just the will to keep going."


    Sophie furrowed her brows, turning to Jenna. "Jenna, didn''t you say Elodie was abandoned in the countryside as a kid and had to endure over a decade of hardship?"


    "Yeah, that''s right."


    "Then how could she not understand the struggles of the underdogs trying to survive?"


    Jenna looked puzzled, but before she could respond, Elodie and Bea walked up to the stage hand in hand. Elodie wore a bold purple satin gown, exuding confidence. She smiled warmly and announced, "Thank you all foring to the Reeves International and Burke International coboration dinner. I am also here to announce that I will be taking over as the head of Burke International, leading it to an even brighter future."


    The crowd exchanged astonished nces.This content is ? N?velDrama.Org.


    This was unexpected.


    James hadn''t been seen in public for days, and if he was indeed stepping down as CEO, he should have addressed the shareholders personally.


    Jenna spoke up, "Ms. Troy, no offense, but do you really think you can take over Burke International? If I''m not wrong, you don''t hold any shares in Burke International, do you?"


    Hearing Jenna, several other shareholders nodded in agreement. They had all been eyeing the CEO position, and the thought of an outsider like Elodie stepping in didn''t sit well with them.


    "Who says Elodie doesn''t have shares?" Bea interrupted. "I have transferred all of my ten percent shareholding to Elodie. Naturally, she is qualified to run for CEO of Burke International."


    A few major shareholders grumbled in discontent.


    "Bea, we support the cobo


    between Burke and Reeves


    International, but the CEO


    recement is not something you can decide alone."


    "Bea, we respect you, but your shares alone can''t dictate this decision."


    Caught in the tension, others remained silent, watching the drama unfold.


    Elodie chimed in, "Relying on Bea''s shares afone may not be enough but if Mr. Burke''s shares were also transferred to me, then I suppose there would be no objections, right?"


    The crowd was taken aback.


    "What? Mr. Burke?"


    "Hasn''t Mr. Burke been missing for a long time? How could he suddenly transfer Burke International to Elodie?"


    Jenna and Adler exchanged confused looks, unsure of what was happening.


    Only Sophie looked deeply concerned.


    Just then, James walked up from the back of the room. He appeared unchanged from thest time anyone had seen him.


    As James appeared, cameras from major media outlets focused on him. d in a sleek ck suit, his expression was stern, his eyes cold. "Mr. Burke! Is that really Mr. Burke?"


    "Mr. Burke, what''s going on? Are you really stepping down?"


    Vol


    People couldn''t believe James would resign amidst this turmoil. Under the watchful eyes of the public, James dered, "Burke International will be taken over by Elodie, and I will be stepping down as CEO of Burke International."