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I laughed bitterly. After I deal with my uncle, he's next.
I had Will dig into the company's activities, find financial discrepancies, evidence of tax evasion.
I met with the other board members, one by one.
Now that I was back, there was no way I'd let my useless uncle Frank keep running the company into the ground. Only I could maximize its profits.
But looking deeper, I found three years of rot.
"You're telling me the company hasn't secured a single new deal in three years? Everyone's just coasting, and Uncle Frank has been embezzling funds non-stop?"
Will gave a weary smile. "You know what he's like, sir. Managers secured deals, he messed them up. Key staff saw the writing on the wall and left."
I sighed. If the Foster empire wasn't so vast, he would have bankrupted it in three years.
I'd been soft, left the Foster incompetents in place thinking they were harmless. I didn't expect anyone to be this stupid.
Will added, "Only the team loyal to you stayed. But without you, they had no incentive to care about the company."
"Now that you're back, they'll follow you again."
Thinking of them, I felt a pang of guilt.
They'd been with me since my days overseas. But I, manipulated by the Lawson sisters, signed my shares away. When they came to reason with me, I, the fool, threw them out. I'd hurt them.
I apologized to them personally. After handling other matters, I went to the company.
Foster Corp's headquarters was thirty-six stories tall. Whispering followed me everywhere.
"Is that Mr. Foster?"
"I thought he lost his mind?"
"He doesn't look it. Is he better?"
"Maybe he's faking?"
Will followed dutifully behind me. My uncle Frank got word and intercepted me with a group of lackeys halfway.
Frank was sweating. "Ethan! What brings you here today?"
He couldn't tell if I was still a fool, but his fear of me was instinctive.
I smiled faintly. "Uncle Frank. Three years. Didn't you miss me?"
Frank went pale, stammering, trying to play it cool. Probably thought his world was ending.
"Ethan, what nonsense. Weren't you… unwell? I was concerned about you."
I clapped a hand on his shoulder, a dominant gesture. "No need for your concern. Cut the crap. I'm back. Time to return the company."
Frank had only held the position for three years, hadn't nearly had his fill of power. He wasn't giving up.
"Ethan, I'm the majority shareholder now."
I signaled Will to present the evidence.
"Uncle, even majority shareholders can't break the law. Besides, most of the board supports me now."
Seeing the irrefutable proof, Frank trembled. As he was handcuffed, he found some bizarre courage to curse me.
"Ethan Foster! You vicious bastard! Playing meek as a kid, overthrowing your own father!"
"You think you're so great? Got played by two women! I'll wait for your downfall!"
I shrugged. "Whether I fall or not, you're finished now."
