Chapter 573

Gregory Macmillan had been with Anderson Environmental for years, commanding enough respect that even Anthony Taylor had treated him with deference.

Now Evelyn Carter had parachuted in as his direct superior, and his displeasure was written all over his face.

In the conference room, Evelyn listened quietly to the heated arguments, her right hand jotting down key points in her notebook with a fountain pen.

Gregory made no attempt to hide his frustration, rapping his knuckles sharply against the table. "Last month's financial report is a disaster! Unpaid invoices, plummeting sales—what has the sales department been doing? And legal is utterly useless!"

The marketing director slammed his hands on the table. "How is this our fault? These policies were set by Mr. Taylor and left unchanged when Mr. Hamilton took over!"

The tension in the room thickened.

Evelyn quickly organized her thoughts and spoke at the right moment. "We can't change the past. Let's focus on damage control this month."

"Easier said than done," Gregory sneered. "Those overdue payments are tough nuts to crack."

"I'll review the contract details first, then discuss strategies with legal."

Gregory stood abruptly. "Wait? Does our cash flow have that luxury? Or are you planning to cover the shortfall out of your own pocket?"

Evelyn's gaze remained steady. "This client is important. We need to recover the debt without burning bridges."

Nathan Stapleton adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. "Nice words, Ms. Carter. But do you have an actual plan?"

Evelyn recognized the finance director and replied calmly, "I'm still getting familiar with operations. What do you suggest, Mr. Stapleton?"

Nathan smirked meaningfully. "You've done your homework—you even know who I am."

"I've reviewed everyone's profiles but am still matching names to faces." Evelyn turned to the other end of the room. "Is Henry Croix from legal here?"

A middle-aged man in the corner raised his hand. "That's me."

"You're the legal expert. I'd like your input."

Henry slowly twisted his wristwatch. "Frankly, we should just consult Mr. Hamilton."

The suggestion opened the floodgates. The room erupted.

"Exactly, Mr. Hamilton knows best!"

"Was Mr. Taylor joking, handing the company to his daughter like a toy?"

"Rumor has it Mr. Hamilton's already partnered with Leonard Laurent—he's abandoned us..."

Evelyn noted Henry's luxury watch. "That's an exquisite timepiece."

Henry preened. "Last year's seven-figure bonus bought me this little reward."

"So you admire Mr. Hamilton's leadership?"

"A man like him doesn't need admiration from the likes of me." Henry didn't bother hiding his intentions. "I'm considering moving to Hamilton Group."

Murmurs of agreement came from the corner. "Same here."

Evelyn smiled inwardly. Alexander Hamilton was indeed formidable—letting Andy Taylor wreak havoc while still commanding such loyalty.

Gregory seized the moment to attack. "Orders are drying up, Ms. Carter. We're surviving on old clients. Any brilliant ideas?"

The marketing manager chimed in, "We understand newcomers need time, but you can't rush things either."

The challenges kept coming.

"You're not from the construction industry, are you? No wonder you're unfamiliar. Our current policies were all drafted by Mr. Hamilton himself."

Evelyn remained unruffled. "Mr. Hamilton's contributions are undeniable, but we must learn to solve problems independently now."

Gregory abruptly changed tack. "There's a major project up for bid. Winning it would secure our workload for the year. Any thoughts?"

"I'll need details first." Though uncertain, Evelyn betrayed nothing. "Please send all relevant materials to my office. I'll review them promptly."