The day after Christmas.

  On a day like this, people are supposed to stay home ae with their families. But for the executives of Wayerprises, especially those who own shares, it wasn’t a good day.

  They had already received word that their main supporter, Earle, and his advisor, Edward, had been attacked by the Joker at his vil. Dozens of people, including bodyguards, were killed.

  Of course, that wasn’t the most important part. The Jang, being a criminal anization, could justify attag anyone.

  What was truly critical, however, was that nearly at the same time, on Christmas night, they all received a message from Alfred, inviting them to Wayerprises the following day to discuss some important matters.

  In fact, they didn’t want to go.

  It was clear to ah a sharp eye that Earle’s death had to be ected to Alfred in some way.

  Eveorious Jang, known for its madness, could very well have beely supported by Alfred, this so-called "ho" man.

  But they didn't dare not show up.

  Ohey arrived, they could at least chat a little in the meeting room. If they didn’t e, they might be the oo meet their end.

  As these executives sat in the meeting room, trembling in fear, Reid was driving with Tony, heading towards Wayerprises.

  After getting out of the car, Tony immediately looked up at the Wayower. After a brief moment, he nodded as if satisfied.

  "Not bad... not bad. Wayower isn’t as tall as Stark Tower, which is good."

  Reid didn’t ent on Tony’s odd sense of petition and quickly led him to the elevator, bringing him to the door of the meeting room.

  "Please wait a moment."

  After signaling Tony to wait, Reid pushed the door open aered the meeting room.

  As Reid’s footsteps echoed, the murmur of versations immediately stopped. Everyone in the room gave him a stiff smile as he walked in.

  Reid didn’t say a word at first. He simply made his way to the mai, pced the e with Bruce Wayne’s name on it, and indicated that he was there to represent Bruce Wayne in the meeting. The down and began the increasingly tense expressions of the others in the room.

  "Well... Alfred, now that everyone is here, why don’t you go ahead and tell us about the so-called important matters?"

  Finally, someone couldn’t hold bay longer and spoke up.

  If they kept dragging this out, they’d start suspeg that the Jang had used this time to hold their families hostage.

  "Apologies, I was just lost in thought." After someone spoke up, Reid responded with a slightly sarcastie.

  "I thought no one would care about an old man’s words, but to my surprise, all thevexecutives are present. Very good... very good..." Although his words were sarcastic, for some reason, when Alfred spoke them, they carried an air of elegance.

  "Since you all are willing to listen, I’ll speak pinly. Starting today, Wayerprises will halt all preparations for the listing. Until the rgest shareholder, Bruce Wayne, returns, we will not discuss these matters again."

  "You must be dreaming! Alfred!"

  Finally, someone couldn’t take the pressure and stood up in anger, shouting loudly.

  "You only care about proteg your master's is, but do you realize that with the disappearance of Bruce Wayne, Wayerprises isn’t just stagnant anymore? The pany is in rapid dee. Going publibsp;is the only way to save it. If things go the way you’re suggesting, Bruce Wayne might not eveurn before Wayerprises goes bankrupt!"

  Just as Reid had always said, Earle's suggestion to take the pany public wasn’t driven solely by personal greed.

  The bigger reason was the desperate situation after losing the pany's pilr.

  So, as he listeo the angry accusations directed at him, Reid didn’t show any anger. He simply looked at the speaker calmly.

  "Sir... have you finished speaking?”

  "Y-Yes, I’m done."

  After the outburst, the executive expected Alfred to respond with anger, but to his surprise, Alfred seemed pletely unfazed, simply listening quietly. This behavior made the executive feel uneasy.

  "Everyone..." Reid sighed, then tinued.

  "Please don’t treat me like a foolish old man. I uand the crisis Wayerprises is fag. That’s why I’ve found a way to help the pany survive without going public." With that, Reid turo the door and called out.

  "Mr. Stark, please e in."

  As soon as he finished speaking, Tony pushed open the meeting room door and swaggered ihen sat down directly in Earle’s chair.

  "I never expected that such a rge pany would have such a useless group of executives. All they think of is going publid they ’t find any other way out. At least Alfred is smarter."

  Reid’s eye twitched slightly. Although Tony raising him, for some reason, it didn’t feel pleasant. But luckily, after the mockery, Tony got straight to the point.

  At 21, he was young and brash, but he wasn’t as arrogant as the man he would bee years ter.

  The partnership with Wayerprises wasn’t charity; it was mutual be, so Tony wasn’t about to burn bridges with them.

  While Alfred could ehe stability of the partnership, it was these people who would actually carry out the work.

  "Alfred and I have already reached a sensus, and here are the dots for the cooperatioween Stark Industries and Wayerprises.”

  With that, Tony tossed the same dots he had showhe day before to the executives in the room.

  The executives, no longer in the mood to be angry, immediately began reviewing the materials.

  With their experiehey quickly assessed the potential bes of the partnership.

  "Is this for real, Mr. Stark?"

  It wasn’t that no one had wondered whether Stark Industries roag with ill iions, perhaps pnning to secretly trol Wayerprises from within.

  However, when they sidered Tony Stark’s current situation, along with Alfred’s attitude, they quickly dismissed that thought.

  Things could ge iure, but at least for now, they felt that Tony was genuinely ied in a partnership.

  Like Stark Industries, Wayerprises was involved in the arms trade.

  But uark Industries, Wayerprises didn’t just focus on arms.

  In Gotham, Wayerprises had a hand in various industries—electricity, water supply, and more. Wayne's influence could be seen in almost every sector.

  This was also the reason why the four major families of Gotham held such weight.

  "Alright, this cooperation looks good. We agree!"

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