Chapter 160 - 160: The Reason To Stay, The Reason To Leave

At exactly nine in the morning, Nathan attended the closed door emergency board of directors and stockholders meeting for Net International.

Outside the building, the protesters and the reporters were gathered around the area as they waited for the man, Nathan himself, to answer the allegations thrown unto him.

They felt that it was now his time to come out and clear his name as they still had given him the chance to explain.

The more he delayed explaining things, the more his reputation would be ruined.

Inside the main conference room, the board of directors together with the stockholders were patiently waiting for Nathan to show his face to them and explain everything. They were having a emergency close door meeting so a couple of armed men were guarding by the door for security reasons.

Seconds later, the silent corridor outside was disturbed by the steady footsteps of these pair of shoes which made them to subconsciously look towards the direction where the sound was coming from.

The guards on duty bowed down at him with respect and immediately opened the door for him and let his escorts in as well.

As soon as Nathan came in, everyone were amazed at how the man carried himself despite the tough situation that he was in at the moment.

Nathan walked in with his head held high and was exuding such intimidating and cold aura like his cold and aloof personality when those people important to him were not around especially Kim Eunji.

Nathan swept the entire place a quick glance and looked at his watch then indifferently looked at them again.

He could recognize a few familiar people. One of them was Andrew Johnson who was sitting near the podium. However, Nathan didn't bother on greeting him and instead looked at him straight in the eye as he said, "Start!"

Nathan had only uttered a single word which was enough for everyone to keep quite. That was how Nathan's effect on people especially to strangers had worked for him. Nathan then took a seat on his designated executive chair.

The spokesperson then stood up on the podium and started to welcome everyone who had attended the meeting despite their busy schedules.

"We are gathered here today to--"

Before he could even continue what he was about to say, Nathan cut him off and said decisively, "I want this meeting to be as quick as possible. I Still have a lot of things to do. And I don't have time for this nonsense."

Though he was speaking without any microphone, his baritone voice was loud enough and had successfully reached everyone's ears.

He was dying to call for Kim Eunji at the moment to check on her especially because of what she have done for him.

"Alright ladies and gent, you're all free to ask Master Bai. Who wants to go first?" The spokesperson started.

Nathan then stood up and made his way towards the podium.

Someone then stood up and raised his question the moment Nathan had reached the podium.

"We just wanted to know if all the allegations against you are true. Because if it is, then I think its time to change for a new CEO in this company."

"Right. I agree with Mr. Rey. If you'll remain as the CEO with your current reputation, the public will no longer have the confident for Net International anymore."

"Agree!"

They expressed their sentiments against the issue.

"Oh! I thought I am here to so-called defend and come clean with all the issues surrounding me and Net International. How come I was not informed that the moment I stepped my right foot into this room, you already given me as a guilty verdict. And worse, the moment I stepped into the room, seems like the majority had decided to replace me as the CEO of the company."

Nathan then sighed in disappointment.

"Alright! If that's what all of you wanted. I will step down as the CEO of Net International effective today.

The crowd erupted in heated discussion once again.

"Seriously?!"

No one had expected this to happen during this meeting.

No sane person would give up this position without fighting back.

Therefore in their eyes, Nathan's insane.

Nathan looked at everybody's faces and he sighed in disappointment in his heart.

He already saw this coming since he made the decision of stepping down from his current position as the CEO.

His decision was not because he was greatly affected by the issue there's more important reason than that.

But before they could criticize him for making such decision, Nathan said indifferently,

"I think it's far better to be just like you all, criticizing the top management for every mistakes they've made which could cause you to lose money. I think demanding as if you all are far superior than the top management because you had the title of a major shareholder of the company or the elder of the Johnson clan is far better than sitting on the swivel chair, and having some deep thoughts on how to improve the brand and the company itself for the better."

"After all, all you cared is how much your investments have earned for the month and not how the people behind the scenes of a successful product launch had worked their b*tt off just to make every launched product earned the desired results."

"You can't blame us for thinking such Nathan. We have families to feed as well. And besides, your current reputation had jeopardized Net International's reputation."

"Yes, I agree. This was not the first time that you were involved in some scandal. You had been labeled as a Casanova for years now. The good thing was that it didn't affect Net International much than now. You have had proven your capabilities to us but I am afraid your efforts as the CEO for us won't be enough when Net International would be facing bankruptcy as a result of your actions."

"I admit, I was quite such a selfish jerk back then. I got involved with quite a number of people whom you only dreamed to meet in this lifetime but they were all going after me. But never mind about that. That was all in the past. I have changed greatly." He proudly emphasized the last part.

"You wanted me out of my CEO position, I could do that but I hope you'll bear the consequences." Nathan then inwardly sighed afterwards.

What Nathan meant was that though the products were launched by Net International, Nathan still retained the full ownership of the product. Therefore if he leaves, the product would come with him as well.

So they would definitely lose the number one source of their income.

If they still insisted on using his products and decided on selling his programs and products to the public, then they had to pay him which was equal to the seventy-five percent of the entire sales as royalties.

Nathan's tech inventions and anti-virus software and applications had been very popular among the technology enthusiasts for the past couple of years.

Also, Nathan had inherited his grandfather's shares which was equivalent to thirty-percent of the company's shares.

So even if he was no longer on position as the highest management executive, he could still earn through royalties and dividend shares every year.

And he would have more time to take good care of his pregnant wife.

"So your decision to step down from the position only means that you are guilty right of everything right?" One of the stockholders said.

"I'm not admitting nor denying everything. You'll know the answer during the press conference after this. You're all free to watch, and see the answers for yourselves. What I only cared is that my family never believed such rumors." Nathan answered him.

After saying that, Nathan then placed the microphone back to the microphone stand and then walked away, then out of the room leaving everyone dumbfounded.

Inside the same building, all of the local media who had taken the coverage of the case since day one were now seated on the chairs of the amphitheater.

When Nathan came in, they were amazed and in daze by how handsome he actually looked like.

This was the first time that Nathan had granted the media for interviews and press conference therefore they only have scarce amount of his photos in their portfolio.

Just like earlier, the moderator asked Nathan trivial questions which were indirectly related to his issues.

"First, stealing of ideas between its employees and the company never happened in Net International ever since I took the position of the CEO. I will bet my name and reputation as an ex-member of the Japanese army in line if you'll claim that I am a robber. When in fact it was I who was being robbed and not the other way around!"

Murmurs erupted in the room.

"Months ago, Mr. Harold was captured by the CCTV camera forcing himself to enter into the company's server room."

Nathan deliberately mentioned the guys name as he wanted to be transparent once and for all.

"Do you have any evidence in your claim?" It was Andrew Johnson who had just entered from the other room calmly asked him.

He was acting like trying to be unbiased towards Nathan when in fact, he was confident that Nathan could not support his claim that Mr. Harold forcedly entered the server room and did something in there.

"Now...you might find my claim ridiculous right? After all, Net International is a multi-billion dollar tech company. So how come someone was able to do that to begin with?"

Nathan swept everyone a glance as if checking for their reaction. So far, those who had been bad mouthing him had finally stopped and seemed like they were listening to him.

More like they were waiting for him to commit a mistake and made himself a laughing stock. Or worse, be arrested by the authorities any time by now.

They were so sure that they had defeated Nathan since he decided to step down from his position but little did they know, there's more to come on the table.

The NaEun tandem had just started their task on making those with guilty acts received their rightful punishment.