The Phantom Heiress Rising From The Shadows

Chapter 181 Let Rosie Off

This Time

Dalton was taken aback and refused without a second thought. He said, "Dad, I still want to act. Don't try to change my mind. We agreed from the beginning- Ernst would run the company, and I could do whatever I

wanted."

He immediately regretted the harsh words he had aimed at Ernst earlier. His father's stern expression made him uneasy.

When he glanced at Giselle, who remained silent, he realized his father wasn't joking this time.

Ready to get away quickly, Dalton turned for the elevator.

"Stop right there!" Shepard barked. "Trying to run away again?"

Dalton stopped unwillingly and quickly voiced a thought that had just occurred to him. "Dad, you can't just change your mind. We had an agreement... Moreover, I think Ernst has been doing well managing the Harper Group. Even if he made a mistake, shouldn't he have a chance to fix it?"

Feeling a little bad about what he had just said, he looked at Brenna.

Brenna's expression stayed calm. She had no intention of arguing and simply watched him quietly, waiting to hear what he would say next.

Dalton felt cornered. "Dad, Brenna, how about this? Ernst accepts the punishment and leaves the Harper Group, just like we originally agreed. But what if we compromise? Let him step away for just a year, and then give him a chance to come back to the company. That would work, right?”

Shepard wasn't asking Ernst to step down merely because of the bet. He genuinely believed that Ernst wasn't thinking clearly and that placing the Harper Group in his hands was far too risky.

Even if he allowed Ernst to return to the company in the future, he didn't want him to be the CEO.

Shepard said, "No. This isn't up for debate. Wrap up your current projects and stop accepting new scripts. I'll handle things in the Harper Group for the next six months. After that, you are taking over the company."

Dalton turned to look at Brenna, and suddenly, his eyes lit up with an idea. Smiling broadly, he said, "Dad, how about letting Brenna take control of the company? I hear she is doing a fantastic job running two studios, bringing in billions annually, even outperforming some Harper Group subsidiaries. She has a real talent for management. Why not let her take over?"

He flashed a triumphant smile, convinced he had just come up with the perfect solution.

Shepard also recognized that. Despite being a woman, Brenna had demonstrated exceptional management skills and possessed a strong educational background. Her reputation within the Harper Group had also been

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rising steadily recently.

"Brenna, what do you say?" Shepard asked, genuinely open to the idea. After all, Brenna was a member of the Harper family and more than qualified to inherit the family business.

Brenna let out a soft laugh. "Dad, not a chance. I'm too busy. I just took on a major project of designing a fighter jet for the Weapons Research Institute, and I'm also working on a new system."

She dropped her trump card, effectively refusing Shepard's suggestion.

Everyone was shocked, but no one was more stunned than Shepard. He had always recognized Brenna's talent in mechanical design, but he had never imagined she would be working on fighter jets.noveldrama

This was a matter of national significance. Shepard nodded vigorously, his gaze fixed on Brenna with a new admiration. "Brenna is by far the most accomplished of all the Harper children!" he remarked.

Giselle approached Brenna, clasping her hand with excitement. "Yes, Brenna truly is the most capable. What you are doing now is very important."

Then, she turned to Dalton, her expression stern. "You have said enough. Start preparing to leave the entertainment industry."

Dalton pouted, clearly unwilling to accept his fate.

After a long silence, Ernst finally spoke. “I agree with Dad's decision. I have made mistakes, and I'm willing to

step down for a few years."

Shepard gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "You have several businesses under

your management. Focus on managing those for now."

"Alright," Ernst agreed with a hint of reluctance, though his tone remained respectful. “Dad, I don't have any other requests. I just have one thing to ask- please spare Rosie. She has been through a lot."

Shepard let out a dry scoff. "When have I ever gone after her?"

Ernst was rendered momentarily speechless by that. He didn't know how to respond.

He was stunned to discover that Brenna had connections at the national level. He had clearly underestimated

her.

A sense of inferiority crept in. However, he still saw Brenna as somewhat petty and vindictive.

Even though Brenna and Rosie weren't even in the same league, Ernst still felt Brenna should show a bit more grace and let Rosie off the hook.

Turning to her, he said, “Brenna, as your brother, I'm asking you to let Rosie off this time."

Brenna's gaze turned ice-cold as she met his eyes. "As long as she doesn't cause trouble for me, I won't make a move against her."

Shepard's anger flared, his voice sharp as he said to Ernst, "You better make sure Rosie backs off. She has been like this since she was a kid-stubbornly determined to get whatever she wants, no matter the cost. You know that better than anyone."

Though feeling frustrated, Dalton found himself agreeing with his father. "Yeah, we spoiled Rosie growing up. Ernst, you need to have a word with her properly. She needs to change her ways and stop targeting Brenna.

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