Chapter 518

The crowd voiced their approval.

"Exactly! Stop supplying Daniela!"

"Let Daniela see what we're made of!"

"Marc, don't worry. We support you!"

Voices overlapped in the room. Yet, Marc Green remained silent in his chair, uttering not a word.

In the harsh world of business, any sign of weakness could provoke an attack. The same friends who supported him today might exploit him if he showed any real vulnerability.

Hackett looked over at Marc, who was quiet, and smiledslightly. "Marc, why so silent? It's not the end of the world. Your business doesn't rely solely on Daniela's orders, right?"

Another man interjected, "Exactly! Our association is strong. If Daniela stops her orders, we'll help you.What do you think?"

"Also, you've always complained about Elite Lux's strict standards. Now's your chance to break away and prove your worth. Isn't this the perfect opportunity?"

"Come on, Marc. Daniela is just a woman. What's there to be afraid of? What can she really do to you? She'll come crawling back for your materials soon."

The group's enthusiasm grew as they spoke louder, their confidence building.

They all were eager to bring Daniela down a notch.。

The idea of a successful company led by a woman seemed to irritate these men.

They were determined to undermine her, asserting that true success was still a man's domain.

Furthermore, they believed the reputation of their trade association shouldn't suffer because of this. Marc remained silent for a long while.

At last, under their intense gazes, he responded in a calm tone, "You can support me now, but can you continue to do so forever?"

Elite Lux was a globally renowned luxury brand.

Although Marc had often complained about their strict quality requirements, the substantial payments they made were beneficial.

The five-year contract with Elite Lux had been reassuring. If Marc terminated it prematurely and Daniela chose another supplier, would he not become merely a tool in their hands?

Hackett observed Marc reflecting, a smirk of ridicule crossing his face briefly.

A second later, he sighed again. "Alright, Marc, I understand. We shouldn't pressure you like this. Let's pretend we never had this discussion."

Hackett's act of swallowing his pride left a faint sense of guilt hanging in the room.

Someone said, "Marc, I hear you have a five-year deal with Daniela. It's just for five years,right? Why don't you show us the contract? Whatever she's buying, we can take it off your hands!"

The suggestion ignited excitement among the crowd.

With some hesitation, Marc took out the contract.

A hush fell over the room as they began to read through it.

Hackett, grinning mischievously, picked up the document. "What's the matter? What's with the silence? Is it such a bigissue? It's only a five-year commitment...".

But as hespoke, his smile gradually disappeared, and his face stiffened.

He could no longer find humor in the situation.

"Marc, are you serious? Is this the volume you supply to Elite Lux?" "Wait, is your entire company dependent on Elite Lux?"

"Is this even real? How are we supposed to handle such a large amount?"

"That's not fair,Marc."

One of the quieter guys exchanged a glance with Hackett, then patted Marc on the shoulder. "Marc, this isn't right. Remember when your daughter was kidnapped abroad? Hackett saved her. Without his help,who knows what might have happened? Now it's time for you to repay him, don't you think?"

Marc's stomach dropped at the memory.

Hackett dismissed it with an air of false humility."Oh,that was nothing significant."

"Nothing?" the other man retorted."Marc1Hackett saved your life. Now he's been offended, and you won't support him? Do you even belong to this association? Look, we're not abandoning you. We'll take twenty percent of the order. You figure out the rest. It'll work itself out, right?"

Before Marc could respond, Hackett stood up. "Thanks, Marc. Don't look so down. Daniela's big orders mean she depends on you, doesn't she? She won't dare upset you. Maybe she'll even beg you later. What do you think?"

Marc responded with a forced,bitter laugh.

Leaving the trade association, he felt an overwhelming weight on his heart.

The underlying message from everyone was clear: they wanted him to test the boundaries.

If he didn't comply, he risked being expelled from the association.

Daniela was reviewing documents in her office when Lillian knocked on the door. "Daniela, Marc is here. He wants to meet with you."