The hall descended into a brief uproar. Most of the shareholders had yet to realize what had happened and were whispering among themselves about the deeper meaning behind Bruce's words and actions.
Only Jacob cast the young man an approving look.
The Crime Alley shooting had also robbed him of his only sister and his close friend Thomas. Perhaps he was the one who could empathize most with Bruce.
It had taken Jacob years to emerge from his grief, let alone a child of only eight.
The last time he had seen Bruce had been two years ago.
The gloomy, taciturn young man, dressed entirely in black, had sat in a corner of the reception room, looking as though he wanted to hide his entire body in the shadows.
Jacob had not known how to begin, and Bruce had shown no interest in exchanging pleasantries. They had sat in silence for a full ten minutes.
Throughout that time, Bruce had watched Jacob with an almost scrutinizing gaze. It had made his uncle deeply uncomfortable; at one point, he had even felt as though he were facing a gargoyle carved from marble.
Now, however, he caught the stirrings of human emotion in Bruce's eyes, faint though they were.
That also convinced him that Bruce's speech had come from the heart.
"Thank you for tolerating me all these years. From now on, I will take full control of the company. Unlike when I operated behind the scenes, I will spend more time here and participate in major decisions, ensuring that the company cannot fall into the hands of those with ulterior motives."
Bruce lowered the microphone and looked straight at Harold.
After his initial shock and anger, Harold had gradually calmed down. He broke free of the security guards trying to escort