America: My Time

Chapter 105 Family Annual Meeting
Chapter 105 Family Annual Meeting
Do you think John will accept the role of family successor?

"No, I don't think John will accept it. John is more confident and stronger than his family members imagine. If there weren't so many restrictions on the family heir, perhaps he would accept it. Now John has his own business, and a business that is stronger than the family's. There is no reason for him to give up his own business to take over the family business and be restricted by others."

"Yes, John's pride makes it impossible for him to accept this. Although he has huge loan pressure, in terms of net worth, John's businesses are comparable to the family's. Not to mention, John has expansion plans. How could he give up his business at this time? The family has gone too far. They are clearly trying to kick John out!"

"That's good. The atmosphere in the family has changed a lot because of John's rise. It's good for John to get out of the family strife sooner. The longer it drags on, the more disadvantageous it will be for him. If he gets out now, John will only have to take on a small responsibility. The longer it drags on, the greater the responsibility he will have to take, and the more those greedy bastards will want to take advantage of John."

This is the reality of large families. No matter how strict the family rules are, there will always be some shameless and greedy people. Moreover, in the face of absolute interests, these people always have this or that greed. Some people are afraid that if John continues to develop, the family business will fall into John's hands, so they are in such a hurry to give John this choice and kick him out of the game.

“I think if John refuses the title of heir, he should directly repay the funds given to him by the family and sever the financial ties with the family. John has the ability to repay these funds now.”

“That’s right. If John refuses the title of family heir, I will advise him to repay the funds the family has given him directly, doubling the repayment to sever his ties with the family’s interests. Since those people don’t want John to receive support and help from the family, I don’t want them to bleed John dry. John has no such responsibility! Although John received support from the family when he was growing up, that support was limited and so short-lived. A double repayment is enough to pay off everything!”

Parents don't want to see their children being schemed against, even by family members. At this moment, neither Smith nor Anna wanted John to have deeper financial ties with the Bayard family, but it was John's choice to make.

Smith and Anna felt that their family members only wanted to benefit from John without paying anything in return, which was unacceptable and unacceptable to them. As parents, they needed to make arrangements for John and prevent those bloodsuckers in their family from profiting!
Making this decision at this time, everyone in the family was trying to scheme against John. If he accepted the family heirship, they could use John's abilities to increase the family's assets, and even profit in the family's name when the game went public. John owned numerous companies, representing a huge fortune. If he refused, it was even easier; they could simply exclude John from the family's financial circle, reducing a competitor!
It's fair to say that the family's higher-ups had their own agendas when they made this choice at this time, something Smith and Anna could see. That's why they didn't want to give these people the opportunity to leech off John and wanted to sever the connection between John and these vampires in the family!

The reason John wasn't told beforehand was to let him know the treachery of these 'vampires' within the family and to see just how fierce the internal struggles were. Given John's current status, there was no need for him to get involved in the family's internal conflicts. The family's wealth was unimportant to him, and there was no need to waste his energy on family feuds!

If this were at the beginning, before John had developed his power, the family's influence would have been crucial and helpful. However, the past year had allowed John to grow strong enough that he no longer needed the family's assistance. The family's decision at this juncture only reflects the intense and frenzied internal power struggles within the family – a true reflection of the reality of large families!
Four days before Christmas, it was time for the family gathering, and John and his family returned home. While everyone maintained a facade of harmony, tensions were brewing beneath the surface. John sensed the undercurrents and inwardly sneered. Someone was already targeting him; this family gathering seemed anything but ordinary!
After dinner, the family gathering officially began. John, his father Smith, along with members of various branches of the family and those slated to inherit the family business, gathered in the conference room to discuss John's potential succession. All family members were present at this gathering, totaling over twenty people, each representing a significant portion of the family's power.
The family patriarch was John's grandfather, Martin. At the beginning of the meeting, Martin asked, "John, are you willing to accept the identity of the family heir and serve the family?"

Faced with his grandfather's question, John's expression hardened. He knew nothing about the family heir, and his parents had not told him that this issue would be discussed at today's gathering. So John turned his gaze to his father, Newsmith!

Seeing John's questioning gaze, Smith calmly said, "John, don't be nervous. The reason I didn't tell you in advance was so that you could make your own decision without any burden."

As soon as Smith finished speaking, the family members frowned. They hadn't expected Smith to fail to inform John of the important content of today's meeting beforehand, which greatly displeased them. John instantly understood his father's intention, and his expression hardened as he said in a deep voice, "If I accept the title of heir, what will I have to give up, and what benefits will I receive?"

Upon hearing John's words, Martin couldn't help but sigh inwardly. The old men who were plotting to seize John's wealth also sighed inwardly. They understood that John would not accept the identity of the family heir, and that John had even developed a slight aversion to the family and had already sensed the family's intentions.

"What you have to give up is loyalty to the family, accepting the family's assets, and overseeing the development of those assets. As for the benefits, as a member of the family, you shouldn't be asking that question. As a family member, you should contribute your strength to the family. If you really want to talk about benefits, then you will receive the family's full support!"

"Hehe! It seems I can't accept this identity. I don't have time to contribute to the development of the family. I have my own career and need to complete my studies. Time is very tight for me. I appreciate the family's good intentions, but this identity should be left to someone else who is capable!"

“John, you know that after making this decision, you will no longer be able to get any more help from the family. The family's resources will not be wasted on you, and you will also lose your right to inherit the family's assets. You should think this through!”

“I’ve thought this through very clearly. I don’t want to be controlled by others. What I pursue is freedom. The identity of the family heir has too many constraints and is not suitable for me. I don’t want even my own life to be restricted by others, so I’m giving it up. I will repay the family’s financial assistance twofold, and if possible, I will no longer participate in family meetings!”

"John, do you know what you're saying?" In an instant, Martin's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected John to make such a decision, and neither had anyone in the family. John was saying something like this, which meant separating from the family. This was an outcome none of them had anticipated.

Faced with his grandfather's questioning, John calmly replied, "I know what I'm saying. If it weren't for my father's request, and if it weren't for respect for the family, I would be in Europe by now. My time is very tight, and I have many things to deal with. I really don't have that much time to waste on such trivial matters as family gatherings. Besides, I'm not involved in the family business, nor am I inheriting the family's assets, so there's naturally no need for me to attend such a gathering. It's better for everyone!"

"John, how can you be so selfish? Without the family's help, you wouldn't have achieved what you have today!" Soon, someone in the family, dissatisfied with John's attitude, stood up and criticized him.

Before John could speak, an elder shouted angrily, "Shut up! How dare you say such a thing? Every family member has the right to make their own choices. It is only right for the family to help its members. John, don't take his words to heart!"

"It's nothing. The family did provide me with some assistance, I admit that. Although it's a family rule, I did accept the family's help and the funds they provided, so I'm willing to return double. I believe that's enough to offset the help the family gave me. You say I'm selfish, and it's true that I have selfish motives, but who among us here dares to say they don't? I may be young, but I'm not stupid. I have my own thoughts and my own wisdom. There are some things I can't say out loud. I have other things to do, so I won't stay here any longer!"

With that, John stood up, bowed to everyone, and left the meeting room without giving the family elders a chance to explain. In John's view, there was no need to. When they made this decision, they should have thought about his reaction. There is no reward without sacrifice. These old guys in the family only want to gain benefits from him without wanting to pay the price. How could that be? Moreover, these people have no right to criticize him. They were the ones who plotted against him first, not the other way around!
(End of this chapter)