Chapter 60: Gathering Facts

Emerald’s POV

The moment we touched down in Boston, I felt a strange sense of relief.

The private terminal was quiet when we stepped out of the jet. A car was already waiting nearby, with a driver standing beside it.

Professor King glanced at me. "I can drop you off."

I hesitated for only a second before nodding. There was no need to complicate things by arranging another ride. And besides, his was more convenient.

"Thank you."

He gave the driver a brief instruction, and we got into the back seat. The ride started quietly.

I looked out through the window, watching Boston pass by as we left the airport behind. Michael sat beside me, equally quiet. I wasn’t uncomfortable, exactly, but I was conscious of his presence in a way I hadn’t been before.

Perhaps it was because we had just spent several hours on his private jet discussing Mercer Technologies.

Or perhaps it was because I was still thinking about everything he had said.

I had always considered Mercer my company because of what I had invested in it years ago. But he had made me see it differently.

It wasn’t just a company. It was a structure made up of shareholders, directors, executives, money and influence. And if I wanted it back, I had to understand them all.

We were approaching the campus when Professor finally spoke. "Why did you choose to live in the dorm?"

I turned towards him. That was an out-of-the-blue question, but I had no issues responding. "I didn’t choose it. My grandfather did."

His brows furrowed slightly. I just knew that he might be wondering how others still made decisions for a ground-ass adult woman like me. Regardless, I continued with my explanation.

"I came to accept it eventually. It keeps me away from unnecessary distractions. I’m here to get my MBA, and I need to focus on getting the results he expects from me."

He finally understood. "Do you accept visitors?" he asked.

I frowned slightly. "Visitors?"

"At the dorm," he clarified.

I stared at him for a moment, wondering why he was asking. For some strange reason, the thought crossed my mind that perhaps he was asking because he wanted to visit me there.

I immediately dismissed the thought. Why would he want to come to my dorm room? He had no reason to. That would be weird.

"Visitors are allowed," I answered. "But I’ve never had one."

"Never?" He raised a questioning brow.

I shook my head. "And I’m not planning to." I had to put that out there, just in case other ideas were coming together somewhere.

Something about his expression changed. He seemed to relax, and I could have sworn I heard him release a quiet sigh.

I stared at him, wondering if I had imagined it.

The car soon pulled up in front of my dorm. And just then, Professor King glanced at me. "Remember the tasks."

"I haven’t forgotten," I said to him. Then he went ahead with more specific instructions.

"I want everything in a file. Shareholders, board members, executives, their positions, and where you believe each person stands. Do as much research as you can before we speak again."

I nodded. "I will."

"By Saturday or Sunday," he finished.

"I will have it ready," I replied, already sticking the timeline into my memory. Then I picked up my bag and opened the door. "Thank you for the ride, Professor King."

"You’re welcome," he replied shortly.

I stepped out and closed the door behind me. The car stayed there for a few seconds before driving away. I watched it disappear before turning towards the dorm.

Once I reached my room, the first thing I did was call my father. He answered after a few rings.

"Emerald?"

"Hi, Dad. I’m back in Boston."

"Already?"

"Yes. I just got to the dorm."

"Good. I will let your mother know."

"Please do. I don’t want her wondering where I am."

He chuckled. "Don’t worry. Also, your car is already in Boston. You can pick it up anytime tomorrow."

I smiled. "Thank you, Dad."

"You’re welcome. Get some rest."

"I will. Good night."

After ending the call, I changed into something comfortable and headed for the small kitchen area.

It was already late, and I wasn’t interested in preparing anything complicated. I made pancakes with the instant mix I already had on the shelf, and a cup of instant hot chocolate.

The drink wasn’t nearly as good as the one I had at the café with Professor King, but it was decent enough.

I ate quickly. Then I returned to my desk, opened my laptop and began working.

I started all over again with the information that was easiest to find online, including Mercer’s major shareholders, the board, senior executives, recent company announcements, financial reports, and changes in leadership.

Anything that could help me understand what had happened to the company while I was away.

I opened several documents and began taking notes.

There was no point in making calls tonight. It was too late, and I needed to approach the people involved properly instead of rushing into conversations without knowing what I was looking for.

So, I focused on gathering everything I could from public sources.

Tomorrow, I would begin the calls. By Friday, I wanted to have enough material to properly organise everything.

Professor King had given me a deadline, and I intended to meet it.

---

The following morning, I woke up earlier than I normally would.

After brushing my teeth, I went straight to the small kitchenette and prepared a bowl of instant noodle soup. It wasn’t anything special, but it was quick, and that was all I needed.

I carried it to my desk and started eating while going through the notes I had made the previous night.

Professor King had cancelled his morning class with us for this Monday, which meant I didn’t have to rush to school early. I decided to use the extra time properly.

Once I finished eating, I picked up my phone and started making calls.

This time, I was more careful about whom I contacted. The last time I tried to gather information about Mercer, I relied heavily on one person I knew I could trust. I wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

One person could provide useful information, but one person could also become a single point of failure, so I reached out to several people who had worked around Mercer over the years and whom I believed had enough discretion to keep our conversations private.

I didn’t tell anyone more than they needed to know.

I asked questions, listened, and took notes. Some of the answers confirmed things I already suspected. Others gave me information I hadn’t considered.

Most importantly, I was beginning to see the company differently.

There were people who supported Kelvin. There were people who appeared neutral. There were also a few whose opinions seemed less settled than I had expected.

I recorded every name carefully. I didn’t make accusations, and I didn’t tell anyone what I intended to do with the information.

For now, I was simply gathering facts.

Two hours later, I finally put my phone down. I had several pages of notes in front of me and enough information to continue my research after class.

I glanced at the time and realised I needed to get ready.

I quickly freshened up, changed into my outfit for the day, and packed the documents I would need. Then I picked up my bag and left, locking the door behind me.