Chapter 251: Finally

Gray straightened his posture a little when Conrad walked in. Even though he had already been around him a few times, he had to admit that Conrad’s presence still carried authority, especially when he was all serious.The older man didn’t need to say much. He just stepped into the site, and suddenly, it was enough to shift the atmosphere.

"Mr. Everett, welcome." The Stoneworks director extended his hand to Conrad. His smile was huge, and the idolization was evident in his eyes.

"I appreciate all the effort you’ve put into this." Conrad shook the man’s hand with ease.

Dante also joined the conversation, almost too excited, "We made sure everything is perfect today. It’s an honor to have you here."

Conrad let out a soft chuckle and nodded, then his gaze shifted past them. His eyes landed on Gray and the rest of the people. For a moment, the edge of his lips curved into a faint smile.

"Excuse me for a moment," he nodded at the two men before walking past them.

The smile on Conrad’s face widened when he saw that his granddaughter was just beside Gray.

"Selina, Gray," he greeted the two.

"Grandpa," Selina greeted him warmly, her expression softened as she stepped forward. She leaned in for a short hug.

"You look lovely today, my dear," Conrad muttered. His voice was gentler now compared to how he spoke with the Stoneworks men.

"Thank you. But that’s now what you should point out. You should see the way people have been staring at you since you got out of the car, Grandpa. They’re all over you," Selina chuckled lightly.

"For an old man like me? I doubt it. All the attention belongs to you, young ones now." Conrad let out a low laugh at that, shaking his head.

After a second, his eyes moved to Gray. The warmth didn’t leave his face.

"And you, Gray," Conrad muttered before giving the man a small nod. "It’s good to see you again. I trust everything has been handled well so far?"

"Yeah. Stoneworks has been on top of everything. They made the process smoother than I expected."

"Good. That’s what I like to hear." Conrad’s hand gave Selina’s shoulder a light squeeze before he let go. His eyes moved back and forth between the two.

For a second, he seemed to want to say something more personal to them, or even tease them lightly. However, when he noticed the number of eyes that were staring in their direction, he decided to control himself.

"This project will mean a lot to many people. Make sure you both carry it well." Conrad cleared his throat.

Selina gave a small nod of understanding, while Gray responded with a simple, "We will."

Before they could talk for more, Dante’s voice carried across the site.

"Mr. Everett! If you’re ready, we’ll begin shortly."

Conrad gave one last look at his granddaughter and Gray before turning toward the stage.

"Let’s not keep everyone waiting."

The press was already starting to gather near the front. Cameras were standing almighty, filming the entire setup.

As Conrad began walking, Gray and Selina quickly followed from behind. Mara and Joel also followed closely.

The program started with Stoneworks’ director stepping up to the podium and the others sitting on the chairs. His tall figure straightened, and he smiled proudly at the crowd before speaking into the microphone.

"Good morning, everyone. Thank you for being here today to witness the groundbreaking of this new grocery branch. This project marks another step toward growth, not only for the company but for the community as well."

His voice could be heard across the site. The press leaned in to snap a few pictures of him while he spoke. A few murmurs came from the crowd, mostly from local officials and random people who just stopped by when they saw that there would be an event.

Gray sat in the front row, his hands loosely clasped in his lap. Even though he tried to appear relaxed, he couldn’t help but be a little nervous on the inside.

He had given a speech multiple times already. However, it was just different when it’s in front of a crowd, especially when there were random people passing by the area.

’Soon, it’ll be my turn to stand up there.’ He quietly inhaled, then let out a slow breath.

The director continued for a few more minutes, thanking the project partners and praising the effort everyone had put in. Finally, he turned toward Gray.

"And now," he said with a smile, "let us hear a few words from the man behind this project. Mr. Gray Adams!"

Applause filled the air afterward.

Gray stood up, buttoned his blazer, and walked toward the side, where the mic was standing. The flashes from cameras immediately fired off as soon as he stepped forward. He squinted slightly at the brightness but kept walking.

When he reached the mic, his eyes scanned the crowd. He spotted Mara giving him an encouraging nod, Joel looking more excited than nervous, and Selina smiling softly on him.

Gray cleared his throat before starting.

"Good morning, everyone," he began. "First of all, thank you for being here today. Seeing all of you here means a lot, not just to me, but to everyone who has worked hard to make this possible."

He paused, his eyes drifting briefly to the cleared land behind the banner.

"This isn’t just about building another branch," he continued. "It’s about providing something stable for the people who work here, and for the customers who will rely on this place. It’s about growth, yes, but also about community. I believe that every business should give back to the people it serves."

A murmur of agreement ran through the small crowd. The reporters typed quickly, their fingers moving rapidly across keyboards to note what Gray had just said.

Gray let out a quiet chuckle under his breath before adding, "I’ll keep this short. What matters most is what happens after today. For now, I just want to thank Stoneworks, my team, Conrad, and everyone who believed in this project. Without them, this wouldn’t even be possible."

He nodded once, then stepped back from the podium.

Applause filled the air again, louder this time.

As Gray walked back to his seat, Joel whispered to him, "Boss, that was clean. You didn’t even stutter once."

Gray smirked faintly, muttering back, "I almost did."

Next, Conrad was called up. His presence alone made the crowd instantly quiet again. Reporters leaned in as though they didn’t want to miss a single word that he would say. The press and photographers also almost went wild, capturing every single move of Conrad.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Conrad began, "I won’t take too much of your time either. What I want to say is simple. Growth like this is not just a business decision. It’s a responsibility. And I believe the people behind this project understand that well. I have faith in them."

He didn’t say much, but every word hit heavy on the people.

"With this, I am happy to announce that I am expecting something good at this store. A store that would hopefully serve the people in this place. That’s all. Thank you."

When Conrad stepped back, the applause almost shook the ground.

The staff then ushered the invited representatives—Gray, Conrad, Selina, Mara, Joel, Dante, and the director toward the row of ceremonial shovels. Each one of them took hold of a shovel, posing together.

"On three," One photographer called out, his grin wide as he pointed at his camera for everyone to look.wo, three!"

They all dug their shovels into the soil at the same time. The soil crunched softly under the shovel’s blades, and dirt lifted as they turned the soil together.

The flashes from cameras went off like fireworks. Reporters shouted from different angles—

"Over here!"

"Mr. Everett, look this way!"

"Mr. Adams, smile!"

"Ms. Selina, here!"

"Different pose, please!"

"Smile more!"

Joel, who wasn’t used to the spotlight at all, stiffly smiled at first. Mara nudged his elbow with hers, whispering through the corner of her lips, "Relax, Joel. You look like a statue."

Joel let out a small laugh, then loosened up a little, tilting the shovel as instructed. Gray caught the exchange and couldn’t help but laugh with them.

Selina, on the other hand, looked completely at ease. She lifted her chin slightly, giving the cameras a soft, elegant smile that only made the press snap faster. Standing beside her, Gray almost felt like he needed to straighten his posture more just so he wouldn’t look overshadowed.

Conrad stayed calm and composed the entire time, his shovel firmly in the dirt. He didn’t bother posing too much, but even then, the cameras seemed to prefer to capture his face.

Gray couldn’t blame them at all because it was Conrad they were talking about.

After a few more pictures, the staff signaled for them to lift the shovels out of the ground and step aside for another round of photos. This time, without the dirt. They simply posed side by side, marking the official start of the construction process.