They had handed out monetary benefits and had compensated the rest of the companies by giving them more business opportunities through their own firms.

All of their efforts had been directed towards putting a halt to the Windsor family’s sugar business. But with the help of the fleet of trucks that Elizabeth family had sent over, the Windsor family had no need for any collaboration with the transport companies of the city.

As a result, not only had they failed to achieve their objective but the transport companies were also approaching them one by one to condemn their attitude. The opportunity of coalition with Windsor family for a huge project like sugar had been given to a foreign business. The transport companies based in Byzantium city couldn’t take it and blamed the three families for forcing their will on them. Some of them even demanded more compensation.

The atmosphere in Hogan family was especially heavy. Any outsider wouldn’t be able to lift their head properly when faced with that kind of pressure. It was like all the family members were waiting all tied up on the scaffolds as they waited for the terrifying guillotine to fall and end put an end to their lives.

The other two families weren’t much different because even if they hadn’t offended Windsor family before, they had done so now for sure. Both of these families blamed Hogan in their hearts but the fact that they still had to work together kept them from opening their mouths to the truth.

Windsor family on the other hand was accelerating on the development track as if the tracks had been freshly oiled allowing them to practically glide to their destination. With the last of the hurdles completely solved, there was nothing stopping them from entering into more markets and introducing the life changing product to the whole human population.

Hogan was panicking in his estate but his mind was working over time. After ejecting steam from his brain several times, there were some ideas in his mind that could potentially end the predicament that his family was currently facing.

But all of these needed help from the other two top families. He felt the need to call another meeting of the coalition at his home in order to discuss their next course of action. After all; they couldn’t wait for the guillotine to fall before taking action. They needed to destroy it before it could reap their lives.

Hogan hurriedly penned down a message to be delivered to Olaf and Austin and sealed the envelope with his wax seal before stamping the sigil of his family on it for authentication. He ordered a trustworthy guard to deliver the letters to the leaders of the two families with his own two hands so that it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands.

It would be best that the two families could respond to his summons otherwise he would have no other option left.

…

Once again the two family leaders arrived at the Hunter family mansion discretely and hurried entered the study with the leader of the Hunter family who had come out to welcome the two of them personally.

Olaf liked this treatment and couldn’t help but feel satisfied that the leader of the top family of Byzantium city had come out to greet him at the entrance. At this moment, any previous problems he had been thinking of in his mind regarding their coalition went out the window.

Austin was flattered but understood why the Hunter family leader was going so far. Hunter family definitely needed this meeting more than the other two families. Unlike the others, Hunter family had offended the Windsor family to an unforgivable extent.

Hogan stationed two trustworthy guards outside the study entrance and locked the door from the inside so as to keep any prying ears from listening in to their conversation.

“Your previous plan failed so spectacularly that I even considered whether I should even attend this meeting again. So far, I haven’t seen any benefits of this coalition but my family has been dragged into the enmity you have with Windsor family.” Austin couldn’t hold back his frustration as soon as the three sat down to discuss their next course of action.

“I remember that you agreed to the plan whole heartedly. No one forced you to. We are open to suggestions. Let’s listen to your great input before we proceed with the meeting.” retorted Hogan without giving Austin any face. He was already frustrated with how his efforts had failed to put a dent in the Windsor family business and was not going to entertain Austin as he was looking to vent. 𝑜𝑣𝘭.𝘯𝑡

Olaf, the most impulsive of the trio, was surprisingly calm in this position. He looked at the two chidingly and said, “We can blame each other later. For now, let’s discuss how we are going to proceed from this moment on.”

Austin was pleasantly surprised at this development and stared at Olaf to confirm if it was truly him or some impostor in his place. The man he knew was slow to grasp things and would have surely asked the agenda of the meeting.

Hogan on the other hand took this opportunity to collect himself so as to not offend the only two allies he had.

“Since you two seem to be a little flustered, let me tell you what I have been thinking after our previous plan failed.”

Hogan and Austin turned all their attention towards Olaf who seemed to be taking the initiative to kick start the meeting this time.

“We have tried to settle our common problem in a gentlemanly way while remaining within the bounds of the business world and the unspoken rules therein. No one would have been able to condemn us for our actions had our plan succeeded. But unfortunately we don’t have that kind of luxury anymore. If we don’t break some rules or are unwilling to get our hands dirty, then we should just obediently wait in our respective homes until the Windsor family comes to harvest our lives.”