Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Well Aware Inside
It was a calculated gamble, a gamble that they could secure his loyalty through enticement, cemented by the allure of even greater power.
In essence, they sought to mold him into a loyal asset, an instrument wielded for their ambitions, all beneath the guise of granting him prestige and dominion.
But in order to do that, she had to remove the hurdles first. She couldn't have any two teams forming an alliance to gang up on the others because that would only lead to slaughter and more imbalance. The already shattered economy would end up beyond the realm of recovery.
Drawing on the pre-existing connections between the Windsor family and the Smith family, Candice deftly set her plan in motion.
She easily recognized the intricacies of these alliances as both the alliances were built around marital relation with Zach. In case of Elizabeth family, it was Christina who married Zach while in case of the Windsor family, it was Clara's engagement to Zach that kept the relationship between the two families, cordial.
Breaking the alliance was easy enough for her. She just had to send the two women who were the lynch pins of the collaboration out of the picture.
So, that was what she did.
She forced the Windsor family and the Elizabeth family out of the picture first using the women who were the anchors holding the alliances steadfast.
She used her identity as the royal princess to make them drift apart from the Smith family with the excuse of balancing the forces in the city and the reconstruction of the capital respectively.
With the first stage of her intricate plan successfully executed, Candice turned her attention to the remaining two formidable forces within Byzantium city who seemed to have lost all their confidence and were busy keeping an extremely low profile.
The conflict between the two top forces had left them wondering if they were still worthy of being mentioned in the same words as the other two top families.
The gap in strength was far more than they had imagined, and they were afraid that Zach might retaliate against them if they still tried to hold any grudge.
As such they had already lost the battle for the apex of the city in their hearts. They had grown afraid after witnessing the demise of the Hunter family.
Candice intended to convince them to come out of their seclusion and to keep them from trying to maintain a low profile.
Candice had no hope to begin with. But when she met the two old men from the Brown and Davis family, she could tell how mediocre the two truly were. The fact that they had stayed at the top of Byzantium city had to be attributed to the toil of their ancestors. They didn't have the ability to actually reach their positions on their own.
"Since your two families have gone toe to toe with the Hunter family over the years and have managed to keep that behemoth in check, you should have already figured out why I called you both here." said Candice while exuding a royal and untouchable aura.
Her demeanor amazed the old men as they wondered if they were truly in the presence of someone who was many years their younger. She made them feel like children in front of a strict teacher who was admonishing them.
Moreover, her words not only flattered them somewhat, but also seemed to be questioning their abilities at the same time.
Olaf had always been more impulsive compared to Austin. He was quite easy to influence compared to Austin who was a level-headed and cautious person and could see through some of her plans. Therefore, Olaf nodded furiously as if he had seen her coming to him from a long while back.
"Of course, I am aware."
Olaf, driven by arrogance and a desire to assert superiority, exaggerated his posture, and puffed up his chest like a peacock displaying its feathers. He probably believed this grandiose display would somehow intimidate Austin.
On the other hand, Austin, unimpressed and unaffected, held a countenance that oozed disdain and contempt. His eyes narrowed slightly, his lips formed a thin line, and his body language spoke volumes.
He saw through Olaf's attempt to project power, and the lack of response from him made it evident that Olaf's display had fallen flat. It was a subtle yet powerful expression of disapproval.
Even Candice couldn't help but feel amazed at Olaf's shamelessness. He was even stupider than she thought, naively taking her sarcasm as genuine praise. Fortunately, Austin, with his sharp intellect and perceptiveness, seemed to have a brain on his shoulders. His understanding and discernment alone were enough to assure Candice that there was at least someone sensible in this rather complicated scenario.
She had meticulously researched and analyzed the situation, identifying the key actions needed to bring the two leaders into alignment with her intricate plans.
"Frankly, I don't have time to waste on you two old fogeys." Candice's words were laced with a calculated impatience. She knew she needed their cooperation, but she was determined to assert her authority and set the tone of the conversation from the beginning lest they begin to think that they had what it took to confront her.
The two family heads exchanged glances, a mixture of anger and humiliation simmering beneath their composed exteriors. Yet, they refrained from retaliating, cognizant of the watchful royal guards and the potential consequences of a reckless act.
As such, they had to bear with the insults of a woman far younger than them with a smile on their faces, a forced veneer hiding their seething resentment. It was a bitter pill to swallow, yet maintaining appearances was crucial.
Their pride was wounded, but their minds were focused on the larger chessboard, where each move they made could either preserve or destroy the legacy of their families to smithereens.
The momentary humiliation compared to the preservation of their family legacy was a very small price to pay. Albeit begrudgingly, they still paid it, for they had the bigger prize in mind.
Since the old fogeys did well in holding in their grievances, she continued.
"You had your whole life to adapt and change your families for the better, but you didn't. Instead, you are still where you were when your families were handed to you. Both the Windsor family and the Hunter family either fell or rose in status during this time but you managed to keep your families stable. You might be a good leader in the eyes of others, but you are worthless in my eyes because your families have become stagnant, afraid of the smallest progress. You neither took any risks nor made any progress during this time, which clearly shows that you don't have the guts that the leader of a family should have. Therefore, I don't' want you two to be the family heads as I implement my new policies."
Their chests tightened with the weight of the truth. The shame they felt this time was not because Candice had berated them publicly, but because they realized the extent of their complacency. The stagnant state of their families, clinging to tradition and fearful of change, was an undeniable reality.
As they reflected on their past actions, they knew her words were true because that was how they had been leading their families amidst the pressure of the Hunter family. They saw how they had failed to adapt to evolving circumstances.
They had been so preoccupied with maintaining the status quo that they missed countless opportunities for growth and progress. It was a painful realization, gnawing at their pride and challenging the very essence of their leadership.
Despite the shame and the undeniable truth in Candice's words, the allure of their current positions held a strong grip on them. The benefits and privileges that came with being family heads were not easy to let go of. It wasn't merely about prestige; there were financial gains, respect from the community, and a sense of authority that made the position enticing.
They were at a crossroads, torn between holding onto what they had for the sake of comfort and embracing the necessary change that might propel their families forward. The decision weighed heavily on their minds, prompting them to reevaluate their priorities and ambitions.
"Your highness, stability is also a crucial aspect when it comes to large-scale businesses like ours," Austin countered, his tone respectful yet firm. "We have managed to generate consistent profits, enough to sustain our family's lifestyle and more. Being content and satisfied is a virtue, one that comes with experience and time." Austin tried to play the age card with the princess as she was too young compared to the two of them and probably had much less experience as well.
He knew that challenging her was a risky move, but he also understood that silence might lead to relinquishing his position as the head of his family. The weight of his responsibilities pressed on him, urging him to assert his stance and fight for what he believed was right or what he believed was beneficial for himself and his family.
Still, he tried to be as respectful as possible. After all he couldn't go against the royal family for no reason.
"Both of us know that stability was merely a byproduct, not your primary objective. You were preoccupied with survival, hiding from the Hunter family, masking your weaknesses to avoid being devoured, much like they attempted with the Windsor family," Candice pressed, her arguments sharp and well-informed. She didn't leave any leeway for further argument.
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