"Everyone knows Leonard is your number onepdog, that he''s at your beck and call.


    Would he dare to attack me without your orders?!


    It must be because you were dissatisfied about the shares I received. That''s why Leonard attacked me!"


    At this point, Sherman couldn''t listen anymore.


    "Israel, Aurora has nothing to do with this. She knew nothing about it.


    Besides, I was the one who made the call. It was just a misunderstanding on Leonard''s part."


    How could Israel believe that?


    Heughed sarcastically. "Leonard misunderstood? He''s the head of a family. Do you really think he''s capable of ''misunderstanding''?


    You probably said you were going to teach Ste a lesson, but in reality, you were hinting for Leonard toe after me!"


    The more Israel thought about it, the more convinced he became.


    He red at Aurora with resentment. "So what if Aurora didn''t make the call herself?


    Does she ever have to do her own dirty work?


    All she has to do is frown a little, and you alle running like eager puppies!


    Someone else does the dirty work for her, and she gets to stay hidden, ying the part of the pure, innocent saint!"


    Israel''s words were blunt and merciless.


    The expressions of everyone in the room, not just Aurora, but also Sellers and his nephew, turned ugly.


    Aurora, who always maintained herposure, now had a face flushed with anger. "Brother, you''re out of line!"


    But Israel jutted out his chin defiantly. "I have nothing left to lose anyway. Someone with nothing to lose has no fear. Since you were cruel first, don''t me me for being ruthless!"


    Sellers knew that with Israel''s limited intelligence and current paranoid state, arguing with him further would be pointless.


    He looked at Sherman. "Call Leonard. He started this mess, so he needs toe back and exin.


    Tell him if he doesn''t return immediately, he can forget about ever seeing Aurora again."


    Sherman picked up his phone and called Leonard.


    This time, Leonard didn''t answer; he just hung up.


    Sherman, undeterred, tried again.


    But soon, the call wouldn''t go through at all.


    Sherman was baffled. "What''s going on? Why isn''t the call connecting?"


    Sellers saw what was happening. "Use my phone and call again."


    Sherman used Sellers''s phone to dial.


    At first, the call was rejected. A momentter, it also failed to connect.


    Israel couldn''t help but taunt them. "Oh, look at that. You''ve been blocked.


    Go on, keep up the act, all of you!


    Let''s see how long you can pretend!"


    Meanwhile, in Aetheria.


    After blocking every number from the Williams and Burton families, Leonard''s world finally fell silent.


    So noisy.


    How had he never noticed before just how loud the Williamses and Sellers were?


    He quickly pushed the affairs of the Williams and Burton families aside.


    He began to observe his surroundings in Aetheria.


    The Gardner family had long dominated this country.


    The other major families rarely set foot on Aetherian soil, and not a single one had chosen to partner with the Gardners.


    Rumors about the Gardners were part of the reason.


    But a more significant factor was the frequent change in the family''s leadership. A deal struck with one head of the family might be abruptly canceled by the next.


    Such instability was a major taboo in the business world.


    Families like theirs had plenty of partners; they didn''t need the Gardners.


    And although Joshua was the head


    of the Gardner family he had almo?t ever appeared in public and fev people even knew who he was.


    It was no wonder that Neville Connolly, despite living in Aetheria for so many years, didn''t recognize


    Joshua when he appeared before him.