One of Sellers'' cousins nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. The Gardner family has always been famously private and stays out of inter-family conflicts. We''ve had no dealings with them, so for them to attack The Burton Group out of the blue ispletely out of character."


    They debated back and forth but couldn''te up with a solution. While they had invested some capital to stabilize the stock, they had no intention of getting into a money-burning war with the Gardner family. It was madness. Taking on the Gardners was financial suicide. They would rather absorb the losses than throw good money after bad just to win a battle of pride.


    One of Sellers'' nephews suggested, "Why don''t we send a representative to talk to the Gardners? They can at least tell us what they want, can''t they? This mutually destructive path is bad for everyone."


    Everyone murmured in agreement. Making the first move to negotiate wasn''t a matter of losing face. At their level, they were past the age of letting pride dictate their actions. Only a fool would let ego get in the way of profits.


    Just then, someone noticed the silent Sellers.


    "Sellers, why are you so quiet? Don''t tell me... you''re the one who made an enemy of the Gardner family?"


    Sellers rubbed his weary temples, a newyer of exhaustion etched on his face. He didn''t try to hide it. "That''s right," he said calmly. "I offended the head of the Gardner family."


    The room fell into a stunned silence.


    Sellers'' second-oldest brother mmed his hand on the table and shot to his feet, pointing an using finger at him. "Sellers, you could have picked a fight with anyone, but you had to go after the Gardners? Don''t you know they''re a family of obsessive madmen? You''ve always been level-headed and responsible. How could you do something so foolish?!"


    His third-oldest brother''s face


    darkened as a thought urred to him. "Sellers, this isn''t about Aurora again, is it? Leonard''s downfall was strange. A family patriarch, brought down like that it was as if he''d crossed someone powerful But ordinary people can''t touch


    someone like Leonard. Unless... the one who took him down was


    another patriarch."


    As the realization dawned, his expression changed. "Don''t tell me he also crossed


    the head of the Gardner family?"


    At his words, a wave of whispers and murmurs swept through the room.


    Someone in the room spoke up, "I''ve said it before, that Aurora is bad news, a walking disaster. But did anyone listen? Just look at what happens to the men who get close to her! Sellers, not only can you not marry her but from this moment.on, you are to have no contact with her whatsoever."


    "She''s been put on a pedestal, but she''s nothing more than an illegitimate daughter. Sellers, for a man of your stature, marrying someone like that would be a disgrace. I


    will never allow you to bring such a woman into our family!"


    "Did the head of the Gardner family take a liking to Aurora too? If so, just let him have her. She''s just a woman, what''s there to miss? Especially an illegitimate


    your status, you could marrycany debutante from any great family. Why hang yourself up on this one tree?"


    "Exactly. And Aurora''s not young anymore, yet she still hasn''t set a wedding date. The Williams family has milked that connection to us and other families for so many deals and advantages. The woman is too ambitious. She''s not right for you."


    The me was now squarely on Aurora.


    Sherman watched the furious faces around him, wanting to speak up for Aurora, but the words wouldn''te. Defending her now would be like throwing himself to the wolves.