He paced back and forth, hands sped behind his back. "How did everything change so fast? I''ve got to call Frankie and figure out why she turned her back on our alliance."


    Benjamin quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Frankie''s number. But all he got was an automated message: "Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off."


    Confused, Benjamin muttered, "Why is Frankie''s phone always off these days?"


    Gavin was on edge. "If the Stewart family''s main branch crashes and the second branch takes over, with all the bad blood between them, the second branch won''t let the main branch off easy. If we back the main branch, we''re asking for trouble from the second branch. And retaliation could cost us dearly."


    After mulling it over, Gavin decided, "We should steer clear of this mess."


    But Benjamin had another take. "Dad, staying neutral might keep us safe for now, but if the second branch is gonna win, aligning with them could mean a fresh start for the Rond family. Which path do you think is better for our revival?"


    "Obviously, thetter."


    "Then we should back Nathalie."


    "But..."


    "Dad, it''s like they say, water flows downhill, and people aim high. We can''t let the Stewart family''s main branch drag us down."


    Gavin was torn.


    Benjamin pressed on, "Dad, one wrong move and the Rond family could be swept into the annals of forgotten history. Loyalty''s noble, but history''s written by the winners. It''s the victors who call the shots."


    With Benjamin''s insistence, Gavin finally nodded in agreement.


    Over at the Stewart Estate, the main branch was in a panic after learning the McCoy family had struck a deal with Nathalie.


    Dean raced over to the Rond family that very night, desperate to lock in their support to stand a chance against the second branch.


    But Gavin''s reception was chilly, nothing like before. He danced around any talk of agreements, making Dean realize that it wasn''t just the McCoy family who had jumped ship.


    Dean left the Rond family, dejected, and wandered aimlessly before stumbling home, drunk.


    Regan, seeing his son so defeated, sternly said, "Look at yourself. It''s not over yet, and you''re already throwing in the towel. No wonder you''re no match for the second branch."


    Dean, eyes bleary from drink, replied, "Dad, our momentum''s gone. There''s no way to w it back."


    "The McCoy family turned on us, and now the Rond family is on the verge of doing the same. Our track record''s strong, but once they take over Stewart Enterprise, they''ll shove us aside. We need a game n."


    Regan mmed the table in frustration. "Where''s your backbone? Remember, Vivian, or Nellie, is Cameron''s ex. There''s bad blood there. She might have swayed the Rond and McCoy families, but she can''t touch the Dawson family. If we team up with Cameron, with his smarts and my experience, we''ve still got a shot."


    Dean found renewed energy in his father''s words.


    "Dad, you''re right. It''s too soon to quit."


    Regan, with the wisdom only age can bring, asserted, "Remember, Lincoln had your great-grandfather''s backing, but I still came out on top. Now, with Lincoln''s daughter just stepping into the arena, I refuse to believe they can take me down."