Chapter 43: Internal Strife.

Leo was getting ready to go to bed for the day, when Percie Hibiscal called him. The young man picked up the call and said, "Miss Hibiscal, I apologize for my behavior last night, I was just about to call you about this."

Percie Hibiscal was shocked, and then she said, "You don’t have to worry about that, President, I understand that you only said those things because your daughter was not doing well. Please do not worry.

I am calling you to inform you that within the last couple of hours, our inventory has been sold out."

Leo smiled and replied, "It is all thanks to your hardwork and marketing strategy. Congratulations. Make sure you reward the workers of the OEM plants and the employees of the company properly when the profits turn in."

Percie Hibiscal agreed and said, "Yes, Sir. I only wanted to share some good news."

She was about to disconnect the call when Leo said, "Miss Hibiscal, don’t relax just yet. Now that we have entered the market, the real battle will begin. The Cardinals will attack us, and you know their Modus Operandi, right?"

Percie Hibiscal replied, "I do, I had the staff looking out for them. No matter what they come at us with, it won’t affect us, however, I was thinking if we should also prepare some counter attack for them?"

Leo nodded and replied, "That would be kind of you. Miss Hibiscal, make sure you do the damage so that I can buy the stocks."


The young lady nodded and chuckled and replied, "I understand. I will bring them down sir."

…

The call was disconnected and Snow came inside the room. She looked at him and asked, "Something happened?"

Leo smiled and replied, "The inventory ran out. While it is a good thing, I am sure, the so-called kings of the business will be retaliating against us soon."

Snow lay down beside him and asked, "Echo Cardinal?"

Leo nodded and put his arms around her as he said, "Are you ready, Missus? The morning would be turbulent."

Snow smiled and pecked his lips as she said, "You know, I am."

The two frolicked around for a bit before they went to sleep. However, not everyone was blessed with the same fortune. The newspapers were running after the story.

Vincent Cardinal was standing next to the vintage european style window of the Cardinal Mansion, holding a glass of whiskey in his hands. The man had fat accumulation on his belly, and his hair was gray.

He took a sip of the liquor as he looked outside the window and asked, "Qasim, what do you think? Are they going to be a threat to us?"

A muffled voice sounded from the speaker placed on the study desk, "Well, I have confirmed, they did sell out the first batch within twenty four hours. Also, that mystery president is targeting us. He called us trash publicly."

Vincent did not comment, but took a sip of his liquor and said, "It is true, after my brother passed away, we have been reduced to the shell of what we were. Indeed we are a heap of trash, but what happens when a heap of trash falls on the head of those who stand under it?"

Qasim said, "They die from suffocation."

Vincent replied, "Then get to it. I need to see the results by the evening tomorrow."

Qasim replied, "Sir, that Percie Hibiscal was an employee of the Tyrant Group."

Vincent frowned and said, "I don’t think that Carole or his father would say anything about this. You can deal with her as a separate person, but do not drag in the Primal Family. Those people are not a good bunch."

Qasim sighed and said, "But President, they were our partners in the past."

Vincent’s gaze changed and he said, "The past is just the past, it has nothing to do with the present. Don’t bring this up anymore."

After saying that he turned around and walked up to the table and pressed the button to terminate the call on the intercom. Shortly after, a young man walked inside the study, it was none other than Echo Cardinal. His gaze was filled with intoxication and his feet were unsteady as well. He looked at Vincent and asked, "Who the fuck is this Butterfly Technology, president?"

Vincent placed his glass on the table, walked up close to his son and slapped the latter hard. Echo Cardinal staggered and fell to the ground before he raised his head and asked, "What the fuck is wrong with you dad?"

Vincent Cardinal took a deep breath and went back to the table to pick up his glass and said, "You always complain that I compare you to Leo, right? You want to know why I do that? Because I wanted you to be better than him. Was I wrong? Maybe, but had that kid been around, this butterfly technology would have crumbled before it even launched the first product.

Look at you, don’t even have the ability to stand straight, and do something on your own for once. Loser. Without the aid of Carole Primus, you are nothing but a third grade errand runner, and I am disappointed to be your father."

It seemed like the relationship between the father and son was not very tight.

Echo Cardinal glared at his father before he stood up and said, "If you wanted me to be better than your priced nephew, then you should have paid attention to me when I was growing up instead of fucking around anywhere you could find a hole.

Vincent Cardinal, if you have this much pride that you think I would be nothing had it not been for Carole Primus, then why the fuck did you agree to plot against your own brother?"

Vincent Cardinal shivered and shouted, "Shut up!"

Echo laughed and said, "Did it hurt to hear the truth? I am not the only one who would have been nothing. If I am a third grade errand runner then you are just a second grade parasite."

Vincent Cardinal threw his whiskey glass at Echo in rage, but the latter ducked and said, "Kill me like you killed them. Do you think I am not aware that it was also you, who told Carol to finish Leo while he can, otherwise the future would be worrisome."

Vincent Cardinal lunged at Echo, and then the latter moved away as he said, "I am leaving old man. I hope you die soon."

That said, Echo walked out of the study and left the place. Vincent stood in his spot, panting and breathing hard as he rubbed his left chest. It would be a lie to say that his heart did not ache watching his only son speak to him like this.

He clenched his fist and then calmed himself as he retired to his room.

…

The next morning, Leo dropped Lily off at school, and apologized to Miss Verse for his rude behavior. At the same time he made a visit to the principal’s office. He discussed an issue about charity through the Primal School Fund, and helping the children in remote areas or poor families to get a better quality education.

Then he came back home, Snow had left for work on her own. The young man opened the laptop, and played the economics news. He began to monitor the stock exchange. As soon as he saw anything that was falling down, he would invest a small amount of ten thousand ren in the shares.

These companies were all subsidies of the Cardinal Group. This was the situation of the Cardinal Group, a slow but steady decline. While he was placing his bombs, Percie Hibiscal called him, and reported, "Boss, the cardinals have started making their moves. They have pulled back the small OEM manufacturers from supplying us with parts."

Leo hummed and said, "These small manufacturers are forced in a corner, trying to buy a few of them out, and keep the production going with what we have in the inventory. As for the counter, it is up to you."

CEO Hibiscal smiled and replied, "It should be coming live pretty soon, I hope you are ready."

Leo raised his brow and said, "I am looking forward to it."

Sure enough after a few minutes of the call disconnection, a news was played on the channel.

"This is Stephanie Marshal, reporting live from the Pristine Restaurant here in Angkon Capital. Just now, this prestigious restaurant and the symbol of luxury culinary shops, have been raided by the officers of the Food Safety Bureau and Cops alike. It was reported that the chefs are infusing a small dosage of drugs in the food, which has overtime caused the people to be addicted to the food served here. What’s shocking is that this establishment is run by Echo Cardinal, the young master of the famous business family who lost the elder Master and his wife in a car accident."

As she was talking, suddenly the cops began to lead the staff members of the restaurant to the cars, and took them in. The reporter got very excited again and started reporting the situation.

Leo smiled and said, "I wonder if Vincent will disown his son, or would his heart explode before he could do anything."