1225 Divided Opinions

“The third option?” Ethan asked doubtfully. “Mr. Gillen, if you have other ideas in mind, why don’t you share them with us?”

Joel glanced at Edmund before saying, “Before that, I’d like to confirm something. Our five families have already agreed to have a good discussion with the Hamiltons. No one objects to this, right?”

Edmund, Bruce, Ethan, and Anthony nodded in agreement.

Although they were still deciding on whether or not to go to war with the Hamiltons, they didn’t have any doubts about first negotiating with them.

Joel continued, “Okay, it seems that everyone has agreed to this issue. Let’s continue talking about the situation.

“In my opinion, it will be best if we can reach an agreement with the Hamiltons and they give up the idea of controlling our families. But if they refuse to agree and greet us with a tough attitude, we don’t have to fight them. We can each take a step back, and maybe we’ll be able to resolve this problem.”

Bruce asked in puzzlement, “Each take a step back? How so? Mr. Gillen, please explain it in detail.”

Joel continued, “It’s simple. None of us are willing to give away the businesses we’ve painstakingly built to the Hamiltons, and what the Hamiltons want is nothing more than to expand their development in California, Nevada, and Arizona. So I think we can let the Hamiltons come to our states to develop their forces and establish footholds. Meanwhile, we can also cooperate with them and provide them with some support.

“In that case, the Hamiltons will not only not become our enemies, but they will even likely become our allies. We can help the Hamiltons secure a footing in our three states, and the Hamiltons can also help us. This is the way to achieve a win-win solution.

“Isn’t this option better than fighting the Hamiltons to the death?”

After Joel finished speaking, the people present had their eyes glisten.

Anthony was the first to stand up and express his support for Joel’s plan. “Mr. Gillen is right! We should be striving for a win-win solution. If we support the Hamiltons to set up footholds in our three states and form an alliance with them, it will be greatly beneficial to our future development. In my opinion, this is the best option now!”

“Mm… I think Mr. Gillen’s plan is good. Why don’t we work in this direction when negotiating with the Hamiltons?” Ethan also thought it was a good idea. He wouldn’t have to submit to the Hamiltons and give away his family’s businesses or fight a tough battle. Moreover, he could possibly form an alliance with a powerful family like the Hamiltons. This was simply the best option.

“Bullshit!” Edmund objected without hesitation and sneered. “There’s always been an old saying, indulging one’s enemy is asking for trouble. How can we accept others meddling in our territories?

“If you really support the Hamiltons to expand their forces in our three states, how could they possibly be satisfied with sharing control together with us?

“Even if the Hamiltons agree to your plan, after they establish firm footholds here, within three months, they’ll definitely encroach on our power little by little!

“And you still want to achieve a win-win solution with them? Hah, the Hamiltons will only treat us as tools and a springboard to dominate our three states. They won’t allow us to share the same status as them. What are you dreaming of here?”

Bruce nodded. “Indeed, the Hamiltons are too domineering. It’s impossible to achieve a win-win situation with them. Therefore, we can’t allow them to have a place to stand firm from the start!”

Edmund and Bruce made some sense.

The Hamiltons were far stronger than these families to begin with. Once they really secured a footing in the three states, they would naturally establish their sole hegemony. The other families would either have to pledge allegiance or vanish from here. There wasn’t a third option.

Joel thought that he had come up with a brilliant idea and even despised Edmund and the rest over it, thinking that they were foolish. But now, he was criticized, so he snapped furiously, “Damn it! How do you know that the Hamiltons will really encroach on our power and annex us? Since you refuse to agree with my idea, does that mean, in your opinion, the only option we have is to go to war with the Hamiltons?

“Hah, your plan is really courting death!”

Edmund said furiously, “Since you think we’re courting death, then get lost, lest you say that we’ll implicate you!”

“You!” Joel was furious, and it took him a great deal of effort to suppress his anger. Looking at Bruce, who was sitting in the middle, he said, “Mr. Hale, okay then, what do you think we should do?”

Bruce glanced at him before saying slowly but firmly, “Actually, I agree with Mr. Cole. We’ll be inviting danger into our territories by letting the Hamiltons establish footholds in our states. It will inevitably lead to disaster. I don’t care about what happens to Nevada and Arizona, but we can never let the Hamiltons set up a foothold here in California!”

Joel immediately looked gloomy.

Anthony sulked as well.

In fact, the two of them had come up with the idea of letting the Hamiltons set up footholds in the various states. They initially thought that the families of California would agree to it without hesitation, but they didn’t expect them to object outright.

Among the five helmsmen present, only Joel and Anthony supported the third option, while Edmund and Bruce decided to go to war with the Hamiltons if negotiations fell through. Ethan was the only one who hadn’t expressed his stand yet.

“Hah, I thought that since the Coles and the Hales are the top families in California, you should be knowledgeable people. But I didn’t expect you to be so stubborn as to think of going head-on against the Hamiltons. I won’t court death with you!

“Since we can’t come to a consensus, there’s no need for us to stay here any longer. Mr. Cross, it seems we’ve come to the wrong place. Let’s go! I refuse to believe that we can’t find any allies in the three states!”

Joel and Anthony stood up and turned around to leave.

When Ethan saw this, he immediately stopped them anxiously. “Hey, wait! Please stay. There’s still room for discussion!”

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