Chapter 40

"Let Strata King Group have their moment with that tempting opportunity. Once we've got our stock prices back on track, we'll be back in the game stronger than ever," Evangeline mused, her fingers gently tracing the contours of the ring her grandfather had cherished for so many years.

"However, you know the saying that goes, 'Gordon rules the north, Foster owns the south.' Strata King may be the brainchild of Walter Gordon, but it's the Gordon family that's pulling the strings. They've outpaced the original Gordon Group and now sit at the top of Halcyonia's corporate ladder.

"If we challenge Strata King, we're challenging the Gordons head-on. And despite the old bonds between our families, in business, there's no room for stepping aside. If we abandon the northern markets for charity work in the northwest, what will that say about the Foster name?" someone said.

"Who's saying I'm ducking Strata King Group? That's the biggest laugh I've had all day!" In that instant, Evangeline's dor