Chapter 752

Chapter 752:

Stephen, a seasoned businessman who had weathered countless market battles, quickly pieced together Ashton’s bold tactics. Ashton was sourcing expensive, high-quality ingredients from distant cities and deliberately selling them below cost, willingly taking a financial hit to carve out Pavilion Foods Group’s market share.

What unnerved Stephen wasn’t just Ashton’s aggressive strategy; it was his unflinching commitment to see it through. Ashton was prepared to absorb losses, making it clear he was in this fight for the long haul.

While Stephen knew he still had the resources to counter Skyline Group’s moves, he also understood the cost of such a prolonged conflict. Even if Pavilion Foods Group managed to outlast Skyline Group, the fallout would leave his company severely weakened, potentially taking years to recover.

For the first time in decades, Stephen felt the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him. His once-unshakable confidence had given way to a growing sense of urgency.

After much deliberation, Stephen decided to take a different approach. Leveraging his extensive network, he secured Ashton’s contact information and made the call himself.

When Ashton picked up, Stephen’s voice was calm, measured, and almost conversational, masking the tension beneath. “Mr. Baldwin, I believe it’s time we had a conversation. When would you be available to meet? I think there’s value in discussing potential cooperation between our groups.”

Ashton wasted no time accepting Stephen’s invitation. Setting aside his tasks, he headed straight to the Crawford family residence. Despite the deep resentment that boiled beneath Stephen’s polite exterior, he greeted Ashton personally at the gate. His smile was forced, but for the sake of his own gain, he played the part convincingly.

Once inside, Stephen led Ashton to the sitting room. Eager to appear sincere, he gestured to a seat and served Ashton a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

But Ashton wasn’t swayed by the hospitality. He took a slow sip, his expression unreadable, before calmly saying, “Mr. Crawford, why don’t you drop the act? Your eagerness reeks of ulterior motives.”

𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓼 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝓂: ga l no v els .co m

Stephen’s chuckle was awkward, his hand scratching the back of his head as he tried to play it off. “How could that be? I actually invited you to discuss a negotiation with Skyline Group. My earlier sanctions were impulsive; I didn’t think them through. I hope you can forgive me this time, Mr. Baldwin. I promise to lift the sanctions immediately and won’t target your group again. Let’s not act rashly anymore. It benefits neither of us.”

Ashton leaned back, arching an eyebrow. A faint sneer tugged at his lips. “Negotiate? Forgive you? Why should I? Because you tried to destroy our restaurant?”

Stephen’s practiced smile faltered, his tone sharpening. “Mr. Baldwin, are you truly planning to go to war with Pavilion Foods Group? From what I’ve seen, though you’ve claimed some of our market share, your accounts are bleeding. In just one week, you’ve lost over ten million. At this rate, even your group’s deep pockets won’t hold out for long.”

Ashton’s grin widened, his voice cutting like ice. “Don’t trouble yourself worrying about my finances. The money we’re losing now will return, Mr. Crawford, straight out of your family’s pockets.”

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