Capítulo 1450: Chapter 688: Praise That Kills! (Part 2)
Victor shook his head.
He spoke slowly, his voice calm, “No, Casare, we cannot treat friends in such a crude way.”
He turned his head back to look at Casare, “In my na, extend the most sincere invitation to these families, thanking them for their extraordinary contributions and great sacrifices during the restoration of Texas. Invite them, all the core mbers, to xico City as guests. We will hold a grand dal ceremony and celebratory banquet at the National Palace, where I will personally award them the xico Friendship dal.”
“From now on, we can start stirring up public opinion. We want the people of xico, the United States, and even Europe to know how much they helped us in this Texas battle, and we want to thank them.”
Casare was taken aback, but quickly understood the boss’s intention.
Killing with kindness!
This kind of reputation thing is worthless, most importantly, this basically bids them farewell to part of the circle in Europe and Arica.
So where can they go?
They can only continue following Victor.
“Brilliant, boss, I still have a lot to learn.” Fat Casare’s eyes lit up.
“Stop flattering and have soone quickly get it done.”
Casare nodded vigorously, grinning, “Alright!”
Victor held a cigarette in his hand.
He certainly wouldn’t do anything as low as kicking down the ladder, but he also wanted to have obedient powers.
Don’t let oneself carry the reputation of being harsh.
Otherwise, even your ancestors’ graves will be blown up.
…
In Texas, west of Houston, in the main house of Braylock Manor.
Old Elton Braylock sat alone in the spacious and luxurious living room.
Since his eldest son Marcus committed suicide, the house felt like it had been drained of all its life.
Cole was busy integrating family resources, “cleaning house” and “expanding operations” according to new masters’ wishes, rarely returning ho.
The servants walked on tiptoes, afraid of disturbing the master’s grief.
Old Elton’s unfocused gaze fell on a giant painting hanging above the fireplace, a family portrait from when his eldest was only in his teens, when he was still young, his wife was alive, and his father was still vigorous.
And now?
Old Elton let out a very faint sigh.
He had chosen the most realistic path for the family’s continuity, the price was his eldest son’s life and the family’s most valuable intangible asset accumulated over a century—its reputation.
“Stuart wasn’t a traitor?”
He muttered, his lips twisting into a bitter curve, “But now Braylock is.”
Just then, the double doors of the living room were gently pushed open, and the old family butler John entered silently, carrying a silver tray with a letter made of thick sheepskin, sealed with the xican National Emblem.
John’s voice was low and respectful, “Sir, urgent mail from xico City, personally signed by Mr. Casare.”
Old Elton’s murky eyes slowly moved, focusing on the seal, but he did not reach for it imdiately, just looking.
John maintained his stance, unmoving.
After a long ti, Old Elton slowly extended his hand.
The hand that once signed million-dollar oil contracts was now covered with age spots and was trembling slightly.
He picked up the letter, feeling its weight.
He slowly broke the seal and drew out the letter inside.
The letter was written in elegant English, with ticulously crafted language full of praise and gratitude.
[To the esteed Mr. Elton Braylock and the Braylock family:]
[In recognition of your family’s foresight, steadfastness, and outstanding, even sacrificial contributions to restoring peace and order in the Texas region, President Natali Lunacharsky, along with the xican governnt and people, extends the highest respect and most sincere gratitude to you and your family.]
[To honor this irreplaceable friendship and achievent, President Natali Lunacharsky cordially invites you and core mbers of the Braylock family to the National Palace in xico City, where a grand dal ceremony and celebratory banquet will be held. The President will personally award you the xico Eagle Friendship dal, representing the highest honor, and take this opportunity to discuss the future prosperity of Texas and the rights and status your family should enjoy in it.]
[We look forward to your presence to witness this historic mont and envision a bright future of cooperation.]
The signature was Casare’s, titled as “Chief of Staff of the President’s Office,” of course, this was his side job.
The words were filled with praise, promises, and seemingly infinite respect.
However, Old Elton read it word by word, his face gradually turning ashen, his hand holding the paper trembling more violently.
“xico Eagle Friendship dal.”
Crap!
This was putting them on the grill!
Old Elton felt a strong dizziness and nausea, his stomach churning.
He suddenly slapped the letter on the side table, making a loud smack.
“Father?”
Cole Braylock’s voice ca from the doorway; he’d clearly just arrived, his face a mixture of anxiety and a hint of barely containable excitent?
He quickly walked in, his gaze imdiately drawn to the opened letter on the table.
“From xico City?”
Cole raised his voice a bit as he picked up the letter, quickly glancing through it.
The more he read, the brighter his eyes beca, “xico Eagle Friendship dal, awarded by the President himself, it’s a trendous honor, also our opportunity, Victor wants to discuss future rights distribution with us, this ans…”
“This ans we’re done for! Completely done for!”
Old Elton abruptly cut him off, raising his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on his youngest son, “Honor? That’s a poison wrapped in honey; opportunity? That’s making us admit to the world we’re traitors. From now on, the Braylock na will be a joke in Texas! An embarrassnt, we’ll never turn back!”
Cole was startled by his father’s intense reaction but quickly cald himself, speaking pragmatically, “Dad! Get real! Be realistic, we no longer have a choice, Paul is finished, Texas is finished, Victor won, now we must think about how to survive and live better in the new ga rules!”
He waved the letter, “That’s the most practical! The xicans need us to stabilize Texas, that’s our value! Going to xico City gets us written guarantees, more oil quotas, port concessions, that’s the family’s future, not rotting away with a tattered flag!”
“And then?”
Old Elton’s voice was laden with fatigue and sarcasm, “Displayed like circus monkeys? Letting the whole world see us grovel? Cole, my son…so things, once lost, can never be regained.”
“You have to live to talk about regaining anything!”
Cole was unwavering, “Dead you lose everything! Didn’t Marcus’s death make you understand? This era is such that only those who survive can win, the dead lose everything.”
Father and son stared fiercely at each other, their heavy breathing filling the space.
The ancient clock ticked away, striking an oppressive rhythm.
Old Elton looked at his son, now so unfamiliar, so calculating, seemingly witnessing another form of the Braylock family’s demise.
Eventually, he collapsed into the high-backed sofa, as if all his backbone had evaporated.
“You go then.”
He closed his eyes, waving his hand, his voice weak to the point of barely audible, “Take the family mbers you need… go receive your dal… These old bones of mine won’t go lose face…”
Cole saw his father looking as if he’d aged ten years in a mont, opened his mouth to say sothing, but ultimately just pursed his lips.
He adjusted his suit tie and carefully stored the letter away.
“I’ll handle everything, Dad.”
Cole’s voice returned to calmness, “For the glory of the Braylock family.”
With that, he turned, walking out of the living room with resolute steps to prepare for this trip to xico City, a journey filled with humiliation and opportunity dubbed “the journey of honor.”
Old Elton sat alone in the vast living room, slowly raising his trembling hand to cover his face, a bit of warm, sticky tear seeping from the corner of his eye.
Under Victor’s rule, they could only be compliant citizens.
Such people, they are loathso gentry, damn it, it’s just that Victor is kind-hearted, otherwise, he’d have buried you all.
Hopelessly stubborn!
…
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