The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1258

"Got it," Joshua texted back.

Even now, Jake didn't quite grasp the purpose behind Joshua's actions. Wouldn't sending a few assassins after Leonard be more efficient than spreading rumors?

Just then, Harold returned, carrying the bag of music box fragments. Seeing Jake's confused expression, he asked, "What's with the long face?"

"Mr. Gardner ordered me to spread unflattering pictures of Leonard," Jake said. "I just don't get it. Leonard is at his weakest right now. Wouldn't it be better to just eliminate him?"

As one of Joshua's most skilled aides, Jake lived by a simple creed: actions speak louder than words. Joshua himself had always favored a direct, sometimes brutal, approach. Why the sudden shift to such a roundabout strategy?

Harold shot him a look. "What good does it do Mr. Gardner or Stella if Leonard is dead?"

"Revenge, obviously," Jake replied.

"And besides revenge?"

Harold nodded. "In business, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests. Stella can't stand alone. If she wants to take control of The Williams Group in the future, she will need allies."

Even Joshua, with all his power, couldn't secure his position as family head without a network of support. Stella, an outsider who had grown up apart from the family, faced an even steeper climb. No matter how capable she was, taking control of The Williams Group would be an immense challenge. Her own mother, Nora, had struggled to maintain her position even with her father-in-law's backing when Skyler Williams disappeared. Stella might have the founder's shares, but she had a long, hard road ahead of her.

Jake knew this was true. "Mr. Gardner is really going to great lengths for her," he mused.

"Leonard is already sidelined," Harold continued. "With these rumors circulating, a patriarch who has lost an arm and is nearly disfigured can't appear in public. The vultures within the Lerman family will use this as an excuse to demand his resignation. His position will become even more precarious. As the saying goes, when two parties fight, it's always the third that benefits."