Chapter 2032
It was not about hatred or ruthless cruelty; this was simply the natural order of things. The big fish ate the small fish, and the strong devoured the weak. Any powerful clan or family had risen by stepping over corpses; anyone could see that truth if they looked.
Andrew had no interest in the aftermath. He took Victoria, Tiana, and Lauren and left first.
Meanwhile, George stayed behind to handle the remains of the Driscoll family. At his age, he never thought he would still have the chance to achieve something this monumental. On its own, the Keller family’s foundation could never have shaken the Driscolls, but the impossible had now happened before his eyes.
George ordered coldly, “Take everything that can be taken. As for the Driscolls' vassal families, try to bring them under control. If they refuse, pressure them first and deal with them accordingly; those who surrender should be treated generously.”
With the Chamber of Commerce and the surrendered Driscolls' vassal families, Andrew suddenly had a massive force at his disposal. It was a power strong enough to challenge both the Phela family and the Fischer family.
Meanwhile, Aaron and Ronald were busier than ever. The fall of the Driscolls finally gave them the chance to rebuild without worrying about suppression or retaliation. Following Andrew against the Driscolls had turned their despair into opportunity.
“Still think letting Joe live was a mistake,” Eric muttered, unwilling to let go of his desire to kill him.
Logan shook his head. “From our point of view, you’re right. However, from Andy’s perspective, he has to weigh more than just revenge. Killing Joe might have gone too far.”
Eric sneered. “That’s weak thinking. In our world, mercy doesn’t exist. No loose ends: that’s the real way to survive.”
Logan sighed. “Still, Joe’s situation is pretty tragic. His real father died before they could even reconcile, and the man he thought was his father turned out not to be his blood at all.”
Eric scoffed. “Come on, he looked down on his real father anyway. The guy was a penniless monk with nothing. Maurice wasn’t his real father, but he controlled the Driscolls. He had power, wealth, status, everything. If I were him, of course, I wouldn’t throw away riches for trash.”
Logan shook his head. “That’s not for us to judge. So, what’s your plan now, Eric?”
Eric’s face darkened. “What plan? Without Andrew’s orders, I’ve got nowhere to go.”
What he did not say was that he truly had no place left to return to. Goldridge had already fallen into the hands of the McCormicks and Henry. Going back meant living branded as a traitor. Besides, after spending time with Andrew, Eric realized that following him was not such a bad option after all.
The fall of the Driscolls spread like wildfire, hitting every corner of Gabo Creek like a tornado. In one night, one of the region’s three ruling families had been erased, a fact that many found impossible to believe. Yet, reality stood in front of them.
When old powers collapsed, new rulers rose, and nothing could stop that.
That very day, the Goldings and the Wrights, two of the Five Apex Families, immediately paid Andrew a visit. They made no attempt to hide their intentions, and it was clear to everyone that this was their way of showing allegiance.
The Wrights hardly needed explanation since Yara was already one of Andrew’s people.
The Goldings, however, had always stayed on the fence and even clashed with Andrew before. Yet fate was cruelly ironic, and now they came crawling to Andrew’s feet with humble expressions, showing their submission.
This was the intimidating power that absolute strength brought.