I pondered momentarily before speaking. "I don't advocate for a merger, at least not at the moment."

"Why not?" Atlas asked seriously.

I shared my thoughts and reasons.

He looked at me, nodding approvingly. He pulled me closer and kissed my forehead, exuding a sense of satisfaction.

"Great minds think alike. You're right. This isn’t the right time for a merger. While Tanum has opened up opportunities, it lacks successful cases to support Hartz Group. And the foundation behind Hartz Group won’t suit an alignment with Tanum. It needs to operate in a low-key way, so merging isn't the right move for now."

His words made it clear that Hartz Group did have a foundation backed by Atlas. He must have injected many resources into it and used his connections discreetly.

"And the future doesn't necessarily require a merger. They can each flourish and complement each other's strengths and weaknesses and connect in a different way, for instance, through cooperation. Hartz Group can maintain i