Donald was unaware that several projects were under close scrutiny after Sylvia cut off their funding sources.

If the municipal government couldn't provide the necessary funds, causing the projects to stall, Sylvia had a contingency plan to have someone take over immediately.

Of course, these projects were far from profitable. Taking them over would require additional investment. But for some, it wasn't about the money—it was about pride.

-

Donald had been overwhelmed lately, juggling a lawsuit against Eric, which in the end, yielded only a coin.

Not settling wasn't an option either.

To him, a small sum was useless, and a large sum could lead to accusations of extortion.

He knew Eric wasn't someone to be trifled with and feared he might actually make such accusations.

Donald had diverted some funds to support those projects, so it hadn't yet reached the point where Sylvia needed to step in.

Upon arriving in Salt City, Donald felt that everything was going wrong.

He had tried