Chapter 133

Mountain-View Cloud Residence Abbey Philip arrived with a sense of unease. He had deliberated over this matter for a long time and was not one to take such issues lightly. Before bringing it forward, he had carefully considered whether it would garner the necessary support. In his mind, the three families should have agreed to assist him. Their interests were aligned, and they had repeatedly assured him of their unconditional backing until he secured his election. More importantly, his proposal was minor compared to previous quid gestures—unlike handing out money to the public, offering service-year benefits was merely a verbal agreement. Yet, reality had proven to be vastly different from his expectations. Lately, the top three families seemed disinclined to support him. The Douglas family was embroiled in relentless internal strife, frequently changing its head. Abbey Philip wasn’t even sure whom to approach. The Johnson family was preoccupied with the affairs of their young successo