Sweet Mischief’s Rollercoaster Romance novel Chapter 1952

Chunky patted his friend's shoulder. "Man, spending tens of thousands of dollars to buy five years of peace was worth it. We need to stay far away from Horizon Technologies from now on."

"It was actually Tony who gave me the idea," Dustin noted.

Everyone looked at the man mixing drinks at the bar. "How come Leo and I didn't know about this?" Chunky asked.

"None of you younger guys knew," Tony replied. "Leo was just a student back then, and we didn't want him exposed to how vicious the real world could be. You were just a homebody nerd, Chunky, so you wouldn't have known what to do anyway. Going to the tech association for help wouldn't have worked. I told Dustin to take a step back and protect himself first. Getting out was the priority."

"But for a company like that, if they don't have strong technical pillars, how do they stay afloat?" Leo asked.

"Of course they do. They have a few core pillars making millions of dollars a year. They even hired senior members from the association, which is why Tony warned me not to seek their help," Dustin explained.

"This isn't the first or second time they've pressured competitors. But targeting your company, Golden Top, and poaching this many massive clients? That's a first. You must have really made them feel threatened."

Tony spoke up as he continued mixing drinks at the bar. "It's because Leo expanded way too fast last year. He's a rookie. Rising that quickly makes him an easy target to be cut down.

"In our line of work, sustaining a startup is incredibly difficult. Most people run their companies for over a decade and are lucky to clear a million a year. Leo made close to ten million in his first year. Keep in mind, he's just a rookie.

"When a newcomer steals the spotlight, it breeds jealousy. You get isolated by the veterans and targeted by players who are much stronger than you."

The drinks were ready. Tony picked up the tray and carried it over to the living room.

Leo looked at him. "Tony, Horizon Technologies wants to buy out my company, don't they?"

Chunky shot up from the sofa in shock. "Buyout? No way."

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